A smart lock can report “locked” while the motor is fighting the door, turning the wrong direction, or stopping before the bolt is fully seated. Door handing and motor calibration are setup records, not one-time app screens. Verify the physical door first, run the exact model’s calibration process, and prove the final state at the bolt, door contact, app, alarm, and backup-access path.
Use this checklist after a new installation, door or strike adjustment, battery change, firmware update, factory reset, lock transfer, seasonal door movement, or repeated jam alert. Keep the result with the smart-lock installation acceptance test, door-alignment guide, battery and outage checklist, and system change log.
Record the physical baseline before opening the app
| Baseline | Record | Pass condition |
|---|---|---|
| Door and frame | Door material, thickness, handing, swing, hinge condition, sag, closer, weather seals, frame movement, and fire-door or egress limits | The door closes normally without a person lifting, pulling, or pushing it |
| Deadbolt geometry | Backset, bore, latch orientation, bolt throw, strike opening, strike depth, reveal, fasteners, reinforcement, and rubbing marks | The bolt reaches full extension and retraction with the door open and closed |
| Lock hardware | Exact model, firmware, interior and exterior assemblies, tailpiece position, mounting plate, cable path, keypad, cylinder, thumb turn, and manual override | The assembly sits square, cables are not pinched, and the thumb turn moves without binding |
| Power | Approved battery type, installation date, measured state where available, contacts, warning path, replacement access, and disposal | Fresh approved power is installed before calibration and its warning path is tested |
| Connected state | Bridge or hub, radio path, Wi-Fi where used, app, owner account, second administrator, door contact, alarm, automations, and clock | Every displayed state can be matched to a physical test rather than assumed |
Prove door handing instead of trusting the label
Stand on the secure side and record which edge is hinged, which way the door swings, the interior thumb-turn direction for lock and unlock, and the bolt’s physical direction. Manufacturer terminology can differ by product family. Use the exact model’s current installation record and do not copy a handing instruction from a similar lock.
- With batteries removed where the manufacturer permits, move the bolt and thumb turn through their full travel. Stop if the mechanism binds.
- Confirm the latch or bolt is installed in the orientation specified for the exact door and model.
- Photograph the interior assembly, tailpiece, mounting plate, cable route, and fully extended bolt without recording live codes or recovery secrets.
- Run the manufacturer’s handing or calibration routine with the door open and the opening controlled.
- Watch the actual bolt. Record its start position, direction, full travel, sound, duration, app state, and any error.
- Repeat with the door closed only after the open-door cycle passes and approved egress remains available.
Separate calibration from alignment
Calibration teaches the lock its intended travel or handing. It does not repair a sagging door, shallow strike, twisted mounting plate, obstructed bolt pocket, swollen frame, or over-tight assembly. If open-door cycles pass but closed-door cycles fail, investigate the door and strike before resetting software or forcing more motor attempts.
| Observed state | Likely test branch | Next safe record |
|---|---|---|
| Fails with the door open | Handing, tailpiece, cable, mounting pressure, motor, battery, firmware, or assembly | Stop repeated cycles; save exact error, sound, bolt travel, power, and support case |
| Passes open, fails closed | Door sag, seal pressure, strike position or depth, frame movement, or closer force | Mark contact points and test fit without grinding or enlarging security hardware blindly |
| App says locked before full throw | Calibration, sensor, stale state, or incomplete physical travel | Compare physical bolt, door contact, local history, app timestamp, and second-admin view |
| Motor cycles repeatedly | Obstruction, incorrect handing, low power, misassembly, automation loop, or retry policy | Disable unsafe automation, preserve history, and inspect the physical path |
| Works after pushing the door | Alignment or seal-load problem | Record the required force; the installation does not pass until ordinary closure works |
Measure the motor cycle and final state
Run at least ten ordinary lock and unlock cycles with the door open and ten with it closed. Record command source, start time, bolt start and end, motor sound, duration, local indicator, keypad response, door contact, app state, event history, alert, battery state, and result. Include interior thumb turn, keypad, app, automation, alarm-linked command, and physical key where the exact model supports them.
A pass is not “the app changed.” The bolt reaches the intended physical position, the door stays secure or opens as commanded, the contact state makes sense, the event time is correct, the app is not stale, and the next manual and digital action still works.
Test commands that arrive close together
- Keypad then app: confirm a second command does not reverse or interrupt an active motor cycle unexpectedly.
- Door closing during auto-lock: verify the bolt does not strike the frame, extend before the door is seated, or create a false locked state.
- Alarm arming automation: record whether arming waits for the physical lock result, reports a failure, or continues silently.
- Two administrators: send approved commands from separate accounts and confirm history identifies the result without exposing a live credential.
- Manual override: move the thumb turn or key after a digital cycle and confirm the next app state and motor command are accurate.
Run battery, network, hub, and phone failure checks
| Failure | Record | Pass condition |
|---|---|---|
| Low-battery warning | Threshold, local warning, app alert, recipients, lead time, motor behavior, history, replacement, and retest | The owner has enough warning and the lock does not silently stop short |
| Bridge or hub unavailable | Local keypad, thumb turn, key, app stale state, queued events, automations, alarm, reconnect order, and gaps | Local access remains as designed and remote loss is obvious |
| Internet unavailable | Local radio path, remote commands, alerts, history, clock, account, service dependency, and restoration | No old remote state is mistaken for a fresh physical result |
| Primary phone unavailable | Second administrator, keypad, key, alarm action, support, recovery method, and owner contact | A named backup person completes the approved access and recovery route |
| Power removed or replaced | Physical state during outage, clock, handing memory, calibration state, users, codes, settings, and first restored cycle | Restoration does not erase or reverse the intended configuration |
Recheck users, codes, automations, and safety after calibration
A reset or calibration can change more than motor travel. Reconcile owner, second administrator, household members, guests, installers, codes, schedules, mobile credentials, lock name, door name, alarm link, Home automations, auto-lock delay, notifications, privacy, support access, recovery methods, and signed-in devices. Remove a temporary test user and prove the person loses every physical, app, household, automation, support, and recovery path.
Confirm approved emergency egress, manual opening from inside, accessible operation, fire-door limits, child and dependent-person needs, physical-key custody, lockbox policy, and local locksmith or building contact. Do not run a lockout or power test that traps an occupant or blocks a required exit.
35-minute handing and calibration acceptance test
- Minutes 0-6: reconcile exact lock, firmware, door handing, swing, backset, bolt, strike, tailpiece, mount, cable, batteries, app, accounts, hub, alarm, and safety limits.
- Minutes 6-13: run the exact open-door handing or calibration routine and ten open-door cycles; record direction, travel, sound, duration, errors, and physical state.
- Minutes 13-21: close the door normally and run ten keypad, app, thumb-turn, key, and approved automation cycles; record bolt, contact, history, alerts, and misses.
- Minutes 21-27: test one approved low-power, bridge, hub, internet, or primary-phone failure; record local jobs, stale states, clock, gaps, and restoration.
- Minutes 27-32: remove a temporary user, test backup access, and confirm no reset exposed an owner credential or left installer access active.
- Minutes 32-35: sign the physical fit, handing, calibration, power, users, automations, safety, recovery, support, rollback, and next-inspection record.
FAQ
What does smart-lock calibration do?
It teaches or verifies the exact lock’s intended handing, motor direction, or travel according to its current model instructions. It does not repair a misaligned door, shallow strike, pinched cable, weak battery, or damaged mechanism.
Why does a smart lock work with the door open but jam when closed?
That pattern usually sends the investigation toward door fit, sag, seal pressure, bolt-to-strike alignment, strike depth, or frame movement. Record the contact point and correct the physical path before forcing more motor cycles.
Should a smart lock be recalibrated after changing batteries?
Follow the exact model’s current instructions. Whether recalibration is required or retained varies. In every case, test the physical bolt, keypad, app, history, alerts, users, automations, backup access, and restored-power state.
How do I know a smart lock is really locked?
Verify the physical bolt reaches its intended position with the door closed normally. Then match the door contact, local indicator, event timestamp, app state, alarm or automation result, and manual check. An app label alone is not proof.
