The Yale Smart Lock retrofits to an existing deadbolt on the interior side of the door. From the exterior of the door, the lock looks the same as it did before the Smart Lock was installed. You can continue to use the original physical key to lock and unlock your door once the Smart Lock is installed. This is useful if your phone is lost, stolen, or if the battery dies.

If your phone is lost or stolen, follow these steps to regain access to your home:

To log out of all devices / disable your phone’s access to your lock, you will need access to the Internet and the email account you use with your Yale account. You can access the Internet via a desktop computer or an alternative mobile device such as another phone or a tablet.

• Step 1: Go to the website lostphone.yale.com
• Step 2: Enter the email address used for your account in the online form and select “Submit”
• Step 3: Log into your email account to retrieve the code we sent you
• Step 4: Go back to the online form to enter the code that we sent to your email and select “Submit.” 

You are now logged out of your Yale account. 

To regain access to your home:

If you have a physical key, you can use that to get into your home.

If you don’t have a physical key, you will need to gain access to your lock using another smartphone.

• Step 1: Download the Yale app to a substitute smartphone.
• Step 2: Log into your Yale account

You can now operate your lock using this phone. Once you have a permanent replacement phone, there is no need to set up your Yale devices again. All that is required is to download the Yale app on the replacement phone and sign in / validate your phone number or email address. All of your Yale devices will remain set up in your account.

Additional Suggestions

Both iOS and Android provide tools to help locate your phone and in some cases disable it (depending on the security features you’ve enabled.)

iPhone users:

Visit www.icloud.com, log in to your iCloud account, and select the “Find my iPhone” feature.

Android users:

Visit www.google.com/android/devicemanager and log into your Google Account.

If your phone cannot be located, you need to contact your cellular service carrier. If your phone cannot be retrieved your carrier can help you get a replacement phone and regain access to your phone number.

This article provides answers to some commonly asked questions about Apple HomeKit and Yale.

What is different about the Yale Smart Lock HomeKit Edition compared to the original version?

It is enabled with Apple HomeKit and has an updated industrial design.

Are there any design changes to the lock?

Yes, but they’re minor. Updated ring knurling pattern and updated faceplate attachment mechanism.

Is the installation process the same or different from Version 1?

The physical installation of the HomeKit edition of the Smart Lock is the same as for V1. Setup in the app will now include an additional step to enable HomeKit.

Does the battery last longer than the Version 1 Smart Lock? How long?

Our expectation is that the battery life for the HomeKit edition will be similar to the battery life of the V1 lock.

Has the motor been upgraded or is it the same as the previous version?

The motor is the same as the previous version of Yale Smart Lock.

Does Siri work remotely?

Yes, if you have a 4th generation apple TV within Bluetooth range of your Yale Smart Lock that is setup to work with HomeKit. You can then use Siri remotely or operate remotely through the Yale app. 

For more info on setting up your apple TV, check out this resource.

How do I physically reset HomeKit?

If you experience technical issues with your HomeKit enabled lock, you may wish to perform a HomeKit reset. To reset HomeKit:

1. Place the lock face up on a flat surface
2. Remove and reinsert one battery from the lock
3. The green LED should begin blinking slowly after the battery is reinserted

This light indicates that the device is awaiting HomeKit reset. To complete the reset:

1. Remove the battery again before the LED blinks 10 times
2. Reinsert the battery

Depending on the generation of your Smart Lock, the devices will blink green a specific number of times to indicate that the reset is complete:

• Two blinks + One blink 

When the screws in your mounting plate have been over tightened, your Yale Smart Lock will sometimes make a clicking noise, or not operate with the app. To resolve this issue, you will need to loosen the screws on the mounting plate.

This can sometimes happen over time as well and starts to show up when the batteries are low. 

Remove your Yale Smart Lock from the door by lifting the hinges on each side. After you have removed the lock from the door, loosen the screws so that you are able to wiggle the mounting plate from side to side. Once this is done, put your Yale Smart Lock back on your door and re-calibrate your lock. 

Smart Alerts will be sent as notifications, and many of them will appear in the Activity Feed.

Smart Alert options currently include manual lock events, user specific lock operations, notifications for when a door is left open Smart Lock Pro only, Auto-Lock notifications, and the door is locked with a One-Touch Keypad operation (requires Yale Smart Keypad).

Over time, additional notifications and scheduling options will be added.

For the best Smart Alerts experience, we recommend that the Yale Smart Lock is paired with the Yale Connect.

Creating Smart Alerts

Smart Alerts can be found in the Notifications section of your lock settings.

Select “Create a Smart Alert” to get started.

Select “Choose an event”. On launch, users will be able to select one of five alerts:

The Door is locked or unlocked manually

• This alert will notify you any time someone operates the Yale Smart Lock by hand or using a key.

The door is locked or unlocked by a specific user

• This alert will notify you any time a specified guest or owner operates the lock via Bluetooth. This includes unlocking the lock using the app or Auto-Unlock.

The door is left ajar for Smart Lock Pro only

• This alert will notify you any time the door has been left open for a specified amount of time. This time can be adjusted in the lock settings page.

The door is Auto-Locked

• This alert will notify you anytime your Yale Smart Lock Auto-Locks. Auto-Lock can be set up in the lock settings page.

The door is One-Touch Keypad locked

• This alert will notify you anytime the Yale Smart Lock is Locked using the One-Touch Lock feature on the Yale Smart Keypad.

Modifying and Deleting Smart Alerts

Existing notifications can be deleted at any time from the Smart Alerts page in the notifications section of Lock Settings page.

You will see all of your Smart Alerts listed on the Smart Alerts page. To modify these notifications, tap on any of the listed notifications. You will then have the option to delete this notification by tapping the delete button on the bottom of the page.

Finally, confirm that you would like to delete this notification and you will no longer receive this notification.

Not Receiving Smart Alerts

Most Smart Alerts require that your Yale Smart Lock is set up with the Yale Connect Wi-Fi Bridge. If your Smart Lock is not set up with the Yale Connect, you will not receive most alerts unless you are connected to your lock via Bluetooth.

A factory reset will restore the Yale Smart Lock back to its factory setting. Factory resetting the lock will erase all guest and owner data, restoring it back to its original condition. It will also remove the lock from any owners' or guests' keychain. 

An owner does not need to be near the lock to reset it. However, you will need to have access to the lock in order to re-calibrate it. 

Open up your Yale app and go to the screen where you operate your lock.

Select the Settings Gear Icon on the icon menu

Select Factory Reset

Select Reset Lock

Select the Gear Icon Above Your Lock Circle

View Your Serial Number on the Lock Settings Page

You can now operate and manage multiple Yale Locks through the drop down widget from your iOS device! This feature gives you the ability to operate your lock or multiple locks instantly. Please make sure that you have Yale app version 2.0.38 or higher to enable this feature. 

How to add the Yale widget (v.2.1.10 or higher)

Go to Your Drop down widget menu

 Press Edit

Press the + to add Yale to your widget dashboard

Press Done once Yale is added to your widget dashboard

 You will now be able to see your Yale Smart Lock displayed in your drop-down widget dashboard. The app will automatically open and operate using the "Unlock Door" or "Lock Door" command.

Multiple locks

If you have access to multiple Yale Smart Locks you can choose the locks you would like to display on the widget.

Press Add/Remove Locks

Select the locks you would like to display, and  Press "Apply Changes".

You can now operate multiple locks via the Yale widget

For more information on sharing HomeKit access with other users, check out this article. 

Here's a quick video of inviting a user to share HomeKit access on your Yale Smart Lock HomeKit enabled lock.

When inviting guests, you can customize their access level and choose to be notified when they operate your lock. 

Access Levels:

Owners

• Can lock and unlock door via Yale app
• Can lock and unlock door via Personal Entry Code (Using Smart Keypad)
• Can use Auto-Unlock
• Can invite/remove other owners
• Can control all lock settings
• Can view activity feed
• Can view guest list

Guests

• Can lock and unlock door via Yale app
• Can lock and unlock door via Personal Entry Code (Using Smart Keypad)
• Cannot use Auto-Unlock
• Cannot invite/remove other owners
• Cannot control all lock settings
• Cannot view activity feed
• Cannot view guest list

For information on how to change a guest to an owner 

Access Type:

Always - Guests will have unlimited access, but the owner can change or delete their access at any time.

Recurring - Guests will have a scheduled access that repeats. i.e. guests will be invited every Tuesday for a short period of time. 

Temporary - Guests will have a limited invitation to your home that expires. i.e. guests will have access for a one time use, limited to the date and time you've selected. 

Notifications- The notification toggle is specific for each guest/owner. When turned on, all owners will be alerted when that specific guest operates the lock.

(This does not include notifications for manual operations)

Tap the Settings Gear Icon Above the Lock Circle

Select Auto-Lock

Toggle Enable Auto-Lock on and Set the Auto-Lock Timing

*To activate this feature you must be an authorized owner in range of your lock

If you've acquired a previously used Yale Smart Lock, you may need to have Yale assist with a factory reset.

The Yale support team will contact the original owner and then perform the factory reset.

Your Yale Smart Lock will notify you that your batteries are low in a couple different ways. 

• A red flashing light on the Yale Smart Lock
• An notification from the Yale app

1. What is Yale Connect? 

Yale Connect is an accessory that seamlessly combines with Yale Smart Lock to offer an intelligent, secure way to lock or unlock your door when you're away from home.

2. How does Yale Connect work?

Yale Connect plugs into any power outlet near your Yale Smart Lock and uses your home's Wi-Fi and Internet connection to control your Yale Smart Lock. With Yale Connect, you can unlock or lock your door for guests, check your lock's status and receive instant notifications from anywhere through the Yale app.

3. Do I need to own an Yale Smart Lock to enjoy Yale Connect?

Yes. Yale Connect was designed to work with Yale Smart Lock.

4. How many Yale Smart Locks can one Yale Connect device control? 

To optimize Yale Connect's always-on connection, one Yale Connect is currently needed for each Yale Smart Lock.

5. What types of WiFi networks does Yale Connect support?

Yale Connect supports 802.11b/g/n (2.4 GHz) Wi-Fi networks.

6. How close does my Yale Connect need to be to my Yale Smart Lock to work best?

Yale Connect should be installed within 30 feet of your Yale Smart Lock, but we recommend within 15 feet for optimal performance and reliability.

7. What power range does Yale Connect support?

Yale Connect supports 100-240V ~ 50-60Hz 0.1A.

Requirements

• Make sure your iOS device has Wi-Fi turned on (Apple Settings > Wi-Fi)
• Make sure your phone is connected to your home Wi-Fi network (Connect is compatible with 2.4 gHZ Wi-Fi) 
• The Yale Connect requires an active Yale Smart Lock and needs to be installed using a compatible phone. Please visit our phone compatibility page to ensure that your phone is compatible.

To install your Yale Connect:

• Plug In. Plug your Yale Connect into a power outlet within 15 feet of your Yale Smart Lock for optimal performance and reliability.
•  Wait for the flashing green light on your Yale Connect. If you don’t see the flashing green light press and hold the button on your Yale Connect for 3 seconds.

In the side menu, tap Set Up New Device

Choose Set Up An Yale Connect

If applicable, choose a lock to associate your Connect with.

When prompted, plug connect into an outlet near your door. Follow the in-app instructions.

Apple’s accessory setup interface will ask you to choose your home Wi-Fi network.

Once your Connect has successfully joined your home Wi-Fi network, the Yale Access app will check the signal levels of your Wi-Fi and bluetooth connections.

If your signal levels are good, you’re just about finished.

If your signal levels are low, you will be guided through adjusting the location of your Connect to improve its connection.

Your Connect is now set up and ready to use!

Some Samsung mobile devices have a feature called smart network switch. This feature attempts to give you the best internet connection by automatically switching to mobile data usage when you have poor internet access over your Wi-Fi connection. When this feature is turned on, your device may appear to be connected to Wi-Fi even when it is using your carrier’s mobile data.

Why is it affecting my Connect  setup?

During the setup process, the Yale Access app will temporarily connect to your Yale Connect over Wi-Fi. Since this temporary connection does not provide internet access, the smart network switch feature will attempt to provide a better connection by using mobile data instead of Wi-Fi.

This interruption of your Yale device’s Wi-Fi connection makes it impossible to continue setting up your device.

How can I resolve it?

You will need to temporarily turn off the smart network switch option on your mobile device while setting up your Yale Connect.

To turn off the smart network switch, navigate to your device’s advanced Wi-Fi settings: from your Home Screen tap Apps, and then Settings. Tap Wi-Fi, then tap the 3 vertical dots for More Options and tap Advanced. From there you can turn the smart network switch off.

Once the smart network switch feature has been turned off, try setting up your Yale device again.

Manual Wi-Fi connection

In some cases, turning the feature off may still result in a similar error during setup. If this is the case, you will need to manually connect to the Wi-Fi network being broadcast by your Yale device. Make sure the smart network switch feature is still turned off, and perform the following steps:

1. Open the Yale Access app and begin the setup on your Yale device
2. During setup the app will have you connect to your home Wi-Fi network. Choose your home Wi-Fi network, entering the password if applicable, and tap the “Next” or “Continue” button.
3. While the Yale Access app is attempting to perform its next steps, open your smartphone’s Wi-Fi settings by navigating to the Home Screen. Tap Apps, and then Settings, and then Wi-Fi.
4. Connect to the Wi-Fi network that is being broadcast by your Yale device. The network name will look something like  “Yale Connect-XXXXXXXXXX-WAC” for Connect. It should not require a password.
5. Once your smartphone has connected to your Yale device’s network, return to the Yale Access app and resume setup. Once setup is complete, your smartphone should reconnect to your preferred Wi-Fi network automatically.

Once your Yale device is successfully set up, you may turn the smart network switch feature back on if you wish.

Yale Connect displays its current status through 4 different LED indicator lights on the front of the device.

LED Indicator Light Flashes Green Steadily

A steady blinking green light indicates that Yale Connect is ready to be set up. Go to Lock Settings and tap Connect to Wi-Fi

LED Indicator Light is Solid Red

A solid red light indicates that Yale Connect needs to be setup. This can occur when:

• The initial configuration period of 30 minutes times out
• Your Yale Connect is on the WiFi network but not setup to operate your lock
• Yale Connect is unable to join the local WiFi network

Preparing to try setup again requires the following steps:

• Put Yale Connect into configuration mode. (Hold the button for 3 seconds. The Device will begin flashing a Steady Green Light)
• Go to the Lock Settings screen, if the WiFi settings option is there, go to WiFi settings and tap Disconnect

LED Indicator Light Flashes Red Steadily

A steady flashing Red Light indicates a communication problem, either between Yale Connect and your Yale Smart Lock or between Yale Connect and the internet. This typically represents a temporary problem.

Yale Connect uses Bluetooth Smart to talk to your Lock. There can be multiple reasons for poor communication between your Yale Smart Lock and Yale Connect:

• Make sure your Yale Connect is within Bluetooth range (typically up to 30 feet, we recommend less than 15 for best performance)
• Make sure the batteries in your Yale Smart Lock are strong
• Make sure your Yale app can operate your Yale Smart Lock in normal mode (not remote connect mode) standing near where your Yale Connect is located

Yale Connect needs a good WiFi connection with access to the internet to function.

• Make sure your home network has access to the internet
• If you are still encountering problems, remove Yale Connect from the power outlet, restart your home Access Point and plug Yale Connect back in

LED Indicator Light Flashes Green Quickly

The green light flashes quickly when connecting with your Yale Smart Lock. A green light indicates normal remote operations are in process and requires no action

How Connect works

Yale Connect works with your Yale Smart Lock so that you can operate the lock when your are away from home. Your Yale Connect acts as a “bridge” between the bluetooth connection of your Yale Smart Lock, and the Wi-Fi connection of your wireless router. For this reason, the Connect needs to have a reliable connection to both devices.

The placement of Yale Connect can greatly impact its performance. Since bluetooth has a shorter range than Wi-Fi, your Connect will likely need to be positioned much closer to your Yale Smart Lock than to your Wi-Fi router. We recommend placing Yale Connect within 10–15 feet of your Yale Smart Lock for best performance. The required distance from your wireless router depends on many variables, including the model of the router, its distance from Yale Connect, the overall speed of your internet connection, physical obstacles, etc. A good rule of thumb is to make sure your smartphone shows a full set of Wi-Fi “bars” at the location of the Connect.

If you are experiencing connection issues when attempting to operate your Yale Smart Lock remotely, this article will help you optimize the performance of your Yale Connect.

Check the signal levels of your Connect

In order to get an accurate picture of your Connect’s current performance, you can check the signal levels of both the bluetooth and Wi-Fi connections. These level readings are located in your Yale Connect’s settings.

How to check the signal levels of your Connect:

iOS

From the Lock tab screen, tap the “Settings” gear icon and select “Connect Settings” from the list. Here, you can view the signal levels of your Yale Connect. The two items to take note of are “Wi-Fi RSSI” for Wi-Fi signal, and “BLE RSSI” for bluetooth signal.

Android

Tap the top-left menu icon and select “Settings”. Choose “Connect Settings” for the house and door your Connect is attached to. Select “Signal Strength” from the list. You should see a list of signal readings, the two items to take note of are “Wi-Fi RSSI” for Wi-Fi signal, and “Bluetooth RSSI” for bluetooth signal.

Both signal strengths should read either “Good” or “Excellent” for proper performance. If they indicate a poor signal for either reading, moving your Connect to a different AC outlet may improve performance.

Move your Connect to a different outlet

Since Yale Connect can be positioned wherever there is a working AC outlet, there may be locations in your home that allow better connectivity.

If one or both of your Connect’s signal levels are poor, you can move Connect to a working AC outlet closer to the weaker signal. The goal is to find a position that gives the Connect both a Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connection strength of “Good” or “Excellent”. (Occasionally an outlet slightly further away will work better - for best performance, try more than one nearby outlet and compare the performance).

When moving your Connect to a new location, you should simply unplug the unit from its AC outlet and plug into a new one. Make sure NOT to press the button on the front of the Connect while plugged in - this will factory reset the device and you will have to set it up again to work with your Smart Lock. Once the Connect is plugged into a new outlet and the green LED has stopped blinking, check the signal levels. You may repeat this process with a new AC outlet until your Connect’s signal levels are improved.

If you can’t find a position that has a good signal to both connections, make sure to position the Connect so that bluetooth has a good connection. There are further steps you can take to improve the strength of your Wi-Fi connection.

Connect placement tips

• Whenever possible, plug the Yale Connect into your outlet right-side up. The top and sides of the Connect provide the strongest bluetooth and Wi-Fi signals.
• While the location closest to you lock and/our router will usually result in the best signal, this may not always be the case. If your signal needs improvement, try several outlets in the general area and compare the best signal results.

Consider moving your wireless router

Depending on your current setup, moving the location of your home wireless router closer to the location of your Yale Connect may dramatically increase its connection strength.

Try moving your router as close to your Connect as possible. You can then check the Wi-Fi connection strength in Connect Settings, and adjust your router’s position if necessary. If you are unable to position your router to sufficiently raise the Wi-Fi connection, installing a Wi-Fi extender may greatly improve performance.

Install Wi-Fi network extender

You can improve the performance of your Yale Connect by extending your Wi-Fi network’s range.

Remote connection requires a Wi-Fi bridge such as Yale Connect 

Yale Smart Lock Pro

We’ve recently updated the Yale app, you no longer need to manually connect remotely. The Yale app will seamlessly connect over the best method available, choosing between Bluetooth and Wi-Fi automatically. Simply open the Yale app and navigate to your lock screen, the app will do the rest.

The icon in the upper right of the lock screen will indicate how you are currently connected to your lock.

You are now able to access your lock away from home, using your phone's Wi-Fi connection.

The Yale Smart Lock (all models) has been tested in all types of extreme weather cases, however, the current version of Yale is not designed to be weatherproof, and is not intended for outdoor use.

Environmental Specifications:

Operating Temperatures: 32-104F (0 to 40C)

Storage Temperatures: -4 to 158F (-20 to 70C)

Operating Humidity: 10 to 85% Non condensing

Storage Humidity: 5 to 90%