Are smart locks safe? What to check before you buy or install one

Updated November 10, 2026 · KeystoneProGuide editorial team

Is a smart lock less secure than a regular lock?

Not necessarily, but it adds a second way in that a regular lock does not have: the software. The Federal Communications Commission names the front door lock among the smart products people link together, and says such internet-connected products can be susceptible to a range of security vulnerabilities. A smart lock has to resist both the physical attacks any lock faces and the electronic ones that come with an app and a wireless connection.

What went wrong in the FTC's smart lock case?

In 2020 the Federal Trade Commission settled allegations against a maker of internet-connected locks that it said had advertised them as "unbreakable" and claimed to take reasonable care of user data. The FTC's consumer protection director said the company promised its locks were secure but failed even to test whether that was true. According to the FTC, security researchers found both physical and electronic weaknesses, and some of the electronic flaws prevented users from effectively revoking other people's access to their locks. The company's app collected usernames, email addresses, profile photos and the precise location of each lock. The settlement required a comprehensive security program with independent assessments every two years.

The product in that case was a fingerprint padlock, not a door lock. The lessons carry over to any smart lock: a security claim in an advertisement is not evidence, an app may hold more about you than you expect, and the ability to remove someone's access is a feature worth testing yourself.

How do you set up a smart lock securely?

The FTC's advice for connected devices at home applies directly.

1. Secure your router first. The FTC calls the router the key to privacy for connected devices. Change its default administrative username, password and network name, turn on encryption and keep it updated.
2. Change any default username, password or code that came with the lock, and do not reuse a password from another account.
3. Turn on two-factor authentication if the lock's app offers it.
4. Install updates. Check for firmware updates, sometimes on the manufacturer's website, and keep the app current.
5. Switch off what you do not use. The FTC suggests disabling features such as remote management if you will not use them, and disconnecting old devices you no longer use, since their security may be out of date.

After that, test the access controls. Add a temporary user, remove them, and confirm their code or phone no longer works.

Is there a security label to look for?

Not yet for locks, as far as the FCC's page shows. The FCC is setting up a voluntary program, the U.S. Cyber Trust Mark, for wireless consumer devices that meet its cybersecurity standards. Labeled products will carry a QR code linking to details such as how long the product will receive support and whether security updates are automatic. The FCC says it is still in the process of standing the program up, and its list of example products names cameras, appliances, garage door openers and baby monitors but not door locks. Wired devices are excluded.

For the physical lock, the hardware manufacturers' association certifies residential deadbolts and locksets and rates them A, B or C for security, durability and finish on its Secure Home label. Ask whether the smart lock you are considering is certified and what its ratings are.

Does the door still matter?

As much as with any lock. The King County Sheriff's Office in Washington State says even the strongest lock will not keep out a determined burglar if it is placed in a weak door, and recommends solid doors, strong frames and a strike plate held with 3-inch screws. A smart deadbolt on a weak frame is a weak door with an app.

Check the inside, too. The model building code says a home's egress door must open from inside without the use of a key or special knowledge or effort, and the National Fire Protection Association says to make sure doors can be opened easily when you walk through your fire escape plan. So check that the inside of a smart lock opens with a simple turn piece, with no key, code or phone needed.

What does a smart lock cost?

The surveys give national ranges. Angi prices the lock itself at $150 to $500, professional setup and programming at $100 to $200, and says programming adds $30 to $100 to a basic installation. HomeAdvisor gives $150 per lock to install an electric lock in place of a traditional one, $50 to $500 for labor on electronic locks generally, and says a high-end smart model can cost up to $2,000. The cost guide compares other jobs.

What if someone comes to your door selling one?

Know your right to cancel. The FTC's Cooling-Off Rule gives you three days to cancel many sales made at your home, and the seller must tell you about it and give you two cancellation forms. It does not cover sales under $25 or sales needed to meet an emergency.

Who should install it?

ALOA, the locksmiths' trade association, says that in newer houses with standard-size holes replacing a lock can be moderately easy, and that older houses are where a locksmith helps. If you hire, questions to ask a locksmith covers what to confirm, and local businesses are on the locksmiths directory page.

Sources

1. U.S. Cyber Trust Mark, Federal Communications Commission
2. Canadian Maker of Smart Locks Settles FTC Allegations That it Deceived Consumers about its Security Practices, Federal Trade Commission
3. Securing Your Internet-Connected Devices at Home, Federal Trade Commission
4. Buyer's Remorse: The FTC's Cooling-Off Rule May Help, Federal Trade Commission
5. How Much Does a Locksmith Cost? [2026 Data], Angi
6. How Much Does a Locksmith Cost?, HomeAdvisor
7. High Standards for Residential Door Hardware: BHMA Certified Secure Home Label, American National Standards Institute (The ANSI Blog)
8. Doors and locks, King County Sheriff's Office
9. Chapter 3 Building Planning, 2021 International Residential Code, International Code Council
10. How to make a home fire escape plan, National Fire Protection Association
11. Should I Change My Locks When I Move Into a House?, ALOA Security Professionals Association