Troubleshoot Nest × Yale Lock locking or unlocking problems

Here are some tips for locking and unlocking your door the right way. We also provide some steps you can take if your lock isn’t working as expected.

Android iPhone & iPad

There are three basic ways to lock and unlock your door: using the Nest app on your phone, using the keypad installed on your door, and using the traditional thumb turn inside your home. For details, see the link below.

How to lock and unlock the Nest × Yale Lock >

First, try each way to figure out what’s not working. Then read the section below that applies to you.


Nest app	Keypad	Thumb turn

Tip: If you need to lock or unlock your door right away and you’re inside your home, you can always use the thumb turn.

Locking

Can’t lock your door with the Nest app

If you can’t lock your door with the Nest app, but you can lock it with the keypad and the thumb turn, try these troubleshooting suggestions.

Be sure to hold the button in the Nest app for one second

Check your lock's Wi-Fi connection

Can’t lock using the keypad

If you can’t lock your door with the keypad but you can lock it with the Nest app and the thumb turn, try these troubleshooting suggestions.

Press the keypad, don't tap it

Check the One Touch Locking setting

Can’t lock your door with the keypad or the Nest app

If you can’t lock your door with either the keypad or the Nest app, but you can lock your door with the thumb turn inside your home, try these troubleshooting suggestions.

Check that your door's closed all the way

Check for low or dead batteries

Check and calibrate the deadbolt

Check whether your lock's updating itself at the moment

Can’t lock your door at all

If none of the ways to lock your door are working (Nest app, keypad on your door, and thumb turn inside your home), try these troubleshooting suggestions.

Check the deadbolt's alignment

If the deadbolt on your door isn’t perfectly aligned with the strike plate on your doorframe, your lock may not be able to lock itself.

Even if you installed the lock perfectly when you first got it, the door and the frame can shift over time, or they can shrink and swell in different weather conditions. This can cause just enough misalignment to prevent the lock from being able to work on its own any more.

Over time, the deadbolt may acquire a build-up of dirt, dust, or other material that slightly changes its size enough to prevent it from perfectly aligning with the strike plate any more.

Try these quick fixes:

Gently close your door and use the thumb turn inside your home to lock it. If there’s any friction, or if you need to push or pull on the door to get the lock to fully engage, it’s a good sign your deadbolt is misaligned.
With the door open, extend the deadbolt and clean it thoroughly. Be sure to remove any build-up that may have accumulated.
With the bolt still extended, spray a graphite lubricant on it. Use the thumb turn to extend and retract the bolt several times.
From inside your home, close your door and try using the Nest app to lock it. If it works, you can stop here.

checking deadbolt

Further troubleshooting

If none of the suggestions above helped:

You might need to remove the strike plate from your doorframe and chisel more space into the hole for the bolt. This will give the bolt more room to extend.
You might need to adjust the position of the strike plate on the doorframe so that it’s perfectly aligned with the deadbolt as it extends.

A Nest Pro can help

If you’re having trouble with a misaligned lock, you don’t have to figure it out on your own. A local Nest Pro can diagnose what’s causing the problem and fix it for you.

Check if the deadbolt is jammed

Unlocking

Can’t unlock with the Nest app

If you can’t unlock your door with the Nest app but you can lock it with the keypad and the thumb turn, try these troubleshooting suggestions.

Be sure to hold the button in the app for one second

Check your lock's Wi-Fi connection

Check for tampering

Can’t unlock using the keypad

If you can’t unlock your door with the keypad but you can unlock it with the Nest app and the thumb turn, try these troubleshooting suggestions.

Troubleshoot Nest × Yale Lock locking or unlocking problems

Locking

Be sure to hold the button in the Nest app for one second

Check your lock's Wi-Fi connection

Press the keypad, don't tap it

Check the One Touch Locking setting

Check that your door's closed all the way

Check for low or dead batteries

Check and calibrate the deadbolt

Check whether your lock's updating itself at the moment

Check the deadbolt's alignment

Check if the deadbolt is jammed

Unlocking

Be sure to hold the button in the app for one second

Check your lock's Wi-Fi connection

Check for tampering

Press the keypad, don't tap it

Check the Privacy Mode setting

Check your entry schedule

Check your passcode

Check for low or dead batteries

Check whether your lock's updating itself at the moment

Check if the deadbolt is jammed

Was this helpful?

Need more help?

Try these next steps:

What is the issue with this selection?

Share additional info or suggestions