Smart Lock or Keypad Lock: Is It Right for Your Home?

Keypad and smart locks promise the end of lost keys and lockouts, and for many homes they deliver. They also bring new questions: batteries, codes and what happens when the technology has a bad day. Here is what to weigh before you choose one.

Keypad or smart: what is the difference?

• Keypad lock: you open it with a code on a number pad. No app, no internet. Simple, and it works the same way every day.
• Smart lock: controlled from a phone app, and often from a keypad as well. It can lock the door from your phone when you are away, send alerts, or give a visitor a code that only works for a set period.
• Both: many models combine a keypad with an app, so you can use whichever is handier.

What you gain

• No key to forget. A code cannot be left on the kitchen counter.
• Codes for other people. A cleaner, a dog walker or a relative can have a code of their own.
• Codes you can take back. When someone no longer needs access, delete their code. There is no key to get back and no copy to worry about.

What stays exactly the same

A keypad or smart lock changes how you open the door, not how the door is held shut. The bolt, the strike on the frame and the fit of the door are just as mechanical as before.

Batteries and backups

Most keypad and smart locks run on ordinary batteries and warn you when they are getting low, usually with a light, a beep or an alert on the app.

• Change the batteries at the first warning.
• Keep the backup key, if the lock has a key cylinder, where you can reach it when you are locked out: with a neighbor or a relative nearby, never hidden by the door.
• Check the manual for the emergency power option some locks have for a dead battery.

Before you buy: a quick checklist

• Door thickness and existing holes. Most models fit a door already drilled for a standard deadbolt.
• Which way the door opens, and whether the lock handles both directions.
• Weather. A keypad that faces direct sun and rain needs to be made for outdoor use.
• Your phone and your home internet, if you want the app. Setting up the app and the home network is done by the owner.

Good habits with codes

• Give every person their own code, so you can remove one without changing the rest.
• Avoid birthdays, house numbers and simple patterns.
• Change codes after a contractor or a house sitter finishes.
• Wipe the keypad now and then. Worn or smudged buttons can hint at the code.

How it gets installed

A keypad or smart deadbolt usually goes in place of the existing deadbolt, using the same holes in the door. The old lock comes out, the new one goes in, and the strike is checked so the bolt slides in fully. If you are still deciding on the type of lock, our guide on choosing a front-door deadbolt may help.