By Timothy Dale | Updated Sep 22, 2021 11:19 PM
BobVila.com and its partners may earn a commission if you purchase a product through one of our links.
Home security is of paramount importance, but fumbling with your keys while juggling packages, especially in nasty weather, is a real pain—if you can even find your keys, that is. The modern solution to this kind of hassle? A keyless door lock.
These devices are designed to grant entry in a variety of ways, including physical or digital keypads, biometric fingerprint scanners, app integration, and even voice control with the appropriate pin or passphrase. The compatibility of a keyless door lock with Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and smart home systems can make life even easier. Use this guide to get a handle on what functions and features will suit you and your household—and why the following models are among the best keyless door locks on the market.
When shopping for a high-quality keyless lock for the front, back, or garage door, factor in the lock type, its American National Standards Institute (ANSI) security rating, and its compatibility with already-existing systems in the home.
Types of keyless door locks are differentiated by their compatibility and function, including touch screen, fingerprint, digital deadbolt, Bluetooth, and smart locks.
Security is the main priority with any lock, so look for security ratings when shopping for the best keyless door locks. The Builders Hardware Manufacturers Association (BHMA) is accredited by ANSI to develop and maintain performance standards for locks. These standards can be known as BHMA ratings, ANSI ratings, BHMA gradings, ANSI gradings, or even a combination of the two with ANSI/BHMA ratings or gradings.
These ratings are based on the security of the lock against picking, bumping, and other physical attacks. They also take into consideration the durability and longevity of the locking and unlocking mechanism.
Depending on the type of keyless door lock, users may need to put a code into a physical or digital keypad to gain entry. These codes are generated by the lock or chosen by the resident; they should be easy to remember, but not something unauthorized people would be able to guess. Access codes are typically four digits, but that may be customized by the user if desired.
Keyless door locks often have enough memory for over 100 unique access codes, allowing every trusted individual to come and go. This feature is great for rental units because the code can simply be changed when the lease is up.
While the purpose of a keyless door lock is to avoid needing and keeping track of keys, a backup key feature can be beneficial. This typically consists of a hidden keyhole in the keyless door lock that can be accessed in case of emergency or if the lock is not working properly.
Locks that connect through Wi-Fi or Bluetooth can be susceptible to connection issues, while electronic devices like a digital keypad, screen, or fingerprint scanner may run out of power. If one of these situations occurs, a backup key will grant access to the home. Also, consider investing in a portable charging device to keep the keyless door lock at full battery.
Home security innovations have combined standard door locks with wireless capabilities that allow them to integrate with other devices through Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Z-Wave, or Zigbee. However, the compatibility of the door lock with the other devices depends on the specific product and how it is designed.
With the inclusion of electronic systems and the compatibility of wireless networks, a keyless door lock can include extra features to make the lock easier to use, like voice activation, geofencing, and auto-locking.
Keyless door locks offer a variety of ways to operate the lock. Some may be a bit complicated to set up, but once in place they’re easy to use and maintain.
Security should be the top priority when deciding on a keyless door lock, but there’s no reason to settle on one that doesn’t look attractive or suit the architectural style of the house. Some locks are integrated with the door handle, presenting one solid unit with a keypad to unlock the door quickly, which might fit a traditional home’s decor. Others complement a technology-rich environment, with prominent digital screens, interesting fingerprint scanners, and modern appeal.
The products below are among the best keyless door locks in their respective categories, chosen with an emphasis on overall security, functionality, accessibility, compatibility, and price.
Some physical touchpads can fail when exposed to harsh weather, but the smooth-faced touch screen on this keyless door lock sheds moisture, and its backlit display is easy to see even in dim light. The Yale Assure has earned a Grade 2 ANSI certification for reliability and durability. In addition to touch-screen operation, the lock can connect to Alexa or a compatible Z-Wave smart home system for wireless access.
Lock the door with a simple tap of the keypad using three fingers, or set up the auto-lock function to lock the door as soon as it closes. The touch-screen keypad has backlit numbers that are clearly visible even in dark conditions, convenient for entering an access code late at night or in harsh weather. If the interior battery dies, holding a 9-volt battery to the terminals will allow the user to enter the code and unlock the door.
Security needn’t be expensive with this budget-friendly keyless door lock. The versatile device can be controlled through the Wyze app when connected to Wi-Fi via the included Wyze Lock Gateway. The lock can also link to compatible Wyze devices, like the Wyze Lock Keypad and Wyze Cam for added home security.
A screwdriver is all that’s needed to retrofit an existing deadbolt and complete this keyless door lock’s installation in minutes. Set it up for auto-locking and auto-unlocking so that the lock will respond to the proximity of a linked device, like a smartphone or tablet. This lock can also connect to Amazon Alexa for voice-activated control with a secure voice pin.
The biometric scanner in this eufy smart lock works well for quick locking and unlocking. It has a sleek black design with a circular fingerprint scanner that takes just 0.3 seconds to scan and recognize a stored fingerprint. The lock is accurate 98 percent of the time, reducing repetitive scanning attempts.
The touch-screen keypad can also be used with a code, a good secondary access option. The lock has strong bank-grade encryption to protect the personal data of the users, and it can also connect through Bluetooth to the eufy security app for wireless control.
This innovative digital deadbolt from August connects to smart home systems, linked devices, smartphones, and tablets through a 2.4GHz Wi-Fi network. It’s designed to retrofit an existing deadbolt on just one side of the door so that the existing mechanical keys will still work as a backup, plus it’s easy to set up right out of the box.
The digital deadbolt can link with Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant to activate voice-control features, such as locking/unlocking and checking whether the door is open or closed. Users can enable the auto-lock and auto-unlock functions so that the door will unlock when they approach and lock when they leave without a key or a smartphone.
Smart home systems are designed to link multiple devices like a video doorbell, security camera, and a smart lock so that IFTTT protocols can be programmed to automate home security. This keyless door lock can also link to smart home devices like Alexa and Google Assistant to operate the lock using a security code and voice command.
It also features six additional methods for unlocking the door: a fingerprint scanner, an anti-peep keypad, access through a smartphone app, the auto-unlock function, the shake-to-open function on Android phones, and a mechanical backup key. To outsmart the wear that repetitive input of the security code can cause—revealing the numbers of the code—an anti-peep feature lets the user put in numbers before and after the code. This way, any wear pattern is dispersed across a wider sample of numbers, making it near impossible to tell what numbers are in the code.
When a home is empty or the residents are asleep, an unprotected garage can become a target for thieves. This keyless garage door lock from Chamberlain connects to an existing garage door opener with an easy-to-follow, wireless setup. The simple keypad lock is compatible with almost all brands of garage door openers manufactured after 1993.
A secure four-digit pin must be entered correctly or the garage door opener will not respond. This system is also designed with secure wireless encryption to prevent hacking. The keypad has backlit numbers that are clearly visible in the dark, and a simple sliding cover protects it from the elements.
With its luxurious features including a backlit display keypad, smart-home compatibility, automatic locking, and Grade 2 ANSI security certification, the Yale door lock is our top pick. Alternatively, the WYZE door lock offers similar features and functions with the added advantages of easy installation and a lower price tag.
The right keyless door lock for a home can help increase peace of mind while offering some helpful and efficient features.
Many of the featured picks can help keep a home safe with the help of Wi-Fi connectivity, Bluetooth, Alexa, and more smart-home platforms, lit keypads or biometric unlocking systems, backup ways of unlocking the door in emergency situations, and even auto-lock functionality for security.
Some of the above picks also have trackers to monitor for potential false unlocks, anti-peep features, or even bank-grade security programming to keep a home safe. Plus, many of these top picks are easy to install and set up with no need for professional help.
Though affordability is not something that comes to mind with these systems, many of the above products are aesthetically pleasing and even luxurious looking. They are also compatible with most doors. However, note that some of these products require a particular Wi-Fi strength or door type to function properly.
For further info about buying and using keyless door locks, check out these answers to some common questions.
Keyless door locks work in the same way as standard door locks, with a bolt that slides across to prevent entry. However, instead of using a key to open the lock, a keyless door lock may require a fingerprint scan, secure pin number, app access through Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, or voice-activated commands when the lock is paired with a smart home system.
ANSI/BHMA security ratings are designations handed down by the Builders Hardware Manufacturers Association (BHMA) to indicate the effectiveness of the smart lock depending on the product’s ability to pass increasingly rigorous test requirements.
Yes, but with less ease and accessibility, because the unlock codes can no longer be entered through an app. The lock may have a fingerprint scanner, a physical touchpad, or a backup keyhole to lock or unlock the door whether the Wi-Fi is on or not.
Keyless door locks typically run on batteries, which are either replaced when they die or charged with an included charger.
Some keyless door locks do have built-in cameras. Unfortunately, the angle of the camera is often blocked due to the height at which door locks are typically installed, so the current technology is not very popular or reliable. For better video protection, consider pairing a keyless door lock with a video doorbell or security camera.
Keyless door locks, like any digital technology, can be hacked if the hacker has adequate skill, time, access, and information. For this reason, digital security information should be kept private. Despite this vulnerability, hacking door locks is uncommon, and these locks tend to be more secure than most traditional locks that can be picked or bumped.
Disclosure: BobVila.com participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for publishers to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
You agree that BobVila.com may process your data in the manner described by our Privacy Policy.
Copyright © 2021 Acton Media Inc. All rights reserved.