How do I install a smart lock?

Most battery-powered smart deadbolts are a screwdriver job. Schlage says all its locks install with just a screwdriver, even the smart ones,^[2] and that its smart deadbolts are battery-powered, require no hardwiring and can be installed with just a screwdriver.^[2] The part that catches people out is not the hardware but the door: a motorised bolt needs a door and frame that line up.

Before you buy and before you start

Pick a lock that replaces your existing deadbolt. If your front door already has a deadbolt in the edge of the door, the new lock uses the same holes. Measure three things: the door thickness, the backset (the distance from the door edge to the centre of the big hole) and the crossbore (the diameter of that hole). Your lock's manual lists what it fits, and a mismatch means the door needs different preparation, not a different technique.

Then check alignment. A motorised bolt has no hand to push the door into place, so the lock manual's test applies to any smart deadbolt: you should be able to lock the door without pushing, pulling or lifting it. Schlage's manual for its Sense lock puts it this way: "Because the bolt on this lock is extended automatically, it is important that the door and frame are aligned."^[1] Its checklist includes "I can lock the door without pushing, pulling or lifting the door."^[1] If you cannot tick that, fix the alignment first.

The installation, in order

Read the whole manual once. Electronic locks are fussy about sequence: if you skip a step, you may have to perform a factory default reset and start over.^[1] Most manufacturers also put the installation video in the lock's app, so download the app and watch it first.

Start by taking out the old lock. Remove the entire deadbolt, including the bolt.^[1] Keep the old parts and the key until the new lock has passed its tests. Fit the new bolt in the door edge, then the strike plate in the frame, and fit the reinforcement plate if the lock comes with one.

Next mount the outside part (a keypad or touchscreen) and the inside part. Tighten everything with a hand screwdriver or a low-torque electric one. Please do not use a power drill, because it can damage the lock.^[1]

Batteries come last. The manual is blunt about it: DO NOT install the batteries before installing the lock!^[1] Use the battery type named in your lock's manual.

Pair it, update it, test it

Follow the app to connect the lock. Be sure to accept any available firmware upgrades.^[1] CISA's advice for any connected device is the same: many software updates are created to fix security risks.^[3] Choose a strong, unique password for the lock's account, and enter your own access codes rather than leaving the defaults.

Then test with the door open. Run the bolt in and out with the door open first, then take the key and the default access codes with you, go outside and close the door.^[1] Lock and unlock from the keypad and from the app. If the bolt has to try twice, adjust the door or frame, because struggling to extend uses batteries faster.

Schlage says its smart locks give low-battery alerts before the batteries die, and that its electronic locks also offer a physical key or a jumpstart port as backup access.^[2] Whatever you buy, know where your backup lives before you need it.

Stop and call a pro if

• The door or frame needs drilling, chiselling or re-hanging. A lock cannot fix a door that does not close squarely. Hire a carpenter or locksmith.
• The bolt will not extend smoothly by hand after you have followed the alignment steps.
• The lock needs a wired power supply or new wiring of any kind. That is electrical work for a licensed pro.
• The door is a fire-rated or commercial door, or a glass or sidelight door where the manual says the lock will not fit.
• You are locked out and cannot get in with the key or backup. Call a locksmith rather than forcing the door.

If you hire someone, note that installing locks or deadbolts, mechanical or electronic locking devices, for the general public is listed as locksmith services in Virginia law.^[4] Ask who will do the work and whether they are registered.

Getting help in Virginia

For what a professional install costs, read how much a smart lock costs installed in Virginia, and for the security side, are smart locks safe. Browse Security & Smart Home or see more smart home answers.

When you would rather not do it yourself, describe the job once and local pros quote it.