Yale August Wi-Fi Smart Lock with Keypad Touch in Silver Silver With Fingerprint

We have been using this smart lock for over a month. This is the third smart lock we’ve tried and it is by far the best. It was easy to install and set up. The fingerprint operation works well as does the keypad. The only quirk we’ve noticed is you can’t unlock and re-lock within a few minutes. I’m always forgetting something when I leave the house and will run back in to grab it and come back out. The lock won’t engage if you unlocked it shortly before. We can still lock it from the app if it doesn’t lock right away. The WiFi connection has to be within range as well. We have Starlink with two extenders so we can cover our entire home so that isn’t an issue. We like this lock so much we bought another to use on the front door.

It is the BEST LOCK EVER

The Yale August smart locks is convenient and works well. It differs from the Yale Assure Lock 2 (which we also have), in that the keypad is not an integrated part of the deadbolt system, rather the existing deadbolt and key can be used with this system. The keypad is installed somewhere near to the door and sends a signal via Bluetooth or WiFi (automatically selected by the system based on whichever signal is stronger) to lock/unlock the indoor unlock mechanism that also needs to be installed. The unlock mechanism is more bulky than the Yale Assure 2 deadbolt unlock mechanism, but the relative bulkiness isn’t a problem. Because there is both a keypad and a separate deadbolt unlock mechanism, there are 2 sets of disposable batteries to manage—so called “123” batteries and button batteries. The Yale Access app is designed well and allows for easy management of all the access codes for house occupants, occasional users like a dog walker or house cleaner and guests—who can be granted one time or scheduled access for code only or app access. The app allows unlocking and locking of the door from anywhere via Internet, though it has on a couple of occasions not connected and caused unnecessary concern that the door was not locked when in reality it was just a connection issue. The iPhone app also offers an Apple Watch app functionality to lock/unlock the system. The app also allows for random or user-chosen entry codes with 4-8 digits.

I am very pleased with my Yale August digital locks that were easy to install. Battery life is better than expected after reading other user reviews. I also really like the Yale smartphone app (using an iphone 16) that makes it easy to add and remove guest codes as needed. This is a great product. Just be sure that the deadbolt lock you use it with is compatible (August has a list of locks that work with it on their website). Generally, most center keyed deadbolts work but those with offset keys (such as some Kwiksets) don’t. And remember to ensure that the deadbolt slides smoothly in and out of the strike plate. My installation required some adjustments but not much of a problem to overcome.

This is my third Yale lock (I have them installed on both my front door and my back door to the patio), so I knew the quality that I was getting. I was happy to try this one out to install on another door out to the patio which had the traditional deadbolt system; I was intrigued by the fact that this could just install on top of it, without having to switch it out completely. The installation process was pretty straightforward and much faster than having to swap out the entire deadbolt as I had hoped. Sometimes, when swapping the entire system out, I have had issues where the holes did not line up perfectly, leading to issues with the door not locking properly; with this working over the existing one, such an issue obviously never comes up. The only real hassle was that I had to find some place for the keypad to attach to separately; however, I ended up just attaching it above the deadbolt on the outside of the door, so it wasn't a huge deal in the end. It also does leave exposed the keyhole from the original deadbolt if what you are going for is a true keyless solution (without the fear of losing your keys or them being stolen from somewhere). The Yale app itself is pretty straightforward to use, and given that I already had access to and experience of using it from my previous installations, this one just required another addition to the list of devices. It was easy to follow along in terms of the instructions and add this in, and I had the lock connected to Wi-Fi and controllable via the app in short order. I use Home Assistant as my main smart home server, and the new device was recognized in there right away as well, allowing me to control all three of my locks in a single place through my HA app. My biggest gripes with the Yale locks (including this one) have been two-fold (none of which are deal-breakers, and hence, my 5-star review): 1. The battery life is just so-so. It takes the disposable (rather than rechargable) batteries, which the locks eat through in a few months or so, which isn't the best when it comes to the overall life. It also can be a bit finicky for the app to reset the battery life readings when fresh ones are installed; I have seen that you need to lock/unlock the door a few times in the app manually before the new battery readings are updated to 100%. 2. The door lock settings can become a bit finicky when the new batteries are installed. I have sometimes had to go through a calibration process post battery change in order for the door locking functionalities to work properly; it is a bit of a hassle (and extra time) to do. Overall, if you are looking for an easy-installation smart lock, this is a high-quality solution from a reputable brand that I would recommend.