Yale
Holding mobile with Yale Access open.Holding mobile with Yale Access open.

Everyday Use with Yale Access App

Here you can find the answers about Everyday Use with Yale Access App.

Five most common questions about Everyday Use with Yale Access App

  • How to Use Auto-Unlock for Android

    Yale uses two states to enable Auto-Unlock to function: Home mode, and Away mode. These modes indicate where Auto-Unlock thinks you are: at home, or away from home.

    When you are at home (in Home mode), Auto-Unlock is not actively doing anything. It is waiting until you leave home.

    When you approach your door, Auto-Unlock will unlock your door via Bluetooth. This means Auto-Unlock cannot operate your lock when you are away from home.

    You are considered away from home when you leave your immediate 

    View more

  • How to Use Auto-Unlock for iOS

    Yale uses two states to enable Auto-Unlock to function: Home mode, and Away mode. These modes indicate where Auto-Unlock thinks you are: at home, or away from home respectively.

    When you are at home (in Home mode), Auto-Unlock is not actively doing anything. It is waiting until you leave home.

    When you approach your door, Auto-Unlock will unlock your door via Bluetooth. This means Auto-Unlock cannot operate your lock when you are away from home.

    View more

  • How to Create Door Ajar Notifications

    Door Ajar notifications alert you when your door has been left open for a certain amount of time.

    In order to set up Door Ajar notifications, you’ll need a Yale Smart Lock with DoorSense™ installed with a Yale Connect Wi-Fi Bridge.

    Select either iOS or Android below (depending on your device) for instructions on setting up Door Ajar notifications.

    View more

  • How to Invite Guests to Your Smart Lock

    Send virtual keys to family, friends, and services listed in your contacts. Simply send each guest an invitation to download the app, or give them unique entry code access.

    View more

  • How to Create, Modify, and Delete Smart Alerts

    Smart Alerts are sent as notifications and let you know about the activity of your Smart Lock. Many Smart Alerts 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, Auto-Lock notifications, and door locking with One-Touch Keypad operation (requires Yale Smart Keypad).

    View more

FAQ

  • The Yale Access App offers 2 access levels: Owner and Guest. Guest is the default access level for anyone invited to your Smart Lock, but you can update a person's access level when you invite them to your lock or at any time thereafter.

    PLEASE NOTE: Guests need to create an account and download the Yale Access App.

    Select either iOS or Android (depending on your device) for steps to change Access Levels.

    iOS

    Changing a Guest to an Owner
    1. Open the Yale Access App and within the house where your lock is, select the Guest list Icon from the lower right in the menu
    2. Select the Guest you want to edit
    3. Select Owner to change the Access Level from Guest to Owner
    4. A blue tick will display beside your selection
    5. Select the back arrow to confirm changes

    Your Guest is now an Owner, and will display as an Owner in your Guest List

    You can change a user's access level back to Guest at any time by completing these steps again and selecting Guest from the Access Level options.

    Lock Owners

    Users with Owner Access can:

    • Lock and unlock door via Yale Access App
    • Use Auto-Unlock
    • Invite/remove guests and owners
    • Control all lock settings
    • View activity feed
    • View guest list
    • Operate the lock remotely via Yale Connect Wi-Fi Bridge
    Guests

    Users with Guest Access can:

    • Lock and unlock door via Yale Access app
    • Not use Auto-Unlock
    • Not invite/remove guests and owners
    • Not control all lock settings
    • Not view activity feed
    • Not view guest list 

    PLEASE NOTE: Guests can not  operate the lock remotely

    Android

    Changing a Guest to an Owner
    1. Open the Yale Access App and within the house where your lock is, select the Guest list Icon from the lower right in the menu
    2. Select the Guest you want to edit
    3. Change the Access Level from Guest to Owner
    4. Select the "Save Changes" option at the bottom of the screen to save your changes

    Your Guest is now an Owner, and will display as an Owner in your Guest List

    You can change a user's access level back to Guest at any time by completing these steps again and selecting Guest from the Access Level options.

    Lock Owners

    Users with Owner Access can:

    • Lock and unlock door via Yale Access App
    • Use Auto-Unlock
    • Invite/remove guests and owners
    • Control all lock settings
    • View activity feed
    • View guest list
    • Operate the lock remotely via Yale Connect Wi-Fi Bridge
    Guests

    Users with Guest Access can:

    • Lock and unlock door via Yale Access app
    • Not use Auto-Unlock
    • Not invite/remove guests and owners
    • Not control all lock settings
    • Not view activity feed
    • Not view guest list 

    PLEASE NOTE: Guests can not  operate the lock remotely

  • If you have a HomeKit-enabled Smart Lock, adding a new Owner and giving them HomeKit access can be done at the same time. Watch the video below for a brief overview of the process.

    PLEASE NOTE: The invited HomeKit user must also be an Owner of the smart lock in the Yale Access App and they must accept the HomeKit invite from the Home App. Then, they must access the lock over Bluetooth with the Yale Access App 2-3 times to finalize the HomeKit invite.

    The invited HomeKit user should be able to connect to the lock over HomeKit following the steps below:

    1. Accept the HomeKit invite inside the Home App
    2. Once the invite has been accepted, open the Yale Access App and connect to the lock over Bluetooth

    If they cannot connect to the lock using the Home App, they need to repeat step 2.

    See support video here.

  • Here you can find help if you are having issues unlocking your Yale Smart Lock Pro using your Yale Smart Keypad. If you are unable to find your Keypad in the Yale Access App, it may need to be put in Setup Mode.

    If the door fails to unlock after you have typed your code into the Smart Keypad, pay attention to the number of buzzes. Functionality is built into the Smart Keypad to help diagnose potential issues.

    If the keypad buzzes once after the code is entered and the door fails to unlock, the code was entered incorrectly. Try the code again to unlock the door. Keypad entry codes must be between 4 and 6 digits.

    If the keypad buzzes twice after a code is entered and the door fails to unlock, this means the keypad is not communicating with the lock. A reset should fix this issue.

    Before attempting a reset, ensure that you can connect the lock to the phone to make sure the issue isn’t with the lock. If you find that the issue is the lock, try rebooting the lock first. To reboot the lock, remove one battery from the lock and replace it. Once you have rebooted the lock, try the entry code again. If this does not work, the keypad must be reset.

    We try to avoid resetting the Keypad as this will reset all of the codes, but on occasion, a reset is necessary. If you do need to reset the keypad, do so through the Yale App:

    1. Open the Yale Access App and go to Keypad settings
    2. Select the option to Disconnect the Keypad (note: must be within Bluetooth range)
    3. Once you select the disconnect option, you will be sent a 4 digit code to physically reset the keypad
    4. Enter this code into the Keypad to reset the device.

    This completes the steps needed to reset the keypad.

    PLEASE NOTE: Resetting the keypad will wipe out all existing entry codes and they will need to be added back after the keypad is set up again.

  • The Yale Smart Keypad Once you set the keypad up, follow the steps below to find, update, and use your personal Entry Code.

    To find your Personal Entry Code:

    1. Open up the Yale Access App
    2. Select the house from the keychain
    3. Go to the Guest List
    4. Select yourself from the guest list to get to MY ACCESS

    Your personal entry code(s) appears below the associated lock if there are multiple locks. Depending on the settings on the lock, it may be blanked out as a security precaution. If this is the case you will need to authenticate with your phones passcode/biometics to view the code. If you want to update an existing personal entry code, follow the steps above, then:

    1. Select the Entry Code you wish to change
    2. Enter a new code or update the existing code in the entry code field
    3. Select the back arrow or save changes
    4. Select SAVE CHANGES

    Modifications and updates will appear in MY ACCESS.

    To use your Personal Entry Code

    1. Enter your personal entry code on the keypad
    2. Press the Yale button
    3. The keypad light will pulse and then flash when the lock operation has been completed.

    Entry codes need to be between 4 and 6 digits and a user may have up to 220 entry codes on a lock.

    Guests with keypad access have a blue circle with a hash symbol to the right of their name in the Guest List. If you have assigned Entry Codes to other guests, they will follow the same steps to access and update their personal entry codes from within the Yale Access App.

  • The Keychain allows you to manage all of your properties or homes in the Yale Access App. If you have multiple properties, you can create keys for all of them in your keychain. Each property added to your keychain will extend the list of keys and you will need to scroll to access them.

    Adding a House

    You can add a new House to your Keychain when you set up a new smart lock at that house. Follow steps below:

    1. Open the Yale Access App
    2. Navigate to the Main Menu in the top left corner
    3. Select Set up a Device
    4. Scan the QR code (this is normally found under the battery cover on the lock). If that is not possible, select Can’t Scan the data the type of device you want to set up
    5. Select START
    6. Select Continue and then Begin Setup by allowing the Yale Access App to scan for the new device
    7. Once the App finds the Lock, you will be given a list of all properties already listed in your Yale Access App as well as an option to Create a New House. Select this option to create a new key in your Keychain.
    8. When prompted, give your house a name and photo and then Continue

    Continue setting up the device by following the in-App instructions. The next time you open your Yale Access App, you should see the new house in the Keychain. You will also be able to add new devices to this House at set up for new devices going forward.

    Removing a House

    If you wish to remove a House from the Keychain in the Yale Access App, you can do so by factory resetting any locks associated with the house. A house disappears when an Owner factory resets all locks associated with the house. Follow instructions for factory reset available at our page for General Info and FAQ.

    If you are a guest, the house is removed from your Keychain when you are no longer a Guest of any of the locks associated with the house. Guests may remove themselves from the house via the App as well.

  • The Yale Access App offers 2 access levels: Owner and Guest. Guest is the default access level for anyone invited to your Smart Lock, but you can update a person's access level when you invite them to your lock or at any time thereafter.

    PLEASE NOTE: Guests need to create an account and download the Yale Access App.

    Select either iOS or Android (depending on your device) for steps to change Access Levels.

    iOS

    Changing a Guest to an Owner
    1. Open the Yale Access App and within the house where your lock is, select the Guest list Icon from the lower right in the menu
    2. Select the Guest you want to edit
    3. Select Owner to change the Access Level from Guest to Owner
    4. A blue tick will display beside your selection
    5. Select the back arrow to confirm changes

    Your Guest is now an Owner, and will display as an Owner in your Guest List

    You can change a user's access level back to Guest at any time by completing these steps again and selecting Guest from the Access Level options.

    Lock Owners

    Users with Owner Access can:

    • Lock and unlock door via Yale Access App
    • Use Auto-Unlock
    • Invite/remove guests and owners
    • Control all lock settings
    • View activity feed
    • View guest list
    • Operate the lock remotely via Yale Connect Wi-Fi Bridge
    Guests

    Users with Guest Access can:

    • Lock and unlock door via Yale Access app
    • Not use Auto-Unlock
    • Not invite/remove guests and owners
    • Not control all lock settings
    • Not view activity feed
    • Not view guest list 

    PLEASE NOTE: Guests can not  operate the lock remotely

    Android

    Changing a Guest to an Owner
    1. Open the Yale Access App and within the house where your lock is, select the Guest list Icon from the lower right in the menu
    2. Select the Guest you want to edit
    3. Change the Access Level from Guest to Owner
    4. Select the "Save Changes" option at the bottom of the screen to save your changes

    Your Guest is now an Owner, and will display as an Owner in your Guest List

    You can change a user's access level back to Guest at any time by completing these steps again and selecting Guest from the Access Level options.

    Lock Owners

    Users with Owner Access can:

    • Lock and unlock door via Yale Access App
    • Use Auto-Unlock
    • Invite/remove guests and owners
    • Control all lock settings
    • View activity feed
    • View guest list
    • Operate the lock remotely via Yale Connect Wi-Fi Bridge
    Guests

    Users with Guest Access can:

    • Lock and unlock door via Yale Access app
    • Not use Auto-Unlock
    • Not invite/remove guests and owners
    • Not control all lock settings
    • Not view activity feed
    • Not view guest list 

    PLEASE NOTE: Guests can not  operate the lock remotely

  • If you're having trouble signing into your Yale Access Account because you can't remember your password, you can use the "forgot password" feature to create a new password.

    PLEASE NOTE: Instructions for resetting the security PIN for your Google Home or the Google Assistant integration are available in the following article:

    Select Sign In and follow in-app setup screens:

    1. Next, select Forgot Password
    2. Select the country from the drop down list and enter your mobile phone number in the international format (including country code).
    3. A few seconds after submitting your mobile number, you should receive a text message from us. This text will contain a 6-digit code. Enter the code into the text field to continue.
    4. Enter the email address that you used to set up your Yale Access Account. We will send a security code to this email address.
    5. Check your email inbox after submitting your email address. You should have received an email from us with a security code. Check your spam folder if the email is not in your inbox.

    Once you retrieve the email with the security code, enter this code in the text field:

    Follow the in-App instructions and create a new password.

    This should successfully update your password in your Yale Access Account.

    If you are unable to successfully reset your password with the steps above, try signing in using your email address (instead of your phone number) at the sign in screen. 

    Password Requirements

    It is necessary that the new password satisfies our password complexity requirements:

    • At least one uppercase letter
    • At least one lowercase letter
    • At least one number
    • At least one non-alphanumeric character

    The credentials associated with the Yale Access Account are necessary to complete the password reset steps. If you receive the api_authentication_error while resetting your password it is an indication that the email and/or phone number used to authenticate the account do not match the credentials on the account.

    If password reset continues to fail, do not attempt to recreate a new account using your existing account info. Contact our Support Team.

  • You can operate and manage multiple Yale Locks through the drop down widget on your iOS device! Widgets allow you to operate your lock or multiple locks instantly from your Home screen. Check that you have version 9.4.1 or higher of the Yale Home App to enable this feature.

    Adding the widget

    Steps to add the Yale widget to your Home Screen (iOS 14)

    1. Swipe right on the home screen to access Widgets.
    2. Select Edit at the bottom of the screen.
    3. Select Customize at the bottom of the screen.
    4. Select the green plus sign beside Yale in Add Widgets.
    5. Select Done in the upper right-hand corner.

    If you have more than one lock, select Customize to adjust the order of the locks. Select Save to save changes.

    Steps to add the Yale widget to your Home Screen (iOS 13 or earlier)

    1. Access the widget screen by swiping to the right on your Home or Lock screen, or pull down the Notification Center, to view your widgets.
    2. Scroll to the bottom of your widget screen.
    3. Select Edit.
    4. Scroll to More Widgets and find Yale.
    5. Select the green plus sign to add the Yale Access widget.
    6. Select Done.
    Displaying multiple locks

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

    After adding the widget to your iPhone:

    1. Tap Show More on the widget 
    2. Select Customize
    3. Choose from the available locks to select the ones you would like to display
    4. Select Save to apply changes

    To operate a lock from the Home screen, unlock your iPhone and swipe right to access the Yale widget. The widget displays two circles for each available lock. Tap the green circle to unlock your door and the red one to lock it.

    Visit Apple Support for more information about Widgets.

If you need additional support

You can get a more visual help related to our products at our download center and in our library for support videos. 

Need More Help?

Contact us