Description
Welcome home to an even smarter home. Upgrade your deadbolt with the August Wi-Fi Smart Lock – a lock so smart, it simplifies your daily life and the way your family lives. And with built-in WiFi, our lock requires no additional bridge to connect. Together with the August app, it’s now even easier to securely control and manage your home. Remotely lock or unlock the door, check door status, grant virtual guest keys, and see who’s coming and going. Or use your favorite voice assistant to control your door. Perfectly paired with the Smart Keypad. This bundle is a safe and secure way to let yourself, family members, friends and even your dog walker enter your home without a key or phone. Our smart lock bundle is easy to install and can be installed in minutes so you never have to worry about leaving keys under your mat again!
Edward Barnett –
Comparison of August, Schlage, and LockeyUpdate after 4 months: I still really like this lock. Easy installation. Excellent app. Doesn’t require re-keying (since it uses this existing deadbolt). Doesn’t require a hub. But one problem has come up, and it’s significant. As far as I can tell, there’s no way to check the battery level in the app. The first warning you get is an email message saying the battery is critically low. Unfortunately, in our case, that email message arrived three days after we closed up the house and left for another state to take care of an elderly parent for an indefinite period. The whole point of putting this smart lock on the door was so I could let people (e.g., the furnace repair guy) into the house while we were gone. Now I can’t do that, because the batteries are dead, which defeats the whole purpose of the lock. The lock should have a battery status indicator, like a phone, so you can decide whether you need to preemptively change the batteries if you’ll be away for awhile. The batteries this lock uses are expensive, so I don’t want to throw away good batteries, but I also don’t want them to die unexpectedly. Why doesn’t the app have a simple battery monitor? Taking off a star and hoping they fix this. [Update to the update: I’ve now been using the lock for 8 months, so I’m getting a good sense of battery life. The lock doesn’t have a battery meter, but it does send a message that the batteries are “critically low” when they need to be replaced. The first set of batteries lasted 3 months. The second set lasted 3 months. So, if you’re using this lock in a situation where you can change the batteries every 3 months, it’s a good choice. as noted before, the lock offers many advantages over other smart locks. But if you need a smart lock for a location where you can’t change the batteries every 3 months, a lock with better battery life would be a better choice. That might mean a smart lock that uses a hub rather than direct wifi, since a Bluetooth/Zwave/Zigbee connection probably uses less power than a wifi chip.]This is my third “smart” deadbolt lock. With each purchase I’ve relied on expert reviews, which have been valuable, but technical reviews can’t capture the experience of actually living with a lock, which is what I’ll try to capture here. Here are the pros and cons after living with several different locks.Schlage Connect BE469. My first experience with the Schlage smart lock was good. It was relatively easy to install, and it had a removable ring, making it one of the few smart locks that fit in smaller bore holes (which are surprisingly common in any house old enough to vote). The Schlage has a keypad, so you can get in even if you don’t have your keys or your phone. It also has a traditional key, which is useful if the batteries die, although you’ll have to have a locksmith re-key it if you want the key to match others (e.g., your back door). The biggest disadvantage of the Schlage lock is that it requires a hub for remote control, like letting a contractor into the house while you’re at work. The first Schlage BE469 I installed worked fine with my Wink Hub 2, but then Wink had financial troubles and started charging a monthly fee. So I switched to a Samsung SmartThings Hub. Weird thing is that the hub worked fine to control one Schlage, but said the other Schlage (which was bought two weeks later on Amazon) was too old a version and wouldn’t allow advanced features like remote control. I spent months trying to solve the problem (upgrading firmware of both lock and hub, uninstalling and reinstalling, deleting and reinstalling the app, etc.), but nothing ever worked. I finally removed the second Schlage and replaced it with this August lock.So … on to the August lock. First of all, installation was a breeze, since the lock using the exiting outside keyed portion and deadbolt, replacing only the inside thumb latch. Easy. Second, the app is very well designed, including the guided tutorial for both physical installation and smart setup. After setup, the app is super intuitive, and the graphics that indicate door status are smart. The log file is complete, accurate, and easy to read. Third, since August replaces only the lever, you can keep your existing key as backup. Fourth, the new August lock is a lot smaller than earlier versions. Downsides: No external keypad, so you have to have either your key or your phone for access. This is a bummer, since I often take neither for walks. Also, rated battery life is shorter than for other locks — this is the price of direct WiFi. The lock comes only in silvery grey — I wish there were a brass option to match my other existing door hardware. The biggest factor for me, and why I really like this lock, is that the remote feature works reliably. That’s a huge deal for me, since the primary reason I got the lock is so that I can let in contractors when I’m not home. I can open the lock then relock it when they leave, without giving them a keypad code. The remote locking works reliably even though my deadbolt isn’t perfectly aligned (we normally have to push the door shut before throwing the deadbolt, but the August lock gives it a second then third effort and always manages to get the bolt in place, even without holding the door shut).Last, but not least, I also have old-fashioned mechanical keyless locks on other doors. It has push button buttons and you set the combination mechanically inside the lock before installing. No batteries. The brand I have is a Lockey. The downsides are that you can’t open the lock remotely with an app, and if you have to give out the combination, then the person you gave it to will have access unless you physically remove the lock and change the combination. The upside is that you don’t have to carry a key or a phone. Another upside is that this type of lock is incredibly hassle and maintenance free — I installed Lockey mechanical locks on an exterior garage door and two basement doors 25 years ago, and they’re all still working great. If you don’t need to lock and unlock your door remotely, this old mechanical technology is worth considering.That’s it. I hope this real-life experience of living with different generations, technologies, and brands of smart locks over the past quarter century is of some use to you in deciding which lock will best serve your needs.
Christopher Follett –
The ONLY smart lock I will useI have had one of these on my door for a year and have recently just purchased a 2nd one for another door. I have had experience with various other Smart Locks and this is by far my favorite!I will say when you get into smart locks, every lock I have owned is a pain to set-up and install. The apps are usually horrible and glitch when setting up the locks. I did have the app glitch and it took a little bit to install the first lock, but it still got installed and works great. I had no issues recently installing and setting up the second lock so it seems they have fixed any issues that were there. If you have a wireless network that operates both 2.4 and 5 gz on the same network it may cause issues connecting the lock to WiFi. If you have this issue you can fix it in the settings on your Wifi router.The locks work great after you get them setup. I would recommend buying rechargeable 123 batteries for the lock as it will save you money because they will need to be changed once a month or so.You can set the lock to operate however you want, auto lock, auto unlock, add different users, add a number pad code associated with the lock, set different times for people to have access. You can see if the door is opened/closed, who unlocked it/locked it. It all works great for me.I own a business and have different employees that need to open up the business. It works great because I don’t have to give a key to anyone. If I gave keys to employee and then they left and did not return my key I would have to rekey about 30 different lock cylinders. With this lock I can just give and revoke access with the app.If you are on the fence because some negative reviews, I would take them with a grain of salt because I think some people are just technologically challenged with smart locks in general. I have used many different smart locks/brands, and this one is by far the best! I highly recommend this product.
spartanEMT –
Awesome lock for HomeKit…..IF you know all the details….I normally don’t write a review as fast as this (I got my lock and installed it yesterday), but there are some important facts that I didn’t realize when I bought it. This is for all my HomeKit people, I am a 100% pure Siri operated house. My requirement is that everything I buy and install must be HomeKit compatible. I don’t want to deal with multiple electronic personalities in my home, it is already crazy enough as it is. I came across this lock initially because Amazon listed the older gen version on sale for under $100 (Used-Like New). I started researching to see the differences between that one and this one. The old one required a plug-in bridge in order for the lock to gain WiFi Access, whereas this one has WiFi built in. And this one is sleeker, newer, better, etc….. I am one of those who operates on the policy that if it costs more, its better, so I buy it (no judgement please).Anyway, here is the little nugget that is hidden away in the August help articles. Well, maybe it isn’t that hidden, but I certainly didn’t realize it. If you are using HomeKit, then the lock MUST be within BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) range of your home hub. For me, I use Apple TV 4K as my hub. Which is in my living room. Which is about 80′ or so away from the detached garage where I installed this lock. But fret not, there is a very simple work-around (which I’ll get to in a minute).Install of the lock, mechanically at least, was super easy. Connecting to WiFi and getting the app set up was a bit of a pain. Now, to be fair, I use a Netgear Orbi mesh system, and my satellites were in need of an update, so its possible that played a role. But I had to reset the lock twice before I could get the thing reliably online. First few attempts, wouldn’t connect. Then, it connected, but wouldn’t give me a signal. Finally, I got it all squared away and the lock was good to go. Or so I thought. Then came the HomeKit part. So, you have to setup HomeKit through the August App. But, at the time, I wasn’t tracking the BLE range for it to work. So I kept having problems. I ended up deleting the lock from my home through the Home app. But, when I did, even though it was gone, the lock was still registered, so I couldn’t re-add it. I did some internet searching, found a help article that had the answer. I actually had to remove the lock portion (not hard, two little black clips that open out), then hold a red button on the back of the unit for 7 seconds to reset the lock. After that, I was able to get it back into Apple Home. But I still spent the next 30 minutes trying to figure out the “No Response” problem in Home. Which led me to the inter-webs, which led me to the help articles, which eventually led to the knowledge that, despite the fact that it is a WiFi enabled app…..it uses BLE for HomeKit. Seems dumb, but is what it is.Now the workaround, when you have a device setup as a hub for Home (iPad, TV, Homepod), it acts as a BLE hub as well (if you are home smart-er than me, don’t judge my terminology, I’m new here and learning as a go). Anyways, when you add hub devices, they automatically act as BLE extenders. So, for example, in my home, I’ve got an Apple TV in the living room, which is my main hub. I then have a few HomePod Minis through the house for Siri control and ease of access. The HomePod Minis passively act as BLE range extenders (Apple never ceases to amaze). The WiFi lock on the shop no-worky, but when I move one of the HomePod Minis out to the detached garage, it acts as the BLE extender, and bam, lock works.All in all, I love that this lock only replaces the back thumb plate, that it is very discreet and no indication of a smart lock from the outdoors. It is sleek looking, makes cool robot noises, and very smooth in operation. Armed with the knowledge I have now about HomeKit operation, I can comfortably move forward with swapping the rest of the locks on my property. But, to be fair, this is a day one review. I may be back after a month of operations with some more accurate feedback. But hopefully, you the reader can be saved the time and effort it took for me to get to this point, and just skip straight to the “yay, it works!” part.
Artem A –
Convenient lock, broke after 3 months of use, customer support is great!Bought this lock after my condo neighbors recommended it. Installation and instructions were great, lock worked very well for about 3 months. Then, I started noticing a wobble (of the inner part of the lock). I took off the back cover and saw the red plastic parts that hold the metal that the screw goes into being broken (see picture for better view).I attempted a temp fix using superglue, which worked, but I also reached out to customer support. CS was great, asked for pictures, proof of purchase and a serial number, after which they sent me a new lock. Hopefully this one fares better!
JJM –
Mostly better than advertisedThe hardest part of getting this installed was getting the insert out of the outer box. Removal of the old deadbolt plate and replacement with this unit took about 8 minutes and was easy and simple. Connecting the unit to bluetooth and wifi took another 5 or so minutes, but was again easy and simple. And, the best part of course is that it works flawlessly with our HomeKit system, although it can take about 5 seconds for the unit to lock or unlock after sending the comment. We also installed the keypad, which works faster and perfectly. Only little issue is the the buttons require a really firm push to register. Wish they made something this easy and dependable for sliding glass doors!!
L. Thompson –
Not sure I can rely on itI got this lock & keypad mainly so that my daughter can let herself in without a key. I’m not sure it’s going to work out but I’m going to give it some time. The packaging, app and website look slick but are really lacking in substance. I’m using only my phone and the keypad to control it, no other smart device so I can’t say how well it works with those.The lock was relatively easy to install, though I wish they could link to extra instructions if your deadbolt plate doesn’t have visible screws (a minor point).The instructions that come with the lock are very sparse; it was not hard to navigate through the app but I would have liked to look over all the steps before starting. It would have taken less than 10 minutes, as advertised, IF my lock didn’t need to be updated – that literally took 10 minutes on its own (also pretty minor).The keypad came with zero instructions, which was perhaps just a packing error? For that there are no instructions in the app and I had to look on the August website. I wasn’t able to find anything about installing/mounting it, only about connecting it through the app. I managed it but I would have liked instructions in the event there were some considerations I wasn’t aware of, like how close to the lock it needed to be. The keypad seems really flimsy and looks super cheap, and while it came with screws, it wasn’t obvious where I was supposed to use them (there are no screw holes?), and afai so I just went with the two-sided adhesive which I’m not thrilled about. Connecting it to the lock through the app was NOT intuitive so I’m glad I found that online.Overall the app is really not great; aside from locking and unlocking it’s hard to find settings and functions and I found myself googling a lot (how to change the keypad code, how to add users etc). I was hoping my daughter could use the app on her wifi-only phone but if that’s possible, I couldn’t figure it out.Immediately after installing the lock and keypad, it stopped working. My phone could connect to the lock, and the app could tell me if the door was open/closed/locked/unlock but neither the app nor the keypad could unlock or lock the door. The website was really not helpful – clicking to see the FAQs took me to a blank page (on both my phoneand laptop), the chatbot didn’t have my issue and walking through the steps didn’t fix the problem. After I walked through the automated troubleshooting I had the option to submit a support ticket – I did that, but there was no way to add any info beyond the initial complaint I’d selected (literally no free text to enter anywhere in the process to describe the issue or give more info). Basically there is just a blanket “not connecting” issue I had to go with.I was able to fix it by recalibrating the lock again (I did try it once before), but that’s not really a workable solution if you’re outside and can’t get in, so I’m hoping that isn’t a regular thing. This is a lock that has never had issues with jamming but I’ve also gotten a “lock jam” error on the app and I think it’s probably an issue with the August, not the deadbolt, which is concerning.I set it up to autolock, and that sort of works – it’s supposed to lock as soon as the door is closed OR after a set amount of time (I chose 2 minutes) if the door isn’t opened after being unlocked. My lock does NOT lock automatically after the door is closed but it does lock after 2 minutes in either case so it’s not a huge issue, just not as advertised.The notifications are a nice feature but they only work when I use the app, not when someone uses the keypad so they’re kind of useless. If you have guests downloading the app it might be useful, assuming it works.I’d been planning on getting a second one of these locks if I liked it, but I’m going to give this one a bit more time. Maybe the kinks are all worked out now on my lock and it will be smooth sailing from here on out, but I’m not sure this is really a smart solution that can reliably replace a key. If it turns out it works well, I’ll probably upgrade to a 3 overall rating but the confusing app, poor tech support, and lack of notifications when someone uses the keypad make it so I wouldn’t go higher than that.
David –
Great New Version of a great lockI had the Previous Version of this (August Smart Lock Pro) and liked it but it started acting up after many years of use. The new version no longer needs the WIFI Hub and is significantly smaller and more attractive than the older. It installed very quickly and operates smoothly. Everything else works just the same including the auto-unlock when I return. One difference to note, that makes sense now that I see the new unit is smaller, is that it uses 2 CR123A Lithium Batteries rather than 4 AA batteries. They are not hard to find but I had not noticed this before I made the purchase. Overall I am very pleased.
J. Hicks –
Great for HOAsWe are lazy and somehow using a key is too difficult. This device seemed perfect, allowing proximity based locking and unlocking, Alexa and HomeKit integration. But if you live in an HOA or similar environment where access to your unit is expected (for maintenance or whatever) this is the perfect lock because access is still available by your management, etc.Installation was very easy. I kept waiting for something not to work right but it was pretty straightforward as long as your deadbolt movement is smooth.It was a little fussy getting established on the network with a couple of restarts of the August app. We are on a TP Link Mesh network and I didn’t have to change to just the 2.4 band – the network seemed to see the device just fine and integrate.The Alexa app is OK. There is a voice code you need to do to unlock, eg “Alexa, unlock door. Code 1234.” HomeKit took a little more work to integrate the device, again restarting the Home app a couple of times but is smoother: “Siri, unlock the door.”The August app is fine. The icon is terrible, too red and looks like a video game, but whatever. We live where there’s no cell service so the proximity actions are just a little wonky until I get in wireless range, but it works. When I walk up to the door it unlocks, so that’s cool.Can’t comment on battery life yet.So, TL;DR. Easy to install, seems to connect to MESH OK for me without isolating the 2.4 gHz band, great for any situation that needs to allow master key access (condos, HOAs).
Rovito Juan Carlos –
Manuales confusosAugust wifi 4th gen:Estoy en Argentina, la cerradura anda perfectamente, es mi segunda cerradura, la anterior 3ra Gen, se rompió por mi culpa, es muy importante que no haya ningún tipo de fricción como lo dice el manual.Hablando de manual, he aquí algunos problemas, no es claro en muchos puntos, confunden al lector, desde la misma pagina mirando la 4ta Gen, te encontraste en la 3ra Gen hablando del bridge y salis a comprar un bridge cuando en realidad no hace falta. no son claros, por todo lo demás nada de que quejarse.
Kelley –
Not badI’ve only had this thing for a few hours but a few takeaways that I’ve found:1. It looks pretty, pretty good.2. The tape they send sucks, use duct tape. My lock went flying into the hallway of my building and I had to spent five minutes figuring out how to put the lock back together.3. Make sure you put the deadbolt cover on the right way or you’ll spend fifteen minutes cursing the world thinking that you’re crazy.4. My chocolate lab hates it. I was messing around with it and locking and unlocking the door and he was barking at the chimes it makes. Not going to lie, mildly amusing, but just be warned… puppers might not like it.5. Google integration is not good. I don’t like it at all. Please update your jam, August. I don’t want to put a pin in every time I go to lock or unlock my door and most of the time it doesn’t even work when using the google home app.6. Overall, just in the few hours, I’m not upset with it and really like that I can give my friends access to the app. I know people have been talking about the battery life sucking but everything uses a lot of power nowadays. Car batteries don’t last as long. Cell phone batteries don’t last as long… think about the amount you use these items and this lock is no different. Oh no! I’ll have to change out batteries every so often and might have to use my actual key if I forget to buy the batteries! I think we’ll all survive.