BLEUnlock1.12.2

BLEUnlock locks or unlocks a Mac based on how close a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) device is, allowing a phone or wearable to act as a presence key. This small menu bar utility unlocks the computer when the device approaches and locks it when the device moves away.

It supports an iPhone 5s or newer, every Apple Watch model, and other BLE devices that transmit periodically from a static MAC address; no iPhone companion app is required. Optional actions include running a script on lock or unlock, waking from display sleep, and pausing or resuming music or video playback when you leave or return. The password is stored securely in Keychain.

BLEUnlock requires a Mac with Bluetooth Low Energy support and macOS 10.13 (High Sierra) or later; version 1.12.2 runs on Intel and Apple Silicon Macs and is freeware distributed outside the Mac App Store. On first launch, it requests permissions that must be granted, although newer macOS versions may request more and older versions may request fewer. Choose Device from the menu bar icon, scan for nearby BLE devices, and select the one to use.

If macOS asks to let BLEUnlock access its Keychain password, choose Always Allow because access is needed while the screen is locked. A non-Apple device may appear as a UUID instead of a name, so changing its distance and watching the RSSI value in dB can help identify it. If the signal is frequently lost, increase No-Signal Timeout or try Passive Mode. If no device appears, or a Bluetooth keyboard, mouse, Personal Hotspot, or other device misbehaves, reset the Bluetooth module with Shift-Option-click on the Bluetooth icon in the menu bar or Control Center; this procedure also applies to macOS 12 Monterey.