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Every smart lock needs a physical backup key
This is the single most important piece of advice in this guide. Every smart lock — regardless
of brand, price, or connectivity method — should have a physical key backup available.
Batteries die, Wi-Fi goes down, firmware updates can fail, and guests don't always follow instructions perfectly.
Non-negotiable rule: Always have a physical backup key available for every smart lock.
A guest locked out at 2 AM with no backup key is a one-star review waiting to happen — and a safety concern.
Smart locks are a convenience layer. The physical key is your safety net.
Most smart locks have a physical key override — usually a keyhole hidden behind a cap on the front of the lock.
When you install a smart lock, you'll receive physical keys with it. Do not lose these. Do not throw them away.
Here's where to store them:
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Key lockbox on-site
Mount a combination-code key lockbox somewhere discreet on or near the property.
Give the lockbox code only to your cleaner or co-host. This is the fastest backup route.
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Trusted neighbour or nearby business
Leave a spare with a trusted neighbour, local shop, or nearby business.
Brief them on when and how they might be asked to help.
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Your cleaner or co-host
Your cleaner or property manager should always have a physical key for the property.
They're the first responder for any access issues.
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Your own home (if local)
If you live nearby, keep a labelled spare key at home.
Not ideal as the only backup, but it's a reasonable last resort.
Important: Test the physical key regularly.
At least once every few months, physically test that the backup key works in the lock.
Keys can get bent, locks can get stiff, and you don't want to discover a problem during an emergency.
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Battery monitoring & email alerts
Smart lock batteries typically last 6–12 months, but this varies with usage, temperature,
and lock model. If a battery dies, the lock can't receive new PINs and may not accept existing
ones (depending on the model). Prevention is everything.
LockGo checks the battery level of every connected smart lock once per day. If any lock drops
below a safe threshold, you'll receive an email alert so you can replace the batteries
before there's a problem.
Lock Battery Status — Daily Check
Front Door (Room 1)
87%
Healthy
Bedroom Lock (Room 2)
34%
Replace soon
Building Gate
92%
Healthy
Studio Lock (Room 3)
12%
Critical — replace now
Here's what the alert email looks like:
⚠️ Low battery warning — 2 locks need attention
Hi Sarah,
During today's daily battery check, LockGo detected low battery levels on the following locks:
Ocean View Apartments:
• Bedroom Lock (Room 2) — 34% remaining (replace within 2 weeks)
• Studio Lock (Room 3) — 12% remaining (replace immediately)
We recommend replacing the batteries as soon as possible to avoid lockout situations.
Most smart locks use standard AA batteries.
— LockGo
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Automatic daily battery check — no action needed from you
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Email alerts when any lock drops below safe levels
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Battery percentage visible in the portal dashboard at any time
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Keep spare batteries at each property — most smart locks use AA or CR123A
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Brief your cleaner on how to change batteries — it takes 2 minutes
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How LockGo keeps PINs secure
Every PIN generated by LockGo is cryptographically random and unique to a single booking.
Here's how the security model works:
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Time-bound access:
PINs only work between check-in time and checkout time. After checkout, the PIN is automatically
deleted from the lock.
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One-time PIN delivery:
The guest verifies their booking details and receives their PIN by email or SMS as a one-time code.
If they lose it or someone else tries to access it, you can manually reset from the portal — old codes
are wiped and the guest can verify again for a fresh PIN.
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Hashed storage:
PINs are hashed with bcrypt before storage. Even if the database were compromised, PINs cannot
be reverse-engineered.
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Rate limiting:
The guest portal is rate-limited. Too many incorrect attempts lock access out temporarily,
preventing brute-force attacks.
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Encrypted credentials:
Your smart lock provider credentials are encrypted with AES-128 (Fernet) before storage.
They're only decrypted in memory when needed to communicate with your lock.
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Full reset & wipe:
If anything seems wrong, you can reset from the portal. All existing PINs are wiped from the lock,
a new one is generated and pushed, and the guest can go through the check-in link again.
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What happens if something goes wrong?
The lock battery dies mid-stay
The existing PIN will continue to work on most smart locks even at very low battery
(the lock stores PINs locally). However, new PINs can't be pushed until batteries are replaced.
This is why daily battery monitoring and keeping spares on-site is critical.
If the lock is completely dead, use the physical backup key.
Wi-Fi / internet goes down
PINs that have already been pushed to the lock work offline — they're stored on the lock itself,
not in the cloud. The guest can still enter. New PINs just can't be pushed until connectivity returns.
Gateway-connected locks (like TTLock with a gateway) reconnect automatically.
A guest loses or forgets their PIN
You manually reset the PIN from the portal. This wipes all existing PINs from the lock
and generates a fresh one. The guest can then go through the check-in link again, verify their
booking details, and receive the new PIN by email or SMS.
Someone else tries to use a guest's booking details
If suspicious access is detected — or a guest reports they didn't request a PIN — you can
reset from the portal. All existing PINs are wiped, a new code is generated, and only the
legitimate guest can verify again through the check-in link.
You need to revoke access for a problem guest
Hit "Reset PIN" in the portal. All existing PINs are wiped from the lock within seconds.
The guest's old code immediately stops working. A new PIN is generated that they won't have access to
unless you choose to let them verify again.
The smart lock itself malfunctions
This is rare but possible. The physical backup key is your answer here. This is exactly why
we emphasise having backup keys stored securely on-site. Contact the lock manufacturer for warranty
or replacement.
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Best practices summary
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Always keep a physical backup key accessible on or near the property
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Test backup keys every few months to make sure they still work
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Keep spare batteries (AA or CR123A) at each property for quick replacement
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Brief your cleaner or co-host on how to change lock batteries and where backup keys are
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Use the daily battery alert emails — don't dismiss them
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Include clear lock instructions in your Airbnb listing (e.g., "enter your PIN then press #")
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Check the portal dashboard weekly to verify all locks show as online and connected
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If using a TTLock gateway, make sure it stays powered and connected to Wi-Fi