Keyless Home Entry Lock Guide

Whether you’ve updated the whole house to voice-responsive home assistants or you’re just looking for a more secure routine, there’s a keyless entry option to fit. When considering home entry locks, look to programmable door locks for the newest developments in home security, with the convenience and flexibility to match your household.

What Does Keyless Entry Mean?

There are different types of keyless home entry locks, and they all offer secure entry to family, friends, and trusted professionals without the requirement of a traditional key-and-tumbler lock. Some models allow you to keep your keys for manual access. Others use geofencing or personalized codes to grant entry. 

Keyless entry locks can be either an electronic lock, utilizing keypads or key fobs, or a smart lock. The best smart locks for home use interact with other technology, such as smart phone apps or security systems.

Electronic Door Locks For Homes

With electronic home locks, internal electric currents trigger magnets to move the bolt that secures the door. These locks operate using a passcode, entered via either a touchscreen keypad lock or keypad electronic lock, or with a key fob or keycard.

The key fobs and keycards rely on RFID, or radio-frequency identification, to pick up on the electromagnetic tracking codes embedded in the objects. When the key fob is within a recognizable distance from the reader, or the keycard is scanned or swiped, the lock will disengage. 

Electronic door locks for homes are powered by a low-level electric current, often provided by battery packs. Residential and commercial programmable door locks only draw power when the lock is moved between opened and closed positions. Mechanical cylinders in electronic home locks can be utilized as a safeguard against power failures.

Some electronic locks can be configured for more high-security facilities, utilizing biometric scans, such as fingerprints or retinal pattern readers. High-security locations may require a more constant electricity source.

Smart Locks

“Smart” hardware and technology describes what’s known as the Internet of Things, with hardware and appliances capable of transferring data commands from one product to another for shared tasks. Smart locks for home use rely on wifi or Bluetooth technology to transfer information to and from the lock, such as between a voice-assistant app or security system. Like electronic home locks, they require a power source, usually a replaceable battery within the lock.

Smart electronic home locks allow many features via connectivity with applications on cell phones or other external controls. They may coordinate with a home security doorbell camera to recognize family and friends with facial recognition services, notify the app of entry attempts, or respond to voice command to secure the door regardless of where the app is located.

Find the Best Keyless Lock for Your Doors 

Keyless entry locks can be found in multiple styles, from the straightforward functionality of commercial designs, to the unique statement pieces of residential use. Available to fit exterior or interior doors, there’s a style and a functionality to fit every design and purpose. Don’t hesitate to protect your home office or wine collection when it’s a simple switch from a mechanical, tumbler lock to a keyless alternative or retrofit lock.

Full-plate handlesets, or full-length entry sets, include a keyless deadbolt and handle grip on a single plate panel. Both ends of the handle grip are mounted fully to the plate. Look for split finish handlesets that include matching hardware trim and deadbolts in different finishes, to match both the interior and exterior door decor.

One-piece handlesets, or monolithic entry sets, have a keyless deadbolt and handle grip mounted to the plate panel, with the plate housing the deadbolt and one end of the handle grip. The bottom portion of the handle grip is mounted into the door.

Sectional handlesets are entirely individual pieces, with keyless locks and handles, knobs, or levers, all included as separate pieces of hardware. The deadbolt and handle will require independent installation and can be positioned where convenient for the fit of the door.

Additional customization choices include the kind of keyway you can choose from. Electronic and smart locks for home use both offer keyway access as an optional feature, or you can choose a handleset that has no available keyhole as an additional security against lockpicks. Programmable door locks without keyholes may still include an interior manual lever to prevent lockouts or vulnerabilities during power outages.

Retrofit locks allow you to keep the existing lock frame and exterior keyway. From the outside of the door, the smart deadbolt keyless lock appears the same as a traditional lock, with no keypad or visible technology upgrades. The mechanical tumbler is swapped out for the electronic technology. The lock works exactly as before, using the same key for manual operation, while also responding to keyless commands. 

Additional Features of Keyless Home Entry Locks

With electronic keyless and smart home locks, there are more features to keyless locks than you might expect. Look over the different options and determine the best fit for your household.

ADA Compliant - Electronic door locks for homes often have keypads or touch screen panels with bright, moving lights, and app interfaces that should be easy to use. ADA compliant locks follow guidelines to avoid causing accessibility issues for users with light sensitivities and mobility requirements.

Auto-lock capable - Auto-lock is used when the lock engages automatically upon the door closing.

Light-up keypad/screen - To make access easier in overcast or darkened conditions, many keyless entry locks will have light up keypads or touchscreens, with the code entry buttons clearly defined.

Motorized deadbolt - A motorized deadbolt allows the electrical components of the lock to move the bolt without the use of the manual lever.

Panic proof - A panic proof lock will open from the inside to allow emergency exit even when the lock is engaged.

Remote access - Available with both electronic home locks and smart home locks, remote access allows the door to be secured or unlocked from a distance. Note that the proximity will change, depending on the type of identification devices the lock relies on. Smart locks can send signals to a keyless lock from a greater distance than a standard lock.

Smartphone enabled - With wifi or bluetooth connectivity, app access to the lock allows for more customized use of the locks, from passcodes to setting voice commands and schedules.

Temporary access - Setting up temporary access codes allow the door to be opened during a specific space of time. For instance, when expecting a large delivery, or hired help such as a contractor, or dog walker, to arrive in a particular time window, set up temporary access and provide them with the temporary code.

Usage monitoring - Keep track of who comes and goes from an area by providing everyone with unique passcodes.

Voice activation - Using PIN-secured assistants, such as Alexa or Siri, app-controlled locks can be easily locked with a verbal command.

Individual manufacturers may offer different functions, particularly among highly customizable smart locks for home use, with a range of flexibility via the apps. These are only a few common features shared by the best smart door locks.

Smart Lock Protection Features

Keyless locks remove the risk of easy lock-picking, but they can have technological vulnerabilities if not well maintained. The convenience of smart technology is worth the investment, and there are steps you can take to reduce the risk of security lapses in your keyless home entry locks. 

Hardware

Heed low-battery warnings. Most home entry locks can operate between 3 to 5 years on the original batteries, depending on how often they are used. Make sure the batteries are in working order and change them promptly when the lock signals the power source is low.

Check that the casing and hardware is not damaged. Accidents happen, and people aren’t always gentle with the front door. Regularly check that the lock and door handle are in solid working order, with no cracks or loose panels.

Passcodes

Change passcodes and PIN numbers periodically. Changing passwords to your computer regularly is the safest way to prevent hacking and increase security. That applies to electronic home locks and smart locks for home use as well. Changing the passcodes and having multiple passcodes for different users is an easy way to prevent codes being observed by strangers. 

Use decoy codes and other security features provided by the lock. Frequent use of a keyboard or touch screen will leave fingerprints, grime, or cause wear over time, showing an easily replicated pattern. To guard against this, some manufacturers advise the use of decoy codes, which are a pattern of lighted keys that you match before typing in the actual passcode. 

Smart Locks

Update the apps. For smart-locks, it’s important to keep all firmware and applications updated, on every phone, tablet, or computer that accesses the locks. The companies that create the locks are committed to providing secure products and will provide security updates as needed.

Use a PIN for voice-assisted features. Even when using an updated app, be sure to use a PIN number or password to protect the voice-assisted commands for locking or unlocking keyless home entry locks.