Hey MacFor a Near Lock alternative that unlocks without using your phone as the key, consider native Touch ID, Apple Watch Auto Unlock, or camera-based Hey Mac on a compatible Mac. If automatic walk-away locking is the reason you use Near Lock, BLEUnlock is the more relevant feature comparison.
Start with the part you want to change. Removing a phone dependency, solving a connection problem, and locking private apps are different reasons to switch. One replacement may not cover all of them.
Check the Near Lock setup you have
The official Near Lock website describes a phone app and a separate Mac companion. Its features include proximity-based locking and unlocking, manual phone controls, and optional authorization methods. It says background operation requires its Pro in-app purchase.
The iPhone app’s App Store listing and Apple’s public listing data showed version 5.1 with a December 12, 2018 release date when checked for this page. The website also lists older OS requirements. Those are reasons to verify compatibility with your actual Mac and current software; they are not proof that the product cannot work today.
Do not infer the Mac companion’s support from an iPhone app’s “Compatibility” section. Installing an iPhone app on an Apple silicon Mac, where offered, is a separate question from support for the companion that controls the Mac’s lock screen.
Choose an alternative by your reason for leaving
| Your priority | Consider | Check before switching |
|---|---|---|
| Unlock without a phone or watch | Touch ID, password login, or Hey Mac face unlock. | Touch ID hardware or Hey Mac’s Mac/camera requirements. |
| Use the watch you already wear | Apple Watch Auto Unlock. | Supported devices, account setup, and manual login after restart. |
| Keep Bluetooth arrival and departure actions | BLEUnlock. | Suitable BLE device, signal behavior, permissions, and supported macOS. |
| Keep selected apps private while the Mac is open | Native app privacy controls or Hey Mac App Lock. | App-view coverage, relock timing, and copies outside the app. |
Touch ID and Apple Watch: check the native options first
If reaching for a phone is the inconvenience, Touch ID may already solve it on your Mac or compatible keyboard. It avoids running a second phone-and-Mac unlock system. Keep your Mac password available for the situations where macOS requires it.
If you wear an Apple Watch, native Auto Unlock can help when returning to a supported Mac. It is not necessary to install a third-party phone unlock app for that workflow. It does not mean the Mac will automatically lock when the watch leaves.
Hey Mac: face unlock and app shielding
Hey Mac is free and open source, and requires Apple silicon with macOS 14 or later. For lock-screen unlocking, it recognizes your face through the camera and enters the password saved during setup. You can also enable App Lock to shield selected applications until verification.
You can choose either feature independently. App Lock-only setup skips saving a password for lock-screen entry. The setup guide explains the camera and Accessibility permissions and the encrypted local storage used for face data and the saved password.
This fits a reader who wants camera recognition or selected-app protection. It does not establish a replacement for Near Lock’s phone controls, clipboard features, or departure locking. Webcam recognition also has different limits from Apple Face ID; read the Mac face-unlock explainer before relying on it.
BLEUnlock: when proximity locking is essential
BLEUnlock’s project documents both locking when a selected BLE device leaves and unlocking when it returns. It is free and open source, and does not require its own iPhone companion app. Its published requirements include macOS 10.13 or later and an appropriate BLE device.
That makes it relevant when Near Lock’s radio-triggered behavior is the part you want to keep. The BLEUnlock comparison explains the device, signal, and feature checks. A nearby device can remain near the Mac without you, so think through the actual access behavior before enabling automatic unlock.
Move one feature at a time
- Keep your Mac password and a manual way to lock the screen available.
- List the Near Lock features you use, including any paid background behavior.
- Review compatibility and install the proposed alternative from its official source.
- Disable competing automatic unlock actions while checking which tool is acting.
- Try sleep/wake, leaving the desk, returning, and leaving the phone behind. Use non-sensitive work while testing.
For private messaging or browser windows, go straight to the task: protect Messages, lock Safari, or compare Mac app lockers. Lock-screen convenience alone does not protect those apps inside an open session.
Questions about Near Lock alternatives
Is Near Lock discontinued?
The dated listing and older compatibility text do not establish the developer’s current support policy. Check the official support channel before treating a compatibility problem as proof of discontinuation.
Can Hey Mac lock the Mac when my iPhone leaves?
This page does not claim a Bluetooth departure-locking feature for Hey Mac. Compare BLEUnlock if that specific behavior is required.
Should I buy a watch just to replace Near Lock?
Try the options your existing hardware already supports first. If the goal is selected-app privacy, buying another unlock device does not address the whole task.
About this comparison
Harshit Maurya develops Hey Mac. Reviewed November 9, 2026 against Near Lock’s official website and App Store listing, Apple’s documented unlock options, and the published features of the alternatives. No current-OS reliability test of Near Lock’s Mac companion is claimed.