Google Wallet adds digital home keys for unlocking smart locks
Android users can now tap their phone or walk up to compatible smart locks, with a wider rollout coming over the next few weeks.
Google has added digital home key support to Google Wallet, letting Android users open compatible smart locks by tapping their phone against the lock or simply approaching it. The feature is in public preview for the Google Home app and will roll out to everyone "over the coming weeks," according to Google. Samsung and Apple users have had similar features for some time.
The "Tap to Unlock" option works by holding the back of an NFC-enabled Android phone near the lock reader, and the phone does not need to be unlocked. "Unlock on Approach" must be turned on manually and can unlock a door automatically when it detects the user walking up. Multiple locks can be added to one digital home key, and household members on the same Google Home account can add their own keys to their wallets.
Hardware support is still limited. Supported locks currently include the Aqara u400, the Schlage Sense Pro (NFC at launch, UWB to follow), and the Nuki Keypad 2 NFC, with more locks promised. Users also need a Matter-enabled Google Hub with a Thread Border Router, such as the 2nd-gen Nest Hub. Tap to Unlock requires Android 9 or later, and hands-free unlocking works only on UWB-compatible phones such as the Pixel 10 Pro series and newer. Wear OS smartwatches are not supported at launch.
Key points
- Tap to Unlock works with NFC-enabled Android 9 phones, even when the phone is locked.
- Unlock on Approach needs manual setup and works only with UWB-compatible phones like the Pixel 10 Pro.
- Supported locks include Aqara u400, Schlage Sense Pro and Nuki Keypad 2 NFC.
Read the original reporting
Summarized with AI from the sources above and reviewed before publishing.
