(Credit: Yale)
Smart locks are one of the most convenient smart home upgrades you can buy. But if you don't own your home, you probably can't change the outward-facing locking mechanism. Yale's new Approach lock could help solve that problem.
Like other similar retrofit lock options, the Yale Approach slides over the deadbolt on the inside of your door. That leaves the outward-facing hardware and keyhole untouched, which should make it more friendly for rented homes or apartments (but ask your landlord). The device, Yale's first retrofit option, also comes with a Yale Connect Wi-Fi Bridge to enable remote locking operations, including auto-lock and auto-unlock, remote locking, and monitoring features.
With an optional keypad, you can use the app to create access codes. The keypad can be placed anywhere within range, which means you can put it lower so children can reach it, for example. The company plans to release a second keypad option later this year with a fingerprint reader.
Yale says installing the lock requires a single screwdriver and should take about 10 minutes.
The Yale Approach will support Google Home, Amazon Alexa, Philips Hue, and Samsung SmartThings out of the box. Later this year, the company will release a software update that will add Matter support. That's a pretty extensive list, and should cover most smart homes, save HomeKit for now.
The Yale Approach lock is on sale now in Black Suede or Silver for $129.99; buy the keypad separately for $79.99. If you want both, save money with a $179.99 bundle.