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Aliro, a new smart lock standard, has finally rolled out after three years of testing; when it's implemented, it will allow any smartphone to unlock any smart lock with the technology. In some ways, it's like Matter, but for smart locks.
Aliro works much like Apple HomeKey — tap your iPhone or Apple Watch to a compatible smart lock, and it will open — but will work on Android devices, too. In some cases, you won't need to tap the lock at all, but merely walk up to your front door to have it open for you.
How Aliro works
"When we talk about Aliro, it's that digital key throughout your life," Henry says. "And that could be sort of any kind of smart device. So that's phones, watches, a fitness tracker, that sort of thing."
Aliro uses a combination of NFC and Bluetooth to communicate between the lock and your phone. Create a digital key that's shared between the lock and your phone, and when you tap your phone, the lock will recognize it, and open the door.
"Basically, what Aliro is doing is it’s standardizing the interaction between those two," Henry adds.
On smart locks (and phones) that also support Ultra-wide Band (UWB), you'll even be able to simply walk toward your door, and the smart lock should automatically unlock, no tap needed. While it doesn't use Aliro, the recently launched Aqara U400 smart lock is an example of this technology in action.
"The intention is that it's a baseline that can be done with commonly available chipsets and parts," Henry says. "If you go get the things that are commonly available, a company can certainly build it and it’s not some crazy ask."
Companies that support Aliro
There are around 200 companies that are working with the Community Standards Alliance to develop and support Aliro. They include, Apple, Google, Samsung, ASSA ABLOY, Kwikset, and Future Brands.
When will Aliro locks be available?
Several companies announced that their smart locks will support Aliro, but have not yet said when the update will occur. Here are the ones we know of so far.
Locks available now:
Level Lock Pro
Locks coming soon:
Nuki Keypad 2 with NFC (Available Q1 2026)
Schlage Sense Pro Smart Deadbolt
Ultraloq Latch 7 Pro (Available Q1 2026)
A few days after the Aliro standard was announced, Samsung launched Digital Home Key, which will allow Samsung Galaxy owners to use Aliro locks in the coming months. However, the smart lock will have to be set up via Samsung SmartThings, and the phone will need either NFC or a UWB chip, which looks to be most Galaxy phones since 2021. (Here's a full list of Galaxy phones that support Aliro.)
Can existing smart locks use Aliro?
Sadly, it doesn't appear that many can do so. Just because Aliro can take advantage of existing technology doesn't mean it can be retrofitted easily into smart locks already in the wild, beyond the ones that companies have already planned for.
For example, the Kwikset Halo Select Plus has NFC, but the company confirmed to The Verge that it would not be updated to support Aliro.
Uses beyond smart locks
Apart from residential, Aliro is poised to have a greater impact in the commercial market, as it will allow owners of larger businesses, apartment buildings, and facilities with lots of tenants an easier way to manage access for dozens, if not hundreds of individuals.
For individuals, that means no longer needing card keys to get into your office, they gym, or anywhere else. Just tap your phone.
"Your phone or your handset or your wearable or whatever really can be that centralized device to give you that opening experience in all of the places that you're in, instead of in just one or two places," Lovejoy said.
"When you come up to your Tesla, you get a special experience. When you come up to your house now, right? But you don't get a special experience when you go to Planet Fitness and scan your barcode. But this tech makes everything so standard and accessible that allows that kind of explosive growth of that application."
Outlook
Should you go out and immediately replace your smart lock with one that works with Aliro? Considering how new Aliro is, it might be worth waiting a while for more companies to enter the market.
Lovejoy believes widespread adoption will take a few years at best. "Ring didn't launch their doorbell and have, you know, 100 million users in a minute," he said. However, he feels that Aliro has the potential to greatly broaden the appeal of smart locks with its convenience.
"Someone’s going to come home, they’re going to have the door magically unlock in front of them, and they’re going to do it without having to take groceries out of their hand, without having to put their kid down, without having to do any of those things as they come home," he says. "You do it in front of your friend and he goes, man, that’s really cool, I kind of want that."
"This might be the first product you can give your mom, dad, grandfather, grandmother — the non-tech person in your family — and you go I can be totally sure this is going to work for you."
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