A smart door lock in Dubai should fit the door you already have and give each person their own code, fingerprint or phone access. It should also keep working at the door when the internet drops, and if the door gets afternoon sun, the lock needs to be built for the heat.
This guide explains how to choose a lock, how codes and guest access work, and what fitting involves. We fit locks from several makers, including Oji, Tedee, Yale and Aqara. We choose a lock for each door instead of putting the same brand in every home.
What does a smart door lock actually do?
A smart door lock lets you open your door without a key. Depending on the model, you use a code, a fingerprint or your phone.
It also lets you decide in the app who gets in and when. For most families and landlords, that control is the main reason to buy one.
Features vary from model to model, so check this list against what you need:
- Keypad codes: each person gets their own PIN (a personal number code). Tedee's keypad, for example, holds up to 100 PINs, so you can always tell who opened the door.
- Fingerprint reader: useful for children and older relatives who forget codes.
- App control: open the door from your phone while you stand at it, or from somewhere else when you are out.
- Guest access: codes that work only on set days or at set times. Some models also offer a code for a single visit.
- Entry history: a record in the app of who opened the door and when.
- Auto-lock: the door locks itself after it closes. Tedee says auto-lock and remote opening do not work on doors you lock by lifting the handle. Some multipoint doors (doors that bolt at several points) work this way, so check yours first.
Which smart lock is right for your door?
Start with the door, not the brand. A lock that suits a shaded apartment door may be the wrong choice for a villa door in full afternoon sun.
Our engineer chooses between Oji, Tedee, Yale, Aqara and other makes, based on how the door is used and how much sun it gets. These are the things we look at:
- The lock you have now. If your door has a euro cylinder (the part your key turns), a retrofit lock can sit over it on the inside, so your key still works from outside. The Tedee GO and Yale Linus L2 Lite work this way. Other smart locks replace the whole handle set.
- Your cylinder. The Tedee GO needs a cylinder with an emergency function, meaning a key still turns from outside when another key is left in the inside. The Tedee PRO needs a Tedee-compatible cylinder, or an adapter on an existing cylinder with that function. If your cylinder is not suitable, it has to be replaced first.
- Sun and heat. An apartment door in an air-conditioned corridor has an easy life. A west-facing villa door in July does not. For a door in direct sun, we check the maker's operating temperature (the range of temperatures the lock is built to work in) before we choose.
- Who uses it. Fingerprints suit children and older parents. Codes suit domestic staff and drivers, and time-limited codes suit guests.
- Gates, garages and side doors. These get more dust and weather than a covered front door. The outdoor keypads and gate-side controls we fit are IP rated (a grade for how well they keep out dust and water) and tested in Dubai heat.
- Links to other systems. Decide early whether the lock should work with your intercom, your cameras or the rest of your smart home.
How do codes, app access and guest management work?
You set yourself up as the owner in the app, then add each person. Each one gets their own code, fingerprint or app access, either permanently or for set times. When someone stops working for you, you delete their code in the app. Nothing changes at the door.
Say your cleaner comes on Tuesday mornings. You can give them a code that works only then, because the Tedee keypad lets you set a time window for each PIN.
For holiday homes, guest codes can be created and removed automatically from your bookings, so there are no keys to hand over or collect. Our guide to smart homes for holiday homes and rental landlords covers this in more detail.
Moving into a home that already has smart locks? Our handover service removes the old users and resets the logins, so only your household has access.
What happens if the internet or the power goes down?
The lock keeps working at the door. On the locks we fit, the keypad and fingerprint reader carry on without the internet. Only remote opening from outside the home stops, and it comes back when the connection does.
A battery-powered lock keeps working in a power cut. If the batteries run flat, the locks we recommend have a physical key or an emergency power option, so you still have another way in.
Can a smart lock work with your intercom, cameras and the rest of your home?
Yes. The locks we fit link to Akuvox intercoms and to UniFi Protect, the camera system made by Ubiquiti, so you can see who is at the door and let them in from the same app. That helps when a delivery or a relative arrives before you get home: you check their face on the camera and open the door from your phone.
In apartment buildings, the lobby intercom usually stays separate. Most built-in building systems do not allow a connection from another system, because it would void their warranty.
The locks also link to Symphony, our automation platform, which is designed to make large, complex homes easier to manage. Opening the front door can then switch on the hall lights or set the AC to the temperature you chose.
In the security systems we install, everything links to UniFi Protect, including the alarm, and alerts go to your phone. Read more about home security, CCTV and access control.
Can you fit a smart lock yourself?
Yes, if it is a single apartment door with a suitable cylinder. Retrofit locks such as the Tedee GO and Yale Linus L2 Lite fit over your existing lock, and the maker's fitting guide tells you whether your door needs an adapter or any drilling.
Professional fitting makes more sense when:
- You have several doors or a gate to control, which is common in villas
- You want the lock linked to your intercom, cameras or Symphony
- The door needs a new cylinder, drilling or a new lock body before a smart lock will fit
- You want codes and users set up for staff and guests before you move in
How do we choose and fit your smart lock?
Our engineer visits, looks at each door and recommends a lock for it. Here is what happens:
- Our engineer checks your doors, the locks already fitted and how much sun each door gets
- We recommend a lock for each door and explain why we chose it
- You get a written quote, usually within 2 days of the visit
- We fit the locks and connect them to the app, and to your intercom, cameras and Symphony if you have them
- We set up users and codes with you, and show your household how to add and remove people
What support do you get after fitting?
Your lock comes with its manufacturer's warranty.
If something goes wrong, you report it through the support chat in our app, Monday to Saturday, 8am to 7pm. Our team fixes most faults remotely. You approve each remote session, and you can switch remote access off completely.
We build each maintenance plan around what you need. For locks, it can include battery checks, firmware updates (the lock's built-in software) and a review of user codes. See smart home repair and maintenance.
What affects the cost of a smart door lock?
It depends on how many doors and gates you want to control, and on the brand and model. A door that needs a new cylinder or lock body first adds work, and so does linking the lock to an intercom, cameras or Symphony.
A home visit shows exactly what your doors need. Our guide on how much a smart home costs in Dubai explains how these factors add up.
Questions people ask
Can I open the door from my phone if the internet is down? Not from outside the home. Remote opening stops until the connection comes back, but the keypad and fingerprint reader keep working at the door.
Do smart locks cope with Dubai summer heat? It depends on the model and how exposed the door is. We check the maker's operating temperature and choose a lock that suits a shaded door or one in direct sun.
Can a guest get in without downloading an app? Yes, if your lock has a keypad. You send them a code that works only for their stay.
What if the batteries run flat? The locks we recommend have a physical key or an emergency power option, so you can still get in.
Will a smart lock fit my existing door? If it has a euro cylinder, a retrofit lock can often sit over it on the inside. Some models need a cylinder with an emergency function, and our engineer checks this at the home visit.
What is the next step?
To get a smart lock that suits each of your doors, book a home visit or engineering survey. Our engineer checks your doors and how you use them, and you get a written quote.
