March 4th, 2024
Written by Level Home Staff | Fact Checked by Eric Schoneberger
The short answer is: Yes, smart locks are safe.
There will never be a perfect lock that’s 100% secure against break-ins; that’s why many people invest in multiple locks for their exterior doors. Traditional locks have been trusted for centuries and don’t have the added risk of being hacked, but they are still vulnerable to being picked. Smart locks offer convenience and the bonus security of being able to monitor use.
Smart or not, the security of residential locks is rigorously tested by the Builders Hardware Manufacturers Association, with the highest possible product rating being AAA. To learn how secure a lock is, you can look it up in the BHMA product directory.
If you look on Reddit you will see any number of threads discussing if smart locks are hackable, and yes, it is possible for a smart lock to be hacked just like it is possible for a regular lock to be picked. However, with continuously evolving technology smart lock security is always improving. The best smart locks utilize modern authentication, encryption, and authorization technologies that are integrated into your security system, which can help minimize risk and mitigate potential hacks before they happen.
Not all smart locks are completely keyless! While many offer keyless entry options, some maintain the traditional keyed entry option as a backup.
However, any lock with a physical key is vulnerable to picking, and if you don’t have the keyless entry option of a smart lock it can be a big problem to lose or misplace your key.
If you're worried about not having a physical key to your smart lock, why not try one that has both keyless entry and keyed entry options?
Yes, smart deadbolts are just as safe as regular ones. To learn more about the safety of any lock, refer to the BHMA/ANSI product grading.
The bottom line is that any secure lock – smart or not – will have vulnerabilities and built-in safety measures to minimize the risk of those vulnerabilities. Since each lock is different, it’s important to do your research on the features and safety concerns most important to you, that way you can be confident in your choice of lock.
