Using an Apple Watch to reinforce Mac walk-away locking.

Watch unlock versus Watch proximity gate

macOS already includes native support for Apple Watch unlock: when you approach your Mac, the Watch detects the Mac is nearby and signals the system to unlock if you swipe on the Watch. This feature answers the question "I am approaching my Mac; let me back in." It is a convenience unlock.

Peeku uses the Watch in a different way. Rather than unlocking when you return, Peeku uses the Watch as a proximity gate that reinforces the lock decision when you leave. The Watch helps Peeku be more confident that you are truly away before it locks the screen. This is a fundamentally different function: it prevents false locks, not a substitute for locking itself.

The two systems operate independently. You can enable Watch unlock, Watch proximity gating for Peeku, or both. Neither interferes with the other. The Watch unlock feature works even if Peeku is not running. Peeku's proximity gate works alongside its primary camera-based presence detection; it does not replace it.

How Peeku uses Watch proximity

Peeku's core lock decision relies on three signals working together: face detection from your Mac's camera, optional Watch Bluetooth proximity, and keyboard or mouse input activity. The system combines these signals with deliberate caution: it does not lock unless multiple signals agree that you are away.

Face detection is the primary signal. It answers a binary question: is a face visible in the camera frame? If your face disappears from the camera, Peeku notes that you may have left. But a brief glance away or a moment when the camera angle shifts can trigger a false reading. If you are on a phone call, you might be looking at a document on your desk. If the room is poorly lit, the camera might struggle to detect you even though you are still there.

The Watch proximity signal adds confidence. When Peeku detects that your face has left the frame, it checks whether your Apple Watch is still nearby via Bluetooth. If the Watch reports RSSI (signal strength) above the proximity threshold (roughly -70 decibels, equivalent to being at your desk), Peeku treats the Watch presence as a sign that you have not truly left. The lock does not engage.

Only when both the camera reports absence and the Watch reports distance (or if no Watch is paired) does Peeku proceed toward a lock decision, combined with input activity checks. This double-gating significantly reduces the false-lock rate when the camera alone would be uncertain.

When Watch proximity helps most

The Watch proximity gate shines in specific scenarios where camera detection becomes ambiguous. In bright sunlight or backlighting, the camera may struggle to detect faces reliably. If you have a very dark or minimally lit workspace, the same problem emerges. When you are on a video call and your face is obscured by the camera angle, the camera cannot see you, but you are still at your Mac. In these cases, a Watch that remains nearby signals that you have not actually walked away, preventing Peeku from locking when it should not.

The Watch also helps if someone else briefly walks past your desk. Your camera detects a face (theirs, not yours), which might confuse a face-only system. But if the Watch stays close, Peeku knows you have not left. With Peeku's optional enrolled-face matching (matching the feature print of your face specifically), combined with the Watch proximity gate, the system becomes much more resistant to false locks from family members or colleagues passing nearby.

Another practical scenario: when you stand up but are still near your desk, tidying papers or organizing items. Your face leaves the camera frame momentarily, but the Watch is still nearby. Peeku does not lock. You sit back down and resume work without interruption. Without the Watch gate, a brief stand-up could trigger an unwanted lock.

Trade-offs and requirements

Using the Watch as a proximity gate introduces dependencies that are worth understanding. Your Apple Watch must be paired with your Mac via Bluetooth. It must be worn and have sufficient battery charge. If the Watch battery runs out or Bluetooth is disabled, the proximity gate does not function, and Peeku falls back to camera and input signals alone. This is not a failure; the lock still works. It simply loses the false-lock reduction that the Watch provides.

The Watch and Mac must be close enough for reliable Bluetooth contact. At a typical desk, Bluetooth RSSI is strong (around -36 dBm). When you walk across the room or to another area of your home, the signal weakens predictably. Peeku's default proximity threshold is -70 dBm; once the Watch signal drops below this, Peeku knows you have left your desk. This threshold is configurable if you need to adjust it for your workspace layout.

Bluetooth is not perfect. Occasionally, a signal glitch or temporary dropout can occur. Peeku accounts for this with a brief timeout window (two seconds by default) before deciding the Watch is out of range. A momentary Bluetooth stutter does not cause a false lock.

The Watch proximity gate is optional. Peeku's lock works perfectly well with camera and input signals alone. If you do not wear an Apple Watch, or if your Watch is not compatible, Peeku functions without penalty. The face detection and input idleness combination is sufficient for the majority of use cases.

Setting up Watch proximity in Peeku

To use Apple Watch as a proximity gate, first ensure your Watch is paired with your Mac. This happens automatically when your Watch and Mac are signed into the same iCloud account. You can verify the pairing in System Settings by navigating to Bluetooth and checking that your Watch appears in the device list.

In Peeku, open the menu-bar panel and look for the Watch signal indicator. It displays the current Bluetooth signal strength and the gate status. When you first enable the proximity gate, Peeku scans for your paired Watch. Once detected, the indicator shows whether your Watch is nearby or out of range. You can watch these signals in real time before enabling auto-lock, building confidence that the system is reading your proximity correctly.

The Watch proximity gate toggle sits in Peeku's main settings. When enabled, it becomes part of the lock decision: face absent and Watch distant triggers a lock (assuming input is idle). When disabled, Peeku relies on camera and input signals alone. You can toggle it at any time without affecting the face detection or coaching features.

For advanced users, Peeku's configuration file (located at ~/.config/proximity-lock/config.json) allows tuning the RSSI threshold and signal timeout. The defaults are conservative and work for most desks, but if you have an unusually large workspace or weak Bluetooth coverage, adjusting these values can improve responsiveness.

Privacy implications of Watch proximity

The Watch proximity signal stays entirely on your Mac. Peeku uses local Bluetooth scanning to measure signal strength; it does not contact a server to validate your location or log your proximity history. The feature does not require internet connectivity or any communication outside your Mac.

Your Apple Watch Bluetooth address and signal strength are processed locally by Peeku and the macOS Bluetooth stack. No data leaves your device. The lock decision remains private to your Mac, and Peeku's menu-bar panel shows presence signals live only to you, sitting in the menu bar of your computer.

Because Peeku uses standard Bluetooth RSSI scanning rather than any proprietary tracking, the detection is subject to the same signal propagation rules as any Bluetooth device. Walls, distance, and interference affect signal strength predictably, with no hidden mechanisms or fine-grained location tracking.

Combining Watch proximity with face enrolment

Peeku offers optional face enrolment: you can teach Peeku to recognise your face specifically, so it does not lock if someone else's face appears on camera. Pairing this with Watch proximity makes the lock very robust. The system now requires three confirmations before locking: your face absent from camera, your Watch out of range, and input idle.

This three-signal approach is how Peeku prevents false locks in real-world conditions. A family member walking past briefly will not lock your Mac because your Watch is still nearby. Sunlight glare will not cause a false lock because if the camera fails, the Watch compensates. Conversely, if all three signals truly agree you have left, Peeku locks quickly and reliably.

Troubleshooting Watch proximity issues

If the Watch signal indicator shows "out of range" when your Watch is at your desk, check the following. First, verify that Bluetooth is enabled on both your Mac and Watch, and that the Watch is still paired. If you have recently re-paired your Watch, macOS may need a moment to re-establish the connection; wait a few seconds and check again.

If the Watch is consistently out of range despite being nearby, the RSSI threshold may be set too conservatively for your space. In very large offices or homes with thick walls, Bluetooth signals attenuate more than expected. You can adjust the threshold in Peeku's settings or config file to be more lenient. A small increase in the threshold distance will make the gate less strict.

If you are experiencing false locks despite the Watch being nearby, ensure the Watch signal timeout is not too short. Bluetooth connectivity occasionally has brief glitches. Peeku's default two-second timeout accommodates most transient signal drops. If you are in an area with heavy Bluetooth interference (many other devices, WiFi congestion), a slightly longer timeout can help.

In all cases, you can disable the Watch proximity gate entirely and return to camera-only detection. This is a valid configuration and does not reduce Peeku's core locking functionality; it simply removes one layer of false-lock reduction.

A practical workflow

Many Peeku users adopt this approach: they enable face enrolment during setup so Peeku learns their face. They then pair their Apple Watch as a proximity gate for reinforcement. They start with the lock disabled and spend a few days watching the live signals in the menu bar, understanding how the camera and Watch respond to their movements. Once confident in the signals, they enable auto-lock.

The result is a lock that feels responsive and trustworthy. Walking away from the desk triggers a near-immediate lock (within a few seconds). Brief interruptions, glances away, or standing to stretch do not cause unwanted locks. If the camera is uncertain in poor lighting, the Watch proximity signal prevents a false lock. If someone else walks past, the Watch confirms you have not left. The system works quietly in the background until you return, at which point you can unlock normally using your password or Touch ID.

You remain in full control. The Watch proximity gate is optional, toggleable, and does not interfere with your normal Mac usage. Everything happens on your Mac; nothing leaves your device.

Next steps

If you use an Apple Watch and are interested in improving Peeku's false-lock resistance, pairing the Watch as a proximity gate is straightforward. Start by ensuring your Watch is paired via Bluetooth, then enable the proximity gate in Peeku's settings. Watch the live signal panel in the menu bar to verify the system is reading your proximity correctly.

For more details on Peeku's overall locking mechanism and how face detection works, see the guide on camera presence versus Bluetooth for Mac auto-lock. For information on setting up walk-away locking from scratch, read how to set up walk-away lock on a Mac. And if you are curious about on-device face detection itself, the guide on how Mac face detection works goes into the technical details. If you are switching from Windows, the Watch proximity gate is the closest Mac counterpart to Windows Dynamic Lock, which locks a PC when a paired phone leaves Bluetooth range; the guide on the Mac equivalent of Windows Dynamic Lock sets the two side by side.