This could be your perfect smart lock - Aqara U50

[@GreenArrowNetwork]

For my HomeKit automations speed is really not a big deal. Locking the door at night, or after everyone leaves home. A short delay is no big deal. Un/locking with the watch or phone or keypad is instant, which gains approval from others who just use the lock. I really like my u100, and if you don’t care about fingerprints (which are cool, and also instant) then the u50 looks like a great choice.

[@jsac3939]

Yeah not sure why he is making this a dealbreaker. I have several automations with my U100 and there is a small delay but not enough to be a knock on the product.

[@ElevationEveryWeekend]

I installed the U100 a few months back and it’s been very good overall. I am not using an Aqarq hub. Homekey and the fingerprint reader work well. The only complaint with the design is the molded tumbler, which didn’t work with my older steel door, so I had to modify the door which was a project. Most door tumblers you can remove the pressed on square plate, but since the Aqara is molded I had to cut out the door. And yes, if there is ANY resistance when the door locks it will error out, I had to also modify the jam plate slightly to fix that. I might consider the U50 for a back door.

[@GreenArrowNetwork]

Are you able to update firmware without connecting to the Aqara app? Thanks.

[@ElevationEveryWeekend]

@@GreenArrowNetwork I have yet to update the firmware in the three months I have had it, and I just checked and it is current. It may auto update in the background? I do have the Aqara app on my phone though.

[@EricWelander]

Aqara requires their app to do firmware updates, at least for the locks.

[@LoopyChew]

My P2 swears by the fingerprint reader. I love HomeKey, myself, but lack of prints is a dealbreaker. The thing is, I like the idea of rekeying the lock, and I hope they bring that to V2 of the U100. Then I move my existing one to the back door and make that my main.

[@EricWelander]

Fingerprints are nice I agree. I understand why it's not in the U50 but it's a great feature of the U100.

[@ElevationEveryWeekend]

The passcode operation is a bit annoying so we always use homekey or fingerprint reader. I do like getting lock notifications on the Apple TV’s!

[@waynerowe8477]

Great vid! First time with home key and just got it installed…will other users in the home automatically receive the home keys? I followed instructions from the manual, and have it bound to aqara and using through HomeKit…it’s slower than my Schlage sense for sure. Super fast through the aqara app though so I’m confused. Is there any feature I need that only the aqara app provides?

[@silentnoobkilla]

I just installed the U50 via HomeKit and avoided the Aqara app completely, which means I can’t update the U50 since updates aren’t available directly through HomeKit. My question is: if I download the Aqara app and connect it to update the firmware on the U50, will HomeKit still function as intended, including HomeKey support, or is HomeKey only supported when using HomeKit exclusively?

[@sendo427]

God!! no one is making any install videos showing what screws are supposed to be used because it doesn't explain which screws go where in the manual.

[@waynerowe8477]

I bought when I heard re-keyable. Problem was my tumbler was a little too big so it was not the easiest rekey. The tiny pack of black screws is what’s used to attach the thumb turn side to the “brace” (on the inside). Only used two of four. The longer screws looked to be the same size for me and I just used two of them to secure the brace from the inside to the outer keypad (through the deadbolt). I kept my existing deadbolt set up (Schlage sense) and didn’t have to use the stainless screws in the other two bags. As far as screws I think I covered them all. Hardest part for me was making everything fit.

[@kjones3018]

So agree…. And they dont tell you all the extra parts left over!!

[@JoshsSmartHome]

Nice video Eric. This seems like a pretty good lock option at this point.

[@PrivateHireGuy]

Really useful video, thanks. Any idea how this would work for us in the U.K, with lift up handle deadbolts?

[@tomvetterani9653]

Eric - just bought 2 U50 locks on Prime Day. Installed one, completed the process, and then went to pair it with my H3 hub. It was then that i realized that i installed the lock on our vacation home's page in the Aqara app. I reinstalled it in the correct home, but upon trying to reset the lock, it prompts for the pairing password. I didn't keep it from the initial install and now cannot reset the lock. I've tried Aqara support (not good) - no response. Are you aware of a way that i can either expose the pairing password, or bypass it to get the lock installed? Thanks in advance for your help.

[@Duane_A]

Since the lock will be communicating with my Apple HomePod Mini to use HomeKey, will the lock also relay the zigbee signal for my Aqara vibration sensor on my mailbox? If not, I need a recommendation for a zigbee lightbulb for the porch light (white or RGBW, idc), that will also work with Aqara M2 HUb, HomeKit & HomeAssistant. Having a zigbee relay is the priority, but I feel that I'm wasting money to not use the HomeKey option.

[@garanceadrosehn9691]

How about telling people to start by tapping on the lock icon "to wake up the lock"? (instead of saying _"click on any digit to wake up the lock"_ and then needing to explain _"but that digit will be igored")?_ I guess that what I'm asking is if the lock wakes up when someone presses that lock icon? What would be nice is if a lock like this had an indicator of some sort for how many digits it has recorded. So maybe six little LED's, where the first one lights up after it registers the first button pressed, the second one after it registers the second one, etc. It seems to me that if people strongly prefer to have a 4-digit code, then they could have a 6-digit code which is just their favorite 4-digit code followed by the first two digits of that same 4-digit code. Or does the lock require that the 6-digits be 6 unique digits?

[@EricWelander]

Those are all good points. I typically do send the passcode in combination with the 🔒 emoji for that reason, but it often still takes explaining. I agree some dots would be nice like a password text field. You can enter repeating digits for, let's say, the last two digits, to make a 4 number code be similar to the 6 digit one for this lock.

[@briancovid]

Why wouldn’t it support thread rather than zigbee 😢

[@wojtek-33]

My Schlage Connect registers the first touch and still has much more than 6mo battery life. I know this one has more features, but they could have done it on this lock too. That is very annoying.

[@_D_A_V_E_]

Is this only available in U.S?

[@BondByPythons]

Will this work if we need to lock/unlock if we are away from home?

[@jsac3939]

Yes it will.

[@EricWelander]

Yes it will

[@amigajoe]

@@EricWelanderbut only if we have an apple pod or Apple TV serving as a hub ? (For iPhone people)

[@pontiacwolf]

One question I have about this Locke, or any other Apple home key lock. How do they do in direct sunlight? I would like to put one at my door that we use the most right off my driveway. There isn’t any porch or overhang that protectsit from the elements. Since it would be attached to a metal door facing west. It would get pretty hot during the summer. Have you experienced any malfunctions of any type due to extreme heat or extreme cold?

[@ElevationEveryWeekend]

My U100 is on the front door (which is black), and gets direct sunlight year round during the first half of the day, so far no problems. It has yet to see 100 degree summer temps yet though.

[@pontiacwolf]

@@ElevationEveryWeekend thanks for the input. I have been pretty reluctant on purchasing any Smart Locke. Mostly because the last lock that I had purchased claim to have a battery life of well over six months. I found myself replacing the battery at least every week or two. When I contacted the company. They told me that it was because it was too far from my Wi-Fi, I told them that it was about 5 feet from my router. If I were to put it any closer. My router would be outside. That has been at least five years or more ago. I’ve just been waiting for something that was dependable. As far as the Smart lock technology. It has followed the same suit that most technology has. Instead of making the current product work better. All companies just bring out something brand new that has many, learning curve issues, that all new items have once they come out for the first time. Then we, as customers, have to deal with things not working intermittently after spending hundreds of dollars on their item. Maybe this one will be dependable enough for me to, try it out

[@EricWelander]

That's a bummer you are having all those Wi-Fi issues. I can't test extreme heat given that my lock is covered in a mild to cold climate.

[@ggtirevite]

Eric, this is perfectly explained. I watched another video and didn't understand as well what the compromises were. I am very interested butI use Apple Home only, so I will wait until they come up with a lock that connects to their M3 hub (for stability), preferably over Matter AND also supports HomeKey. I am currently using the Yale Assure 2 over Wifi biut it's been flaky for me, so looking for an alternative ... Still looking I guess.

[@EricWelander]

I don't know if what you want is possible, since the same lock should really only appear once in Apple Home, and that has to be directly to Apple Home without a hub which in this case means it's Bluetooth. Thanks so much for the kind words. I'm glad you enjoyed the video. I think other lock alternatives will come this year. Smart locks with HomeKey were a very big topic of conversation at CES.

[@nagyba]

Does this work with Home Assistant?

[@EricWelander]

You have to use the Xiaomi Aqara plugin which I haven't tried

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[@michaelmchenry8624]

The Aqara U50 lock is a piece of crap. The instructions that come with it are superficial and useless....I should not have to watch a 20 minute video to see how to install a lock. I have three e-lock in my home. An August lock, easy to install, works reliably, an Elamor M22 Wifi lock, very similar to the Aqara, and the U50. The U50 has been a pain to program and will simply NOT LOCK using either Alexa commands or routines. It unlocks, but will not lock. This is a function that works seamlessly with the other two locks (noteworthy, the Elamor M22 lock uses the Smart Life app which has a solid interface to Alexa). The Elamor lock comes with a flowchart like sheet that explains each step when programming any function. I comes with a detail instruction booklet for installation and basic functions. Why Aqara cannot do this, IDK. I have four Aqara shade rollers and an M2 hub which work perfectly with Alexa....so I had no reason to believe the U50 lock would be such a pain. Aqara support has been absurd (send us a video!???? - really? A video of nothing happening?). Do not buy this product!!!!