The Amazing Aqara U200 Smart Lock. Retrofit Smart Lock With Home Key!

[@andysreviewsandsmarthometips]

For anyone looking for a more detailed view of the installation of this lock on a UK door, please check out my video that I have uploaded here - kzbin.info/www/bejne/eKjWkqqVrL95i5osi=ADBX7q3dDViw-n4o

[@kyledoc]

Your calibration piece was very useful, helped me get mine set up properly. Thank you.

[@andysreviewsandsmarthometips]

@@kyledoc no worries. Thanks and have a great day 😊

[@vikylin]

incredible video! can't wait to see more like this! 🔥✨

[@andysreviewsandsmarthometips]

@@vikylin thank you so much for the amazing kind comment! Hope you have an amazing day 😊

[@paullhenriquee]

Amazing video!!! That’s what I needed to pull the trigger! Buying one tomorrow!

[@andysreviewsandsmarthometips]

@@paullhenriquee thank you for your kind comment, I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. At the moment there are a couple of little niggling issues, however there should be fixed before the end of the month with software updates. You can still use the lock perfectly. If you do have any problems then message me on my Facebook page.

[@macy8993]

Good review !

[@andysreviewsandsmarthometips]

@@macy8993 thank you, it’s very much appreciated. Hope you have a brilliant day 😊

[@ThePayner11]

So I'm thinking of getting one. Will it work on a split spindle door, where I currently have to turn the key to physically open the door?

[@andysreviewsandsmarthometips]

@@ThePayner11 hi there, yes I believe it should work on something like this. The best thing to do would be to comment on one of the videos on the Aqara Facebook page just to be sure. Either that or you could look at the product page on the Aqara website. Hope this helps and have a great day.

[@AhmedAdd3Mana]

Very detailed well made video. Thank you! I'm not sure If I missed you mentioning it but did you face any connection issues? I'm really interested in getting it but there are many reports of software issues (Not being able to connect it to homekit, features not working, not being able to update the firmware, ...). I bought the Aqara presence sensor as soon as it came out last year and it was a horrible experience trying to get it to work (again software issues). I ended up returning it as even customer support could not fix it. I'm worried I will have the same "released early and not ready for public" experience again. I would get a smart lock from a different brand If I could but this is the only retrofit, UK compatible smart lock with Homekey.

[@andysreviewsandsmarthometips]

@@AhmedAdd3Mana hi and thank you for the kind comment! Honestly, I have had 1 issue with HomeKit but this was in very early testing and wasn’t available on kickstarter at that point. Since then, I have had no connection issues and the lock has performed better than expected. Most of the complaints about connection to HomeKit have been due to a lack of following instructions, for example, pressing the SET button after scanning the Matter code. I have had well over 10 videos sent to me where the individual are “proving” it doesn’t work and in every case, my question to them was “I didn’t see you press the SET button after scanning the Matter code during HomeKit setup, can you show me another video where you clearly press it?” I only had 2 people respond, one saying it worked, thanks, and the other I referred to customer service at Aqara because I think he was trying to get it into the home app with a very old Apple TV as a hub.

[@Mathiaskindsholm]

Thanks for the great walk through. I have a question: You pull up the handle, because your door has a 3 point latch, right? Is the U200 then unable to turn the key unless the 3 point latch has been engaged, meaning that it ex. can't be remote locked, if you forgot to pull up the handle?

[@andysreviewsandsmarthometips]

@@Mathiaskindsholm this is correct for my particular type of door. If you have to lift the handle to engage the pins, then yes it would be unable to lock the door. Basically, you have to get into the habit of lifting the handle. However, you can set up a notification that will literally give you a time sensitive alert which means it is very prominent reminding you and you can choose to set this immediately, 1/ second, three seconds all the way up to 30 minutes. Effectively this means that it can potentially immediately alert you if you forget to lift the handle so this eliminates the worry.

[@petergabriel8448]

I have the M2 hub. Does it only work with the M3?

[@andysreviewsandsmarthometips]

@@petergabriel8448 yes. The remote functions through the Aqara app work only with the M3 however some remote functions will work through HomeKit if you have a HomePod or Apple TV as a hub 😊

[@oliawak]

Is there a way to setup Auto Unlock?

[@andysreviewsandsmarthometips]

@@oliawak if you mean at a certain time of day, you can schedule this in the settings of the lock. Either that or you can set an automation for example when a time of day occurs, unlock the lock and when another time of day occurs lock the lock.

[@StephenFair-z4r]

Do I need to add the lock to the M3 hub before adding the lock to HomeKit ?

[@andysreviewsandsmarthometips]

@@StephenFair-z4r no, the way I did it was I added it into the Aqara app first, then I added it into HomeKit, then I bound it to the M3 Hub

[@marcinlag1]

@@andysreviewsandsmarthometips how you bound it? I have it on Aqara via BT and have it on Apple TV as matter, how to add it as matter to M3?

[@andysreviewsandsmarthometips]

@@marcinlag1 there should be an update coming out shortly that fixes various issues with the M3 binding process

[@GK_SmithySaves]

Can you help. I’m all setup and added to HomeKit but home key just doesn’t work on any device. I’ll hold it in the nfc area and nothing happens.

[@andysreviewsandsmarthometips]

@@GK_SmithySaves did the option for home key appear when setting the lock up in the home app? Also are you on the new home architecture and do you have an Apple TV with thread and/or HomePod? If the answer to all these are yes, there has been a team set up for email enquiries for help. Name the subject U200 Help and send this to [e-mail] Alternatively you can message me for help on my Facebook page on messenger.

[@paulofthebailey]

What happens if you close the door but forget to lift the handle?

[@andysreviewsandsmarthometips]

@@paulofthebailey in this type of situation, it beeps a few times to let you know that something is wrong and also send a notification to your phone

[@paulofthebailey]

@@andysreviewsandsmarthometips Thank you!

[@andysreviewsandsmarthometips]

@@paulofthebailey no problem, have a nice day!

[@nicholaseales]

Can you use it without aqara app or hub? Im 100% home kit.

[@andysreviewsandsmarthometips]

@@nicholaseales yes, you are able to, however for first few months until Matter gets a little better I personally would use the Aqara app even if it’s just to calibrate and update the lock as this way it’s far more reliable. This should change over the next few months though. Hope you have a great day!

[@Perb123]

You skipped over the one part I wanted to see, mounting the lock on the inside.

[@andysreviewsandsmarthometips]

@@Perb123 my apologies, I will be mounting another lock soon (this weekend) I will film another video and upload it.

[@লিখন.ঘোষ]

That’s all I wanted to see too.

[@andysreviewsandsmarthometips]

@@লিখন.ঘোষ as I say, my apologies. I will upload another video soon. Have a great day.

[@junny1075]

@@andysreviewsandsmarthometips Please let me know when you uploaded the video of the mounting, appreciate it!

[@andysreviewsandsmarthometips]

@@junny1075 I will make sure I let you know 😊

[@marcinlag1]

Was able to connect it as Matter via Apple TV but on Aqara M3 is only via BT, anyone has an idea how to fix it?

[@andysreviewsandsmarthometips]

@@marcinlag1 I believe there is an update coming very shortly that will solve quite a few issues with the M3 pairing

[@marcinlag1]

@@andysreviewsandsmarthometips so let’s wait.. :)

[@DawnDupponmi]

That exposed cable on the outside is very attractive

[@andysreviewsandsmarthometips]

@@DawnDupponmi I will be putting the cable in trunking but I was wanting to get the video done and out.

[@TeeGeeAu]

Looks like a brick. It’s too thick compared to competitors.

[@andysreviewsandsmarthometips]

@@TeeGeeAu I don’t wish to contradict you however here are some dimensions of locks that will eventually support HomeKey (as the U200 is the only one currently to do so) Measurements are width, depth, height in mm Switchbot - 59x84x120 U200 - 62x60x152 Nuki - 60x60x125 The Nuki is smaller, but….. The U200 is the only retrofit lock that supports matter over thread with HomeKey, is able to support more locks than any other retrofit lock without ordering a specific and sometimes more expensive model and it has more combined features than any other smart lock available.

[@sergehere9319]

I agree with you Andy. These 3 can only compete against each other . On a top of it Nuki is almost 2x price no home key support. Switchbot looks more like a brick than U200. Ppl like TeeGeeAu are just smartasses who don’t know what they are talking about and trying to look smart in the comments.

[@andysreviewsandsmarthometips]

@@sergehere9319 thank you for the reply 😀 I hope you have a great day! 😊