Yale - Smart Lock Conversion Kit – Works with Existing Deadbolt & Keys | Wi-Fi & Fingerprint Keypad Access - Black Suede

This is by far the best product I’ve purchased ever. I live in an apartment and it was the best option to convert to a smart lock that’s available. The product is retrofit so I didn’t have to change the key and maintenance can still come and go as needed. It was super easy to install. The directions were very clear. I purchased this lock because I have a teenager who can’t seem to keep up with his key, I love that you can unlock the door with the keypad or it will automatically lock when you get near it. Although I will say the automatic unlock function is not suitable because it only gives you an option to unlock the door when you’re about a mile away and the app doesn’t quite support the unlock feature and map tool. I love that I can set unlimited code to give to friends and family, and I can also disable those codes when I don’t want those people to have access to my house. It’s also very convenient that I can check when the door is locked or unlocked or if my kid forgot to close the door all the way which sometimes happens, there’s an automatic lock feature where you can set the door to lock a minute after it closes, which is super convenient. I love the option to have a fingerprint sensor, although it will only support one fingerprint instead of multiple fingerprints from different people, I am super happy I invested in this product. It was super easy to set up as a directions and instructions were very clear and straightforward not to mention that the app gives you step-by-step directions along with pictures and videos. I love the option of also using my Alexa to be able to lock and unlock the door when unlocking the door with Alexa it requires a pin code to unlock so the door just can’t be unlocked by anyone who has access to your Alexa.I highly recommend this product as it has been a game changer to my smart home.

This is by far the best purchase I’ve made for my apartment. While the initial setup might require repeating a few steps to get everything configured correctly, once it’s done the lock works flawlessly. The standout feature for me is Auto Unlock—it’s incredibly convenient. As soon as I’m within Wi-Fi range, the lock automatically unlocks, saving me the hassle of fumbling with keys or pulling out my phone. It feels seamless and makes coming home much easier. If you’re a renter looking for a reliable and renter-friendly smart lock, I highly recommend this one. It combines ease of use with smart convenience that truly makes everyday life better.

The Yale Approach Smart Lock Kit is an extremely high-tech way of securing your entryway! Inside the kit includes the deadbolt locking mechanism itself and a smart-hub that connects to the Number/Fingerprint Keypad for door access from the outside if you do not have access via the Yale Access App. All parts are battery powered as well, so there are no cables connected to any parts in this kit. All parts of the kit, including the matte black deadbolt, keypad and smart-hub, are also very high quality and well made! This is something that is easy to recommend for anyone looking to share access to their apartment/condo without having to provide keys! The deadbolt mechanism was super easy to retrofit onto my door with no prior knowledge of how to install a lock on a door. Pairing with the Yale Access app, an extremely useful must-have if you are the “admin” (aka owner) of the lock (and has many useful settings to explore, like auto-locking, entry notifications, location sensing unlock, etc.), you will be guided through an extremely easy setup process. There is also a small component that is optional to be mounted on the side of the door frame next to the deadbolt lock during the setup process to help the lock indicate if the door is open or not, which I found works pretty well as a peace-of-mind feature for when I’m away! I personally did not need to screw my component into the door frame; the adhesive has worked perfectly! The keypad is also extremely easy to set up, pair and mount outside your door. It works very seamlessly to register a fingerprint or new number combination for the keypad via the Yale Access app, but as a comment on the app, it isn’t the most intuitive app I’ve used for smart home-related devices. It was a bit confusing trying to find the proper place to reset the number code on the keypad, and might require a bit of digging through the app to find the right settings. The app informs me sometimes too that it has issues detecting if my door is actually locked or not, so now I unfortunately don’t have full trust in it being synced at any given time if I’m not near my home and were to trigger a lock/unlock via the app. This is usually caused when I manually lock or unlock the door, and the lock for some reason cannot detect its open or closed state. Overall though, the app is simple to use once everything is set up and the app works so long as the batteries in the deadbolt are on! With my experiences in mind, I personally don’t feel comfortable leaving the house without a physical key with this product, and maybe it’s out of an abundance of caution just to be sure that I won’t be locked out upon the batteries dying unexpectedly (which also ultimately defeats the purpose of the lock for myself), but still, if using in a guest-centric scenario with only the keypad, this kit is a great way for others to be able to securely enter when I’m not present, a purpose it serves best!

The thing I like the most about this lock is that it goes over your previous lock so that you can keep using the same key you’ve always used. While also adding some modern functionality with the keypad and smart features. However, I was under the impression that it just goes over your old lock. Which it kind of does. But requires you to remove the part that you turn to lock or unlock (from the inside) first. At which point this part goes over that. Making it slightly more complicated of an install. However, install is still very easy. SETUP: They have you scan a QR code that can be found on each product, which then walks you though the process (with videos!). It comes with a wireless device (the cube looking thing in the pictures), along with built in Bluetooth, and Doorsense. Along with Double A batteries pre-installed in the lock and keypad. DOORSENSE: Personally, Doorsense is one of my favorite features. As it registers if your door is open or closed and then can lock the door after a chosen set amount of time. I use it all the time. As it makes me no longer have to wonder if I locked my front door. Additionally, you have a button on the keypad side that immediately locks your door. Making it very easy to do it manually as well. Much easier than using your key. KEYPAD: When coming in at night the keypad does light up and has dynamic brightness. The font is also good contrast allowing you to see what you’re putting in. The keypad isn’t an actual button but instead a touchpad. I’m not sure how good/bad that will operate in the rain. But responds well in normal circumstances. MULTIPLE WAYS TO OPEN DOOR: You have a plethora of ways to unlock your door. From a security standpoint that may or may not be a good thing. But you’ve got the ol’fashioned use your key. Type in a code. Use your fingerprint (which took a while to initially get setup and takes some time to actually register your finger, making you just putting in the code take just as much time). Or unlock with your phone. You can enable a feature to register when and how often a user comes and goes (assuming your put in a code or fingerprint). This can be helpful for when you’ve asked someone to watch your house/dogs while you’re away. You can see if they have come in or not. As another feature is putting temporary codes (along with times they work) to enter your home. AUTO UNLOCK: It does have a feature that allows it to register your phone is close to automatically unlock the door. I didn’t try this feature as I don’t see it as good security. But is nice to know that it exists. CONS: If you have more than one yale lock and you are wanting to give a user access to this new lock you have to delete their profile then make a new profile allowing access to both doors. Which is frustrating. There should be a way to activate that within the users profile. In general this needs to be updated and more streamlined. As it is a critical component that just seems poorly thought out compared to everything else. Fingerprint was hard to setup. Also, takes a long time to register. Making me usually just opt to put in the code as it takes the same amount of time and is a sure thing. You can also only use a single fingerprint per user. Which is frustrating as that limits you if you have things in your hand. They use a plastic piece that goes over the old lock to allow the lock to lock. I’m afraid of this stripping or breaking. As I feel some give with the bolt that I haven’t felt with other bolts. There is a bit of lag between putting in your code and it actually registering and unlocking the lock. I believe this is due to the wireless functionality. As I do not have that same problem with the other Yale lock that I own. You can turn on and off keypad sounds but you can't adjust the volume. The base noise for unlocking the keypad is really loud. However, it helps you know that your key press was registered making you not want to keep it off. Leaving you a bit in limbo. Sometimes the bolt doesn't fully come back leaving about 5% of a turn left. Not a big deal but just something that is interesting to note as when you go to unlock it you get some additional resistance from the motor inside the lock. When the door locks automatically you get a flashing red light. I like that while it's locking it is flashing to show me what it's doing from far away. However, at the end I wish it would go green indicating a successful lock instead of red. As when I see red I think the lock didn’t close fully. I think this could be fixed over a firmware update. CONCLUSION: I thought that Smart Locks were cool. But I didn’t realize how much I would enjoy them. As the simplicity and doors they open with multiple users, codes, auto unlock, auto lock, etc. just makes life easier and better and is definitely worth the investment. This is my second Yale lock. And I really enjoy both of them a lot.

I’ve been interested in Yale’s smart locks for a long time, but due to the unique handle/deadbolt situation I have on my front door I wasn’t able to use most of them unless I did a complete handle replacement. The Approach Lock is an excellent smart lock that preserves the exterior handle and deadbolt and also allows you to continue using your existing key. In the box you get the lock, Wi-Fi bridge, and a keypad with a fingerprint reader. The installation felt a little daunting at first as the box doesn’t really include any instructions except to download the app, but once I had the app installed it took me step by step through installing the lock, bridge, and keypad with videos for each step. The videos were very easy to follow and all in all it took me about an hour to install all 3 parts while carefully following the instructions. The lock replaces the deadbolt on the inside of the door and leaves the exterior side intact with the keyhole so you can still use your door keys exactly as before. The black suede color matches my existing door handle almost perfectly. I chose the surface mount installation for the open/close door sensor (DoorSense), but it can also be hidden away inside the door frame with a small amount of drilling, which I may switch to in the future. Finding a nearby outlet for the Wi-Fi bridge was a little tricky as the bridge needs to be within Bluetooth range of the lock, but also within range of the Wi-Fi network. I ended up putting it on an outlet in my kitchen on an adjacent wall and was able to get a strong connection to both the lock and the Wi-Fi network. Using the lock via the Yale Access app, you get a basic main screen that will inform you whether the door is open or closed and locked or unlocked. It will also tell you if you are connected via Bluetooth or the Wi-Fi bridge, which mainly affects certain functionality in the settings. There’s also an activity feed showing all of the times the door has been opened and closed. If the lock was unlocked via the app or keypad code, it will tell you which person unlocked it. The guest list allows you to control access and you can invite people to the app or just generate a keypad code. Access can be given on a 24/7, scheduled, or temporary basis. The lock can be set to automatically lock after a certain amount of time (2 minutes is the default setting) and it can also be set to unlock automatically based on a geofence. The lock operation is good. It takes about 2-3 seconds for it to lock or unlock. There is an audible sound from the motor while this is happening, but it’s not that distracting and I would personally like to be aware when my door is locking and unlocking. The lock is powered by 4 AA batteries and the keypad runs on 4 AAA batteries. The lock can be removed via a pushbutton on the bottom to expose the batteries, but the keypad requires something to be stuck through a pinhole to release it from its mount (a tool is included to do that though). Manually turning the deadbolt is smooth and entry via key works just as well as it did before. The keypad works pretty well, though the fingerprint reader has been hit or miss for me and usually it’s faster for me to just put my code in. Overall I’m really happy with the Approach lock. It looks great, it works well, and I don’t have to go digging for my keys to lock and unlock the door anymore. It makes it easy to give people access to your house without having to have a bunch of keys made. I’d recommend this one for anyone with a unique door like mine or that needs to be able to continue using their existing keys.