Smart Locks: Apple Home guide
⬇ Download free PDF: HomeKit Smart Lock Setup Guide
Locks that support Apple Home Key let you tap an iPhone or Apple Watch to unlock, much like Phone Key on your Tesla.
How to choose
- Look for "Apple Home Key" on the box if you want tap-to-unlock in Wallet. Not every Home-compatible lock supports it.
- Fingerprint and keypad models give non-iPhone guests a way in.
- Wi-Fi models can be controlled remotely; otherwise rely on your home hub.
Top picks
Yale Assure Lock 2 Touch with Wi-Fi (check the listing for Apple Home support)
Apple Home setup, step by step
- In the Home app, tap the Add (+) button, then tap Add Accessory.
- Scan the QR code or enter the 8-digit Apple Home code (Matter devices use an 11- or 21-digit code), or hold your iPhone near the accessory.
- If the device was already paired to another Matter app, tap More options and select it.
- When asked to add the accessory to your network, tap Allow. Assign a room and a name (Siri uses this name), then tap Continue and Done.
- If the lock supports Home Key, a home key is added to Apple Wallet automatically. Choose Express Mode or Require Face ID or Passcode.
- Turn on suggested automations like Lock After Door Closes and Lock When Leaving Home.
- Guest codes: touch and hold the lock > Accessory Settings > Manage Access > Add Guest.
Tesla tie-ins
- Add the lock to your "Away" scene and trigger it with a Shortcut that also runs Tesla Lock.
- The Aqara U100 (no Amazon link yet) also supports Home Key; see the gear page.
Real-world examples
Summarized in our own words. Links go to the original posts.
A long-time Home Key user says tap-to-unlock in Express Mode has been trouble-free for over a year and feels like using a hotel key card.
Source: r/HomeKit threadYale Assure Lock 2 Touch with Wi-Fi (check the listing for Apple Home support) on Amazon
If Home Key stops responding after an iOS update, several users fixed it by turning Express Mode off and on again in Wallet.
In a MacRumors forum thread, owners report Home Key working almost every time on Apple Watch and a little less often on iPhone. Touching the device right to the lock helps.
Checked against: Apple: home key · Apple: add an accessory
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