Try these, in this order
- Another door. The garage keypad, the door from the garage, the back door. The battery only killed one lock.
- The backup key. Most smart deadbolts have an ordinary key cylinder, sometimes hidden under a sliding cover or behind the logo. If the key is on your ring, you are in.
- The 9-volt terminals. Some keypad models have two small contacts on the outside, often under the keypad. Hold a 9-volt battery against them and the keypad wakes long enough to enter your code.
- The USB-C port. Some newer models take emergency power from a phone power bank through a USB-C port on the outside.
- The app. If the lock is on Wi-Fi or a hub and still has a trace of power, the app may still reach it. A completely flat lock will not answer.
Which of these your lock has is in its manual, or on the manufacturer's site under the model number. Worth checking now, before you need it.
If none of them work
Then it is a lockout. A locksmith can open most smart deadbolts through the backup cylinder, the same way as an ordinary lock, without damage. Once inside, the batteries are changed and the lock is checked. If the lock keeps draining batteries, the usual cause is a bolt dragging on the strike, which makes the motor strain every time it locks; that is a door adjustment rather than a new lock.
How not to be here again
- Change the batteries at the first warning, or on a date, such as when the clocks change.
- Use the battery type the manufacturer specifies. Some locks misread the level on rechargeable cells and die without warning.
- Have the backup cylinder keyed to your house key, so the key you always carry opens it.
- Keep one mechanical way in that does not depend on the smart lock: a keyed door or a lockbox.
Our smart lock service fits and sets up locks with the backup keyed to your house, and our house lockout service opens them when the worst happens.
Questions people ask
Will my smart lock warn me before the battery dies?
Almost always, for weeks, with a beep, a light or an app notification. The dead-battery lockout usually follows warnings that were missed.
Does every smart lock have a key backup?
Most do, but not all. Check yours now; if it has none, keep another way into the house.
Can a locksmith open a smart lock without breaking it?
Usually yes, through the backup cylinder, the same as an ordinary lock.
Why does my lock eat batteries?
Most often the bolt is dragging on the strike, so the motor works hard every time. Adjusting the door or strike usually fixes it.