Knock – unlock your Mac without a password using your iPhone and Apple Watch

Category

Description of App

Faster and safer than typing a password, for iOS and Mac.

You keep your iPhone with you all the time. Now you can use it as a password. You never have to open the app— just knock on your phone twice, even when it’s in your pocket, and you're in.

Using Knock won't drain your iPhone's battery, even if you use it all day every day. Knock securely communicates with your Mac using Bluetooth Low Energy, a new technology that draws very little power.

Knock works with any Mac that supports Bluetooth 4.0.

Version

1.0.1

Free or Paid

Paid

Apple Watch Support

Not Known

Device(s) App Was Tested On

iPhone

Accessibility Comments

The setup process has some unlabeled buttons but if you've ever installed a Mac app before you will know what to do.

VoiceOver Performance

VoiceOver reads a few page elements.

Button Labeling

No buttons are clearly labeled.

Usability

There are some minor accessibility issues with this app, but they are easy to deal with.

Other Comments

Knock for iPhone lets you simply knock on it to unlock your mac.You will need the iOS app and the Mac app obviously. The set up process has unlabeled buttons but it's very simple to accomplish. Once you set the two apps instead of typing your Mac login password you will get a notification on your phone telling you to knock on it. Knock and you're logged in! Like I said, none of the buttons are labeled but once you get it set up you don't have to open these apps to get them to work. All you do is knock and everything else happens in the background. I've been using it reliably for a full day now with no issues.

Developer's Twitter Username

@knocktounlock

Recommendations

1 people have recommended this app

Most recently recommended by Southpaw 11 years ago

Options

Comments

By Siobhan on Monday, November 25, 2013 - 15:43

Hi. Thanks for both the podcast and the app submission. I bought the app, but i can't find the download link anywhere on the site. I emailed the developers for both that and to let them know about accessibility. So, come on and give up the goods, where's the stupid link? ;) thanks again. Siobhan
So, I got this app thinking it would be great. The concept is wonderful, but I can't get it to work at all. I have the mac, and the IOS app. I keep thinking I got it set up, but no go at all. I'm not even sure if I accepted the license agreement. Does the phone need to be locked? Do I need to have VO on or off when I knock? More to the point, what defines a knock? One finger, 2 or 3 fingers? I have been playing with this thing for about 45 minutes, and have no success. I have a macbook pro that I got back in march. Brand new. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.
do you have the older macs such as 2011 and before? It only according to the article I read works on 2012 and newer macs. This would be grate for me except I can't use it either as my mac is a mid 2009nmodel.

By Joey G on Monday, November 25, 2013 - 15:43

I have a machine that was created in late 2012 I believe.

By Siobhan on Monday, November 25, 2013 - 15:43

In reply to by Joey G

Hi. First off, thanks to david Goodwin for finding the app, no matter where I looked on the site, I couldn't find the app. Anyway Joe if you'd like help and have skype let me know. It's one of those things that will ventually work it just takes a minute.