Keyless Entry Systems: A Locksmith's Guide to Electronic Locks

Keyless entry can make access easier to manage, but the best system is not simply the one with the most features. A secure installation has to combine the door’s physical strength, the lock or latch, the credential method, power and fallback arrangements, user administration and—where the product connects to an app or network—cyber security.

At Swift Locksmiths, we look at keyless products as part of the complete door. A keypad fitted to a weak or badly aligned door does not create strong security, and a smart lock with excellent software can still cause problems if the mechanical mechanism is being overloaded.

This guide explains the main types of electronic and keyless entry, what homeowners and businesses should compare, how the UK’s connected-product security rules affect consumer smart devices, and why emergency exit and power-failure behaviour need to be considered before installation.

Originally published: 2nd November 2024  |  Last updated: 1st September 2026

What Counts as Keyless Entry?

Keyless entry is any access system that does not rely solely on a traditional metal key for day-to-day use. It can be a standalone PIN keypad, an electronic lock with a code, a card or fob reader, a mobile credential, a smart lock controlled through an app, or a biometric reader. Some systems still retain a mechanical key as an emergency override.

The best choice depends on who uses the door and what happens when access needs to change. A household with four stable users has different needs from a business with staff, cleaners, contractors and restricted rooms.

Keyless Does Not Mean “No Lock”

Many electronic systems still rely on a mechanical latch, deadbolt, multipoint mechanism or electric locking device to physically secure the opening. The keypad or phone merely decides whether that mechanism is allowed to release. If the door has dropped, the keep is misaligned or the lock body is worn, the electronics cannot compensate indefinitely.

Before fitting new technology, we check how the door closes and whether the existing hardware operates smoothly. Correcting physical faults first makes the electronic system more reliable and avoids unnecessary strain.

Smart Locks and the UK Product Security Regime

The UK consumer connectable product security regime came into effect on 29th April 2024. It applies to relevant consumer products that can connect to the internet or a network and places obligations on manufacturers, importers and distributors. The baseline requirements include rules around passwords, vulnerability reporting and transparency about the minimum security-update period.

That does not mean every smart lock is equally secure. It means buyers now have a stronger regulatory baseline to build on. We still recommend checking how long the product is supported, how accounts are protected and what happens when support ends.

Source: Office for Product Safety and Standards and Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, consumer connectable product security guidance; regime effective 29th April 2024 and guidance updated 17th March 2025.

Cyber Security Is Part of Door Security on a Connected Lock

The National Cyber Security Centre recommends using secure passwords, enabling two-step verification where available, keeping smart devices updated and disabling remote access if it is not needed. Those principles are directly relevant when a phone or cloud account can authorise entry to a property.

Source: National Cyber Security Centre, Smart devices: using them safely in your home, current guidance accessed September 2026.

What Happens When the Power Fails?

Power-failure behaviour should be designed rather than discovered in an emergency. Battery-operated locks need low-battery warnings and a practical recovery method. Wired access-control systems need appropriate backup power and a defined state for each door. The correct choice between fail-safe and fail-secure behaviour depends on the door’s role, fire strategy and security requirements.

For doors on escape routes, fire-safety guidance can require that people can open the door quickly from the escape side without needing a key or code. Electrically powered locks used on relevant escape routes may also need to unlock on alarm, power loss or operation of an emergency override, depending on the building and system design.

Source: GOV.UK, Approved Document B fire-safety guidance and current fire-safety guidance for non-domestic premises, accessed September 2026.

Home Keyless Entry: Questions to Ask Before Buying

Business Keyless Entry: Access Policy Comes Before Hardware

For businesses, electronic access can be valuable because credentials can be assigned by person, time and area. But the hardware should follow a clear access policy. Decide who can enter each space, who can authorise new users, how leavers are removed, who reviews access logs and what happens outside normal hours.

Our commercial locksmith and door-security services focus on the physical locks, doors and access points. Where a project involves networked access control, fire integration or complex IT administration, the right solution may also involve a specialist access-control integrator.

Privacy and Access Logs

Many electronic systems create logs showing who entered and when. In a business, that information can be personal data and should be collected for a clear purpose, protected appropriately and retained only as long as needed. A useful audit trail should not become uncontrolled surveillance.

Biometric systems deserve even more care because biometric data can be particularly sensitive. Businesses should obtain specialist data-protection advice where the system goes beyond simple low-risk access management.

Installation Matters More Than the Feature List

A keyless lock should be aligned, securely fixed and tested through normal use, including the manual override and low-power condition where practical. Users need to know how to lock the door properly; on some multipoint doors, for example, electronic authorisation does not remove the need for the mechanism to be fully engaged.

Maintenance and End-of-Support Planning

Mechanical locks need wear checks and alignment. Electronic locks add batteries, firmware, apps and accounts. Include them in a maintenance routine: replace batteries before they fail, apply updates, review user access, test emergency procedures and note the manufacturer’s support end date.

A connected product that no longer receives security updates may still mechanically operate, but that does not mean its digital risk is unchanged. Plan for replacement before the product becomes unsupported.

Our Approach to Keyless Security

We recommend technology when it makes access safer or easier to manage, not because it is fashionable. You can read more about our local locksmith team and how we assess door condition, locks and practical security before recommending an upgrade.

Keyless Entry and Accessibility

Electronic access can be helpful for people who struggle with small keys or fine hand movements, but the interface has to be genuinely easier. A tiny keypad, unreliable fingerprint reader or complicated app can create a new barrier. We recommend considering the actual users, lighting conditions, door weight and the physical effort still required to move the door.

Where accessibility is important, the lock should be tested as a complete journey: approach, authentication, opening, closing and secure relocking. A technically successful unlock is not enough if the user still has to pull a misaligned door with excessive force.

Temporary Codes Need an Expiry Process

One of the strongest reasons to use keyless access is temporary permission for guests, carers or contractors. That benefit is lost if old codes remain active indefinitely. Use unique credentials where the system supports them, give access only for the period required and remove it when the job or visit ends.

For a business, shared PINs can become the electronic equivalent of an uncontrolled master key. Individual credentials normally provide clearer accountability and easier revocation.

Plan the Handover When a Property Changes Occupier

A connected lock can retain users, paired phones, cloud accounts and automation rules. Moving home or changing tenants should therefore include a digital handover as well as physical keys. Remove old users, transfer the administrator account properly, reset access codes and confirm the new occupier controls recovery email and phone details.