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August Wi-Fi Smart Lock
−Cloud Only−Closed APICloud Required
🔐Lock🔒Security
Added Dec 3, 2025
About
The August Wi-Fi Smart Lock (4th generation) is a retrofit smart lock that mounts over the interior thumb-turn of your existing deadbolt. The outside of your door stays exactly as it is, your physical keys keep working, and the August module simply motorizes the bolt from inside. Built-in Wi-Fi removes the separate bridge that earlier August locks required, and DoorSense, a small magnetic sensor, tells the app whether the door is actually closed rather than just locked.
It is in this directory for a specific reason: the retrofit design is inherently buy-it-for-life friendly. Because August never replaces your deadbolt, the security-critical hardware, the bolt, strike, and keyway, remains whatever quality deadbolt you already own, and if the smart module ever dies or loses support, you unscrew it and your door returns to a fully functional dumb lock. That graceful failure mode is rare in this category. The honest counterweight, reflected in the deal-breaker flags above, is that remote access runs through August's cloud with no official local API.
Longevity Verdict Mechanically there is little to wear out beyond the motor and gearbox, and the lock is an indoor device, so it avoids the weather exposure that kills exterior smart locks. August has been shipping retrofit locks since 2013 and is now owned by Assa Abloy, the world's largest lock maker and parent of Yale, which materially improves the odds of long-term firmware and app support. Power comes from two CR123A lithium batteries, a standard, cheap, user-replaceable format, with real-world life typically in the three-to-six-month range depending on door alignment and how often auto-unlock fires. A stiff or misaligned deadbolt shortens battery life and strains the motor, so a smooth-throwing bolt is the single best longevity investment.
The Cloud Trade-Off Remote locking, guest access management, and activity logs all depend on August's cloud servers and app account. There is no official local API and no officially supported way to run it fully self-hosted. The saving graces are real, though: Bluetooth control from within range keeps working during internet outages, the keypad-free auto-unlock works locally over Bluetooth, your metal key always works, and HomeKit integration provides a degree of local control within Apple's ecosystem. If August's servers ever shut down, you would lose remote features but keep a working motorized deadbolt at the door, a far softer landing than cloud cameras face.
Failure Modes & Repairability The most common complaints over the lock's life are battery drain, Wi-Fi disconnects on congested 2.4 GHz networks, and auto-unlock misfires caused by phone location quirks. The module itself is not designed for user repair, and August does not sell internal spare parts, but mounting plates and adapters for different deadbolt brands are available, and replacing the whole module does not require replacing your deadbolt. Repairability is therefore low at the component level but excellent at the system level.
Warranty & Support August covers the lock with a one-year limited warranty, which is typical for consumer smart locks, and conservative buyers should assume exactly that and no more. Support runs through August's online help center, and the Assa Abloy relationship has kept the app maintained across many years of phone OS updates. Verdict: a cloud-tied product whose retrofit architecture means the worst-case outcome is an ordinary deadbolt, not a brick, which is exactly the kind of failure mode this directory rewards.
Specifications
| Type | Retrofit interior smart lock (replaces deadbolt thumb-turn only) |
|---|---|
| Connectivity | Built-in Wi-Fi (2.4 GHz) plus Bluetooth LE |
| Power | 2x CR123A lithium batteries, user-replaceable |
| Battery life | Roughly 3-6 months typical use |
| Door sensing | DoorSense open/closed magnetic sensor |
| Voice ecosystems | Alexa, Google Assistant, Apple HomeKit |
| Deadbolt compatibility | Most single-cylinder deadbolts via included adapters |
| Local control / API | No official local API; Bluetooth and HomeKit work without internet |
| Physical key | Existing exterior keyway retained |
| Warranty | 1-year limited |
Frequently Asked Questions
- Does the August Wi-Fi Smart Lock require a subscription?
- No. Unlike many cloud cameras, the core feature set, remote lock and unlock, guest access, scheduled access, auto-lock, auto-unlock, and activity history, is included with the free August app and account. There is no monthly fee to keep the lock fully functional. The trade-off is that the free service is cloud-hosted, so those remote features depend on August keeping its servers running and your account in good standing. Budget-wise, the only recurring cost of ownership is a pair of CR123A batteries a few times per year, which typically runs a few dollars per set when bought in bulk. That subscription-free model has held steady across many years of August's history, which is a meaningful signal in a market where several competitors have moved previously free features behind paywalls; still, as with any cloud service, terms can change, so confirm at purchase.
- What happens if my internet goes out or August shuts down its servers?
- During an internet outage you lose remote access and notifications, but the lock keeps working: Bluetooth control from your phone within range still functions, auto-unlock still fires locally, and your physical key always works because the exterior deadbolt hardware is untouched. In the hypothetical worst case of August discontinuing its cloud service, you would permanently lose remote features and guest management, but the door would still have a functioning deadbolt, and removing the August module restores a completely ordinary lock. That graceful degradation is the main reason a cloud-dependent product earned a listing here. For renters and owners alike, that removability is also a practical perk: you can take the August module with you when you move and leave the original thumb-turn behind, with no locksmith visit and no evidence it was ever installed.
- Will it fit my existing deadbolt, and does it change my door's security?
- August ships adapters that fit the large majority of single-cylinder deadbolts sold in North America, including common Kwikset, Schlage, and Yale models; August publishes a compatibility checker for edge cases like mortise locks or double-cylinder deadbolts, which are not supported. Because only the interior thumb-turn is replaced, the physical security of your door is exactly whatever your existing deadbolt provides. That cuts both ways: a high-quality Grade 1 deadbolt stays Grade 1, but August cannot improve a flimsy builder-grade bolt, so upgrade the deadbolt itself if pick or kick-in resistance matters to you. Measure twice before ordering: August's compatibility guide asks for photos and measurements of your deadbolt's interior side, and ten minutes spent there prevents the most common return reason, an interior assembly that fouls the door frame or sits proud of a narrow backset.
- How often do the batteries need replacing, and what affects battery life?
- Plan on replacing the two CR123A lithium cells roughly every three to six months under typical use, though reports vary widely. The biggest factors are door alignment and Wi-Fi signal quality: a deadbolt that binds against the strike plate forces the motor to work harder on every cycle, and a weak 2.4 GHz signal causes the radio to burn power reconnecting. Before blaming the lock, test that your bolt throws smoothly with the door closed using just two fingers on the thumb-turn. The app warns you well before the batteries die, and your physical key is the ultimate fallback. Some owners standardize on rechargeable CR123A cells to cut waste, though August recommends quality lithium primaries for the most predictable voltage curve; whichever you choose, keep a spare set in a drawer near the door so a low-battery warning never becomes a lockout scare.
- Can I control the August lock locally with Home Assistant or without the cloud?
- There is no official local API, and the standard August integration in platforms like Home Assistant talks to August's cloud, which is why this listing carries the no-local-control flag. The notable partial exception is Apple HomeKit: this model supports HomeKit, which gives Apple-household users local-network control through a home hub even when August's servers are unreachable. Community projects have reverse-engineered pieces of the Bluetooth protocol over the years, but those are unofficial and can break with firmware updates. If fully local, open-protocol control is a hard requirement, look at Zigbee, Z-Wave, or Matter-native locks instead. It is also worth watching the Matter standard's evolution here: Assa Abloy has been active in Matter development across its brands, and broader local-protocol support arriving through firmware or successor models is plausible, though nothing official should be assumed for this generation.