Apple Home Key was one of those features that felt like vaporware for a while—announced with fanfare, then... nothing. The Schlage Encode Plus is the first lock to actually ship with it, and after spending the last month using it as my primary entry lock, I can tell you it's genuinely the future of smart locks.
At around $300, it's not cheap. But if you're invested in the Apple ecosystem, this is the lock you need.
What Makes It Different: Apple Home Key
Here's the magic: you unlock your door by holding your iPhone or Apple Watch to the lock. No fumbling for your phone, no launching an app. Just tap and it opens.
The killer part? It works even when your phone is dead. Apple uses something called Express Mode, which taps into the NFC energy in the lock itself. Your watch or phone powers that exchange long enough for the unlock to register. I've tested this deliberately—let my iPhone drain to zero, and yep, still unlocked with the watch.
That's the kind of detail that shows thoughtful design. Most smart lock companies would've left that as a novelty feature. Apple made it actually work in real life.
The Hardware Underneath
Schlage's reputation speaks for itself. They make the locks in commercial buildings. The Encode Plus carries an ANSI/BHMA Grade 1 security rating—that's commercial-grade stuff on your front door. The deadbolt mechanism itself is pure mechanical security. If the electronics fail, you can still use a physical key.
The body comes in three finishes: Matte Black, Satin Nickel, and Aged Bronze. I went with Matte Black and it looks industrial in the best way—like something designed by someone who actually cares about doors, not just tech. None of the plasticky vibes some smart locks give off.
Installation took me about 20 minutes. The keypad is backlit, responsive, and the interior escutcheon is minimal. It fits standard US deadbolts without requiring door modification.
Feature Set
You get 100 access codes. That sounds like overkill until you're actually managing a family—kids have codes, housekeepers have temporary codes, that one friend who always needs access. One hundred is about right.
The Wi-Fi radio is built in, which means you don't need a separate hub to control it from away from home. My previous smart lock needed a hub. That's friction I don't miss.
Battery life sits around six months with four AA batteries. I'm not thrilled about that compared to some competitors that hit 9-12 months, but it's acceptable if you're willing to set a reminder. The lock alerts your HomeKit system when the battery gets low.
There's a built-in alarm sensor that triggers if someone tries forcing the lock. Paired with HomeKit automation, you could set this to alert your phone or trigger a siren.
What Works, What Doesn't
It works great with Apple Home. HomeKit integration is native and instant. Set automations like "unlock when I arrive home" or "lock at midnight." Siri voice control is solid. "Hey Siri, lock my door" never gets old.
Amazon Key integration is here too. If you're running Alexa, you can grant Amazon delivery services temporary access—your package waits inside instead of on the porch. That part is a huge convenience if you actually use it.
Google Assistant and Alexa voice control work, though they go through HomeKit as a middleman. Not the fastest response, but reliable.
The one real gap: Matter support. Schlage says it's coming in a firmware update. I'd feel more comfortable owning this lock if that update was already live instead of promised. Future-proofing is part of why you pay this much.
Who This Is For
Buy this if: You're all-in on Apple Home, you want the best security rating on a smart lock, and you like the idea of your watch becoming your key.
Skip it if: You're platform-agnostic (wait for Matter support), you're budget-conscious (there are cheaper locks), or you hate keycodes and want pure biometric entry.
The Schlage Encode Plus isn't for everyone, but for Apple Home users, it's the obvious choice. The Apple Home Key feature is the standout—it changes how you actually interact with your lock in daily life. And knowing Schlage's hardware is bulletproof underneath takes the anxiety out of relying on smart tech for security.
Buy the Schlage Encode Plus on Amazon
I'll keep using this as my daily lock. After a month, I'm sold.
