Electronic door hardware buying guide
Electronic door hardware replaces or adds to the mechanical key with electronics: a keypad, a fingerprint reader, a card or tag, a face scan or a phone app. This collection holds electronic locks from Yale, Zanda, Lockwood and Lane: digital deadbolts and levers, push and pull mortice locks, a smart security screen door lock, the Zanda Stealth smart locks, the Lockwood 001 Touch Plus smart deadlatch and Lane electronic IC cards, in brass, matte black, silver, nickel, chrome and graphite finishes. This guide explains the technologies, what each suits, how power and backup work, how connectivity works, which door each lock fits and how to choose between a keypad, a fingerprint, a card and an app. For model by model detail, see digital door locks, smart door locks and digital and smart entrance sets.
What electronic door hardware is
A mechanical lock opens when the right key turns the right pins. An electronic lock opens when a circuit closes. You prove who you are with a code, a finger, a card, a face or a phone, the circuit checks it, and a small motor moves the bolt. Most electronic locks keep a mechanical key as a backup, but daily use is by the electronic route.
That change brings benefits and trade-offs. You do not carry a key, you can give and remove access easily and some locks keep a log of who came and went. In return you need power, an occasional setup and a plan for when the electronics fail.
Keypad locks
A keypad lock opens with a PIN. The Yale Libi has a touchscreen keypad and lists up to 70 PIN codes and 5 one-time codes, with a key override. The Yale Assure SL and Assure keyed models have touchscreen keypads and a Yale Home module. The Lockwood 001 Touch Plus has an external keypad in a high purity zinc alloy case. A keypad is simple, needs no phone and suits a household that wants to shed keys. It also suits visitors, because you can give out a code.
Fingerprint locks
A fingerprint lock reads your finger. The Zanda Stealth, the Yale ByYou Pro, the Yale Kyra Pro and the Yale Luna Pro+ list fingerprint access. It is fast and cannot be lent out by accident. The ByYou Pro lists fingerprints for up to 100 users, and the Luna Pro+ lists up to 50 fingerprints. A fingerprint reader works best with clean, dry fingers and a well enrolled print, so enrol more than one finger per person.
Card and tag locks
A card or tag lock opens when you touch a card or key tag to the lock. The Yale Unity works with a key card or key tag. The ByYou Pro and Kyra Pro list RFID tags, and the Luna Pro+ lists an RFID card. The Lockwood 001 Touch Plus lists contactless key tags. The Lane Grande electronic IC cards pair with Lane Grande deadbolts and pull handles, and a card can pair with as many locks as you like. A card or tag suits children, visitors and tenants, because it is simple and can be cancelled.
Face recognition
The Yale Luna Pro+ adds face recognition using 3D structured light. It gives fast, touch-free access with no keys, alongside fingerprint, PIN, card and app. It lists up to 100 facial credentials. Face recognition suits someone who wants to walk up and enter with hands full. As with any biometric, enrol each person in good light.
Phone and app control
Many electronic locks work with a phone app. The Yale Home app lets you lock and unlock, grant access, set a time or date range and keep track of visitors. The Zanda Stealth works with the Zanda app over Bluetooth, and with the Wi-Fi bridge for remote access. The Lockwood 001 Touch Plus uses the Yale Home app, with auto unlock as you walk up and a door position sensor. Apps add convenience and a record of use. They need a phone, and some features need a bridge or hub that is sold separately.
Brass and warm finishes
Many buyers search for a brass smart lock, a brushed brass smart lock or an antique brass smart lock. In this collection, the Zanda Stealth comes in satin brass and ember bronze, and the Yale Luna Pro+ comes in champagne gold. Satin brass is a muted gold that suits timber doors and warm interiors. Ember bronze is dark and warm. Champagne gold is a pale, soft gold.
Match the lock to the other metal at the entry, such as the hinges, the house numbers and any pull handle. A brass lock on a timber door with brass hinges looks planned.
Power and backup
Electronic locks run on batteries. The Yale Assure SL lists four AA batteries, the Kyra Pro six AA batteries with a Type-C emergency power connection, and the Touch Plus four AA batteries in its pack. Replace batteries when the lock warns you, and keep a spare set. Check how each model behaves when the batteries are flat. The Libi, the Assure keyed models and the Luna Pro+ keep a mechanical key override. The Assure SL has no key cylinder.
Plan the backup before you rely on the lock. A key kept safe, a Type-C power route or a second way in all count.
Connectivity: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and hubs
Bluetooth works when you are near the door. For control from anywhere you need a bridge or hub. The Zanda Stealth lists a Wi-Fi bridge. The Yale Unity lists the Yale Connect Bridge. Several Yale locks list the Yale Connect Plus Hub 2, or Z-Wave Plus and ZigBee modules, for home automation, sold separately where stated. Check whether the bridge is included, so the lock does what you expect on day one.
Deadbolts, levers and mortice locks
Electronic locks come in three shapes. A deadbolt sits above or below a handle and locks with a bolt: the Libi deadbolt, the Assure deadbolts, the Zanda Stealth deadbolt. A lever replaces the handle and the lock together: the Libi lever, the Assure keyed lever. A mortice lock sits in a pocket in the door edge: the Stealth long plate, the Luna Pro+, the ByYou Pro and the Kyra Pro.
A deadbolt retrofit is usually the simplest on an existing door with a 54mm hole. A mortice needs a door prepared for it.
Retrofit or new door
If you are fitting to an existing door, check the hole, the thickness and the backset. The Libi suits a 54mm bore and doors 35 to 45mm. The Assure keyed deadbolt suits 35 to 50mm. The Stealth deadbolt suits 35 to 55mm, and the Stealth mortice 35 to 65mm. The Luna Pro+ suits 35 to 100mm. The Touch Plus is made to retrofit an existing Lockwood 001 deadlatch. If you are building a new door, give the maker the product page so the door is prepared.
Security screen doors and special doors
The Yale Unity security screen door lock is made for a security screen, with an optional three-point kit and a door position sensor. See smart screen door locks. The Lockwood 001 Touch Plus upgrades an existing deadlatch to a smart lock. Check that your door and frame suit the product.
Choosing a technology
Choose a keypad for simplicity, a fingerprint for speed, a card or tag for children and visitors, a face scan for hands-free entry and an app for sharing and records. Many locks offer more than one, and the best arrangement for most households is two: for example a fingerprint for the adults and a PIN for visitors, with a key as a backup.
Think about who uses the door, how often and in what conditions. A family with young children may like tags. A holiday home may like codes. A tech comfortable household may like an app.
Living with an electronic lock
Day to day, an electronic lock is easy once the setup is done. You walk up, touch or tap, and the door opens. When you leave, the door locks behind you if auto-lock is on, or you lock it with a tap. The first week is when you learn the habits: where to put your finger, how firmly to press, how long the door waits before it locks. Show every member of the household, and write a short note for guests.
Keep the user guide and the programming instructions with the house records. A lock is easy to reset if you have the instructions and hard if you do not.
Setting up users and codes
Plan who has access before you start. List the adults, the children, regular visitors and trades. Give each person their own credential, so you can remove one without affecting the rest. Enrol fingerprints when the lock is in programming mode, set PIN codes that are not easy to guess and add cards or tags to the lock's list. Test each credential with the door open, then closed.
Write down the setup, and store the list where you can find it. When someone moves out, remove their credentials the same day.
Changing batteries without being locked out
Battery changes are the one routine every electronic lock needs. Change them when the lock warns you, not after. Do it with the door open and the key to hand. Use fresh batteries of the type the lock takes, and fit them the right way round. Test the lock before you close the door. If the lock has an emergency power route, such as the Type-C connection on the Kyra Pro, know where it is.
A lock that has run completely flat may need a restart. Keep the instructions to hand.
Electronic locks in rentals and short stays
For a rental or holiday home, an electronic lock removes the key handover. Give each guest a code for the stay and cancel it after. Models with one-time codes, such as the Libi, or with app based sharing, such as the Assure and the Stealth, make this easy. At the end of a lease, clear every credential and reset the lock. If you rent, ask the owner before you change a lock.
When the electronics fail
Any electronic device can fail. The common causes are flat batteries, a sensor covered in dirt, a door that has moved so the bolt rubs and a bridge that has lost its connection. Work through them in that order. If the lock has a mechanical key override, use it to get in and then fix the fault. If the lock has no override, such as the Assure SL, make sure you have another way in, for example a second door.
A locksmith can help if the fault continues. Keep the receipt and the model name.
Upgrading an existing lock to electronic
You do not always need to change the whole door set. The Lockwood 001 Touch Plus is made to replace an existing Lockwood 001 deadlatch with a smart version. It is retrofittable, keeps the 001 deadlatch form and adds a keypad, the Yale Home app, key tags and a door position sensor. The box holds the external keypad, the deadlatch, a battery pack, a network module, a door sense magnet and cover, a strike plate, two key tags, two mechanical keys and four AA batteries.
A retrofit is the quickest route to an electronic lock on a door that already has a deadlatch you like. Check the product page for the door thickness and the backset, which is 60mm, and confirm that the existing latch is the model the upgrade replaces.
Brass smart locks in detail
Because many buyers want a brass electronic lock, it helps to look closely at the options. The Zanda Stealth in satin brass is a deadbolt or a mortice lock with fingerprint, PIN and Bluetooth, in a muted gold finish over zinc alloy. The Stealth in ember bronze is darker and warmer. The Yale Luna Pro+ in champagne gold is a push and pull mortice lock with face, fingerprint, PIN and app. Each finish is electroplated or coated over the body.
Brass looks best when it agrees with the rest of the entry. Pair a satin brass Stealth with satin brass hinges and a brass house number. Pair champagne gold with warm timber and soft metals. Avoid mixing a bright polished brass elsewhere with a satin brass lock, since the two read differently.
Security beyond the lock
An electronic lock is one layer of door security. The door, frame, hinges and strike matter as well. A strong lock in a weak frame does not secure the door. When you fit the lock, check the frame and hinges. See hinges for door hinges.
What this collection does not include
This collection holds new electronic locks for homes. It does not hold commercial access control systems or used locks, and it does not include installation. If you need a fitted lock, ask a locksmith.
Caring for electronic locks
Wipe the keypad and sensors with a soft damp cloth and dry them. Avoid abrasive pads and strong cleaners. Replace batteries when the lock warns you. Test the key override once a year. Keep the app updated. Review the list of users every few months and remove anyone who no longer needs access.
Common mistakes to avoid
The first mistake is relying on the electronics with no key or power backup. The second is assuming a bridge is included. The third is fitting a mortice lock to a door that cannot take one. The fourth is giving everyone the same code. The fifth is ignoring the frame and hinges. The sixth is mixing finishes with the rest of the entry.
A short list avoids all six: backup, bridge, door, codes, frame and finish.
Our recommendation
For a simple keypad with a key backup, choose the Yale Libi. For an app and home system, choose the Yale Assure. For fingerprint, card and face options on a mortice door, choose the Yale Luna Pro+, ByYou Pro or Kyra Pro. For a brass or bronze finish with fingerprint and PIN, choose the Zanda Stealth. To upgrade an existing Lockwood deadlatch, choose the Touch Plus. For a security screen, choose the Yale Unity screen door lock.
Measure the door, plan the power and the backup, and fit to a sound frame. Then the lock will work every day.
Questions about electronic door hardware
What is electronic door hardware?
It is door hardware that opens with a code, fingerprint, card, face or phone, and usually keeps a mechanical key as a backup.
Do electronic locks need batteries?
Yes. The locks take AA batteries, and the Kyra Pro adds a Type-C emergency power connection.
What brass electronic locks are there?
The Zanda Stealth comes in satin brass and ember bronze, and the Yale Luna Pro+ in champagne gold.
Do I need a bridge for remote control?
Usually yes. Bluetooth works near the door, and remote control needs a bridge or hub, sold separately on some models.
Can I use an electronic lock on a security screen door?
Yes. The Yale Unity security screen door lock is made for that.
