The humble physical key has ruled front doors for roughly 6,000 years. It's a remarkably elegant solution — small, cheap, impossible to hack remotely — but it has one catastrophic flaw: it can be lost, copied, or stolen, and you'll never know which of those happened until something goes very wrong.
Smart locks solve this by giving you multiple ways to control who can access your home — and a complete log of every single entry. But with seven different unlock methods available on modern smart locks, choosing the right combination for your situation can feel overwhelming.
This guide breaks down all seven methods, who they're best for, and what the honest tradeoffs are.
The 7 Unlock Methods
Fingerprint
Your fingertip is the key. Modern fingerprint sensors on smart locks store up to 100+ fingerprint profiles and recognise them in under half a second. You register your finger once in the app, and that's it — no codes to remember, no phone to fumble for.
Best for: Family members who live in the home full-time. Kids who lose everything. Anyone who wants the fastest possible entry without thinking.
Honest limitation: Wet fingers (post-monsoon hands, right after washing dishes) can sometimes fail to read cleanly. Most locks resolve this by offering fallback to PIN automatically.
PIN Code
A 4–8 digit code entered on a touchpad keypad. The most versatile unlock method because it requires nothing on your person — no phone, no key fob, no fingerprint registration. PINs can be set to be time-limited (valid only on certain days or within certain hours), making them ideal for giving temporary access.
Best for: Giving access to household staff (cleaners, cooks, delivery agents). Temporary guests. Children old enough to remember a code but not ready to be trusted with a phone.
App (Remote Unlock)
Open the Digitley app and tap to unlock from anywhere in the world. This is what lets you let the electrician in while you're in a meeting, or unlock the door for your mother-in-law who's arrived early while you're still in traffic.
Bluetooth (Auto-Unlock)
Your phone's Bluetooth broadcasts a signal as you approach. The lock detects it and unlocks automatically — before you've even reached for anything. Walk up to your door, and it just opens.
NFC Card or Tag
Tap a small card or key fob against the lock to open it — similar to a metro card or office access card. NFC cards are cheap to program and easy to carry, making them practical for properties with multiple users who need a low-tech option.
Digitpass (Mobile Key — No App Required)
This is Digitley's solution for hospitality and short-term rentals. You generate a Digitpass link from your dashboard and send it to the guest via SMS or WhatsApp. They tap the link in their browser and use their phone as a room key.
Physical Key (Backup)
Yes, Digitley Smart Locks still have a physical key cylinder — and we think this is the right call. Technology fails sometimes. Phones die. Wi-Fi goes down. Keeping a traditional key as an emergency fallback means you are never locked out of your own home due to a technical issue.
Quick Comparison
| Method | Works Offline? | Time-Limited? | No Device Needed? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fingerprint | ✓ Yes | ✗ No | ✓ Yes |
| PIN Code | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| App Remote | ✗ No | ◎ Manual | ✗ No |
| Bluetooth Auto | ✓ Yes | ✗ No | ✗ No |
| NFC Card | ✓ Yes | ◎ Deactivatable | ✓ Yes |
| Digitpass | ✗ No | ✓ Auto-expires | ✓ Yes* |
| Physical Key | ✓ Yes | ✗ No | ✓ Yes |
The question isn't "is a smart lock perfectly secure?" — nothing is. The question is "is it more secure than what I have now?" For most Indian homes, the answer is clearly yes.
See Digitley Smart Locks in action
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