Renters
Smart lock temporary access codes: who gets one, and when
A shared code left running is a key nobody remembers handing out. Here is how to set, time-limit and revoke smart lock access for the people who visit your home.
10 min read
Guides
All smart lock guides, page 2
Practical, research-based guides to choosing, fitting and living with a smart lock, newest first. The newest six are on the home page.
Compatibility
Z-Wave smart locks: why they still need a hub in 2026
Z-Wave locks carry no Wi-Fi and no Bluetooth, so your phone cannot hear them. What the controller actually does, which hubs still pair locks, and where the mesh gives out.
10 min read
Compatibility
Thread border routers: why a new Matter lock won’t pair
A Matter over Thread lock will not finish setup without a border router. Which devices already count as one, how to check yours, and what to do if nothing qualifies.
9 min read
Troubleshooting
Smart lock won’t connect to Wi-Fi: what to check, in order
Most of these failures are the router, not the lock. Work out what actually went offline, then fix the 2.4 GHz problem that quietly breaks the majority of smart lock setups.
9 min read
Buying
Keypad, fingerprint, app or key card: how each one fails
Keypads wear, fingerprints refuse cold hands, apps die with the phone, cards get lost and stay enrolled. How each credential fails, and which pairing suits your household.
11 min read
Installation
Smart locks for sliding glass doors: what actually fits
A patio door has no cross bore and no deadbolt, so most smart locks are out. Here are the four mechanisms that do fit, and the measurements to take first.
10 min read
Installation
Mortise lock doors: which smart locks actually fit
Mortise cases have a pocket in the door edge, not a round bore, so standard smart deadbolts do not fit. Here are the three routes that do, and how to pick one.
10 min read
Installation
Smart lock installation cost: DIY versus a locksmith
Swapping a deadbolt on a prepped door is a screwdriver job and costs nothing. What changes that, what a locksmith's quote is built from, and when paying wins.
8 min read
Renters
What an Airbnb smart lock needs that a home smart lock doesn’t
Code slots, expiry schedules and what the door does when the Wi-Fi drops at eleven at night. The spec sheet questions worth checking before you buy a host lock.
9 min read
Installation
No deadbolt, just a knob: your smart lock options
Your door has a knob bore and nothing above it. What a keypad knob or lever really secures, the measurements that decide what fits, and when to cut a second bore.
8 min read
Troubleshooting
What your smart lock’s beeps and flashing lights mean
Green means accepted, red means refused, and beep counts mean different things on every brand. How to tell a low-battery chirp from a jam, a lockout or a tamper alarm.
8 min read
Troubleshooting
Smart lock batteries: what type to use and how long they last
Four alkaline AA cells, all changed at once, and why the manual says no to lithium. Realistic month ranges by radio type, and what to check when a fresh set dies early.
10 min read