Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Smart Home
  3. Guides

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

What is a smart lock and how does it work?

By

Smart locks are an increasingly common sight around neighborhoods. These gadgets bring some modern amenities to your front door, letting you eschew your traditional key to operate your deadbolt with a password, fingerprint, or Bluetooth. If you’re curious to learn more about smart locks before adding one to your home, here’s everything you could want to know.

What is a smart lock?

Wyze lock installed on door.

At its most basic, a smart lock is an electronic lock that connects to your home and lets you open your door without needing a traditional key. This can be done using a keypad, smartphone app, and sometimes a fingerprint scanner.

Recommended Videos

There are a variety of reasons for adding one to your home, but one of the main reasons why homeowners prefer smart locks over traditional locks is their versatility — letting them give temporary passwords to visitors, removing the need to make copies of keys for family members, and providing peace of mind when away from home.

Related

If you’re not ready for an all-digital door, you’ll be glad to know that many smart locks include a traditional keyhole in their design. This means you’ll benefit from all the smart home features while still being able to access your home with a key (a great option if the lock’s batteries die).

You’ll also be happy to know that smart locks are just as secure as traditional locks and you won’t have to trade safety for convenience when adding one to your front door. Some obscure models might be susceptible to hacking, although models from trusted brands are typically ironclad.

Features offered by a smart lock

August Wi-Fi Smart Lock installed on door.
August

Smart locks bring a myriad of features to the table. These vary based on the exact model you’ve purchased, with premium locks typically offering more than their budget counterparts. Here’s a quick look at some of the tasks smart locks can perform.

  • Unlock with keypad: Most smart locks include a keypad. This allows you to simply type in a password to unlock or lock the door — removing the need for a standard key.
  • Unlock with a smartphone app: If you’ve installed a companion smartphone app when setting up your smart lock, you’ll get a bevy of additional features. One such feature is the ability to open your door remotely using your smartphone app. Conversely, you can use the app to ensure your door is locked when away from home.
  • Set temporary password: Using your home as a short-term rental? Smart locks make it easy to secure your home for each new visitor by allowing for temporary passwords. These typically run alongside your permanent password, letting you quickly swap out codes whenever a new visitor books a room without deleting your primary password.
  • Sync with your smart home: Smart home products come in all shapes and sizes, and smart locks often fit right into your existing ecosystem. This allows you to set a variety of parameters after unlocking or locking your door, such as turning off lights or changing the temperature of your home. Some smart locks can even connect to your home security system.
  • Auto-lock functionality: There’s nothing worse than getting on the road and not remembering if you’ve locked your door. Opting for a premium smart lock negates this problem entirely, as many models let you enable an auto-lock function that’ll deadbolt your door after a few minutes of inactivity.
  • Send smartphone alerts: Some smart locks let you enable push notifications to receive alerts when your door is locked or unlocked. This is especially useful if you’re having a dog sitter swing by your home while on vacation, letting you know when they arrive and ensuring the door locks when they leave.

Best smart locks to buy in 2022

If you’re ready to upgrade, we’ve compiled a detailed list of the best smart locks of 2022. But if you don’t want to wade through all the options, here are three standouts that are among the best on the market.

August Wi-Fi Smart Lock

Clocking in at $230, this smart lock brings heaps of functionality to the table — and looks good doing it. The August Wi-Fi Smart Lock connects directly to your home network without the need for a bridge or extra hardware, making setup a breeze. Once it’s done, you’ll benefit from a powerful smartphone app, an option to automatically lock/unlock based on your location, and compatibility with all of today’s hottest smart home ecosystems.

Wyze Lock

There’s no need to break the bank to install a smart lock, and nowhere is that more apparent than with the $130 Wyze Lock. Easy to install, stylish, and with a smartphone app that lets you remotely control the deadbolt, few products offer this sort of bang for your buck.

Google Nest x Yale Lock

It’s not cheap, but the Google Nest x Yale Lock looks incredibly premium and is one of the most versatile smart locks on the market. You can add a password that’s up to eight digits long for added security, easily integrate it with your existing Google Home setup, and it’s available in a variety of styles to complement your home.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Jon Bitner
Jon Bitner
Jon Bitner is a writer covering consumer electronics, technology, and gaming. His work has been published on various websites…
Smart lock buying guide
Side profile view of August smart lock on a door.

Smart locks are an important part of any smart home. Not only do they give you useful features like the ability to unlock the door with a passcode or remotely with your smartphone, but they’re the first thing visitors see when coming to your home. Because of this, smart locks need to be both functional and appealing to the eye.

That’s a tall order for what’s essentially just a lock -- but there are tons of great products to consider in 2023. But if you need some help with your search, this smart lock buying guide will teach you what a smart lock is, factors you should consider when shopping for a smart lock, and everything else you need to know about these popular gadgets.
What is a smart lock?
A smart lock is not all that different from a traditional lock. What makes it smart is typically a Wi-Fi connection that allows you to link the physical lock to a companion app. The app allows for activities like remote access, geo-location features (to have your door unlock automatically when you pull into the driveway, for example), and even creating digital passkeys for other family members, friends, contractors, or visitors.

Read more
The best smart displays for 2023
Nest Hub Max Hands-On Review

Smart displays sit at the very center of most smart homes. With the ability to sync with other gadgets to issue commands, give you daily updates, or serve as a second screen to binge your favorite shows, smart displays are remarkably versatile devices.

The smart display market is more saturated today than ever before, with products from Amazon, Google, Facebook, and more vying for your attention. Google has even revealed that the upcoming Pixel Tablet will double as a smart display, and Apple might be throwing its hat into the ring sooner than expected.

Read more
Your Google smart home devices just got a lot less talkative
A person standing in a living room while looking at a Google device.

Smart assistants are an indispensable part of any smart home, making it easy to give hands-free commands and control a variety of gadgets. Google is looking to further streamline the performance of its smart assistant, with the expansion of chime alerts to cut down on how talkative your Google Nest gadgets are when responding to instructions.

For example, after asking Google to turn on a fan, you’ll now be able to hear a quick chime to confirm the assistant has heard your instructions. Previously, confirmation would come in the form of a short sentence, such as “OK, turning on your fan.”

Read more