do you want can your front door see you? I really do, because I’m usually fighting a toddler (usually in a swimsuit these days, and lugging around tons of towels and floatation devices) or coming back from an outdoor power walk that I’d rather not bring the my keys . I’ve enjoyed the geofencing features that allow my door to unlock when I sense my phone is nearby, or reach for the pin pad to quickly unlock my door with my fingerprint—anything in a name without having to find my keys.
Now, I don’t need my phone or a free hand. Lockly Visage, announced at CES 2024 as part of Lockly’s new Zeno line, uses infrared sensors to see me coming and recognize my face, so it can open my door as I walk up. It also has other standard entry options—fingerprint reading, access codes, and new physical keys—if not every member of your household wants their face scanned.
It’s the first time facial recognition has been added to a smart lock that any homeowner (or daring renter) can buy. Similar features are available in smart security cameras and video doorbells, but the locks themselves don’t identify you—until now. While the setup was a little frustrating (more on that below), I was happy to find the lock worked perfectly, always recognizing me as I walked into my house, whether I was wearing sunglasses or backlit in intense afternoon day.
Prepare, Organize, Set Up
electronic door lock
Successful setup with Lockly requires speed once the battery is in. The physical setup isn’t too difficult, just lengthy, and it requires both a Phillips-head and a flathead screwdriver. It took me about an hour to read the instructions, remove each piece of my existing lock, and then install the Lockly Visage. Be sure to charge the battery beforehand, or at least while you’re doing all the physical unboxing and installation. Since you have to cut your lock completely, I don’t recommend Lockly for renters, unless you trust yourself to turn it well enough that your landlord won’t find out.
Once the physical setup is done, don’t put the battery in right away. This is my mistake. Once the battery is in, the Bluetooth connection will open and stay on for a few minutes. I kept timing out when trying to set up Visage ID (the name for Visage’s facial recognition), but Lockly says they’ll be rolling out an app update soon to fix the short-term Bluetooth situation . Speaking of apps, there are two of them—an older Lockly app that works with this lock and previous Lockly devices, and a new Lockly Home app (iOS, Android) that currently only works with the new Zeno line. You can choose to use either, but the Lockly Home app looks better. Previous Lockly products will also be added to that app soon.
Either way, before you put in the battery and start the Bluetooth timer, download the app and find the Activation Card inside the box, which should be stuck to the inside lid of the box. Don’t lose this card, even after you finish setting up the lock—you’ll need it if you reset it. Once you have these two things ready, just then insert the battery and start the setup process within the app. You’ll follow the steps for creating an account, connecting Wi-Fi, and setting up an unlock code for the door.
