How do I unlock my door with DOOR?

There are five ways to unlock a DOOR-enabled door, and you can use whichever one works best in the moment: Bluetooth unlock from the DOOR App (Hold Near or Tap), a 7-digit doorcode you enter on the lock, a Latch Keycard you tap to the lock, a mechanical key on compatible devices, and — for Android users on supported firmware — NFC unlock. Whether every option is available at a given door depends on how your property has set it up.

This article covers each unlock method and how to use it. If your unlock is failing with a Bluetooth error message, that is a different flow — see I'm having issues unlocking my door or seeing a Bluetooth Error.

Quick picks

Fastest for most people: open the DOOR App and hold your phone near the lock (Hold Near to Unlock).
When your phone is off or dead: enter your 7-digit doorcode on the lock's lens.
When you don't want to use your phone: tap a Latch Keycard to the lock.
Android users with recent firmware: use NFC — you may not even need to open the app.

1. Bluetooth unlock via the DOOR App

Hold Near to Unlock

Open the DOOR App, then hold your phone close to the black Latch Lens on the device. The DOOR App finds the correct door and unlocks it automatically.

iOS: You can turn it off under Access → Settings → Hold Near to Unlock.
Android: You can turn it off under Access → Settings → Hold Near to Unlock.

Tap to Unlock

If you prefer a button press instead of a proximity action:

Open the DOOR App.
Find the door in the Access section.
Tap the Unlock button next to the door name.

The app performs a Bluetooth unlock on that specific door.

2. Doorcode

A doorcode is a 7-digit number you enter directly on the lock's lens. DOOR generates each doorcode uniquely — no two residents at one property ever share a code for the same door.

Where to find your doorcode

Sign in to the DOOR App.
Go to Access.
Tap the Doorcodes icon to reveal all your doors' codes. You can also tap a specific door to see its code individually.

How to enter a doorcode

Tap the lens of the Latch device with the pad of your finger. The circular status LEDs light up.
Enter each digit by tapping. A status LED should light up for every digit you tap — if it doesn't, the lens didn't register that digit.
Enter the next digit within five seconds of the previous one, or the lens times out and you have to start over.
After the seventh digit, the LEDs should make a full circle, meaning the unlock succeeded.

If the lens flashes twice: the doorcode was incorrect, or the door has not been synced with your latest access. Re-enter the code; if it still fails, perform a Door Sync — see How to perform a Door Sync.

If the LEDs turn off before you finish: the lens timed out. Tap the lens to wake it and try again.

Residence doorcodes vs. communal doorcodes

Residence doorcodes are for doors set up as a "residence" — typically your unit door. Each resident gets one unique 7-digit code for that door. Once you unlock the door via the DOOR App (or your property team runs a manual door sync), the code works until your access is removed and the door is re-synced. You can regenerate your residence doorcode from inside the door's entry in the DOOR App by tapping Reset Doorcodes.
Communal doorcodes are for shared entrances — lobby, garage, amenity doors. Each resident still gets a unique 7-digit code. If the door is internet-connected (Wi-Fi or Ethernet), doorcodes update automatically within a few minutes. If the door is not internet-connected, a Door Sync is needed to push the code to the lock. You cannot reset a communal doorcode on your own — ask your property team to revoke and re-grant your access; that generates a new code.

3. Latch Keycard

A Latch Keycard is a physical card that works across any door you have access to in any building.

How to activate a Keycard

Your property team usually activates the card for you. If they haven't, or if you have access to multiple properties (or both Guest and Resident access at the same property), activate it yourself:

Go to keycard.latch.com.
Click Activate.
Enter the serial number printed on the Keycard.
Enter your DOOR email (the one you log in to the DOOR App with).
Open the activation email DOOR sends and tap Activate.
Follow the prompts to add the Keycard to your doors.

How to unlock with a Keycard

Tap the lens of the Latch device to wake it.
Hold the Keycard up to the lens.

How to deactivate a Keycard (lost or stolen)

Go to keycard.latch.com.
Click Deactivate.
Enter your DOOR email.
Confirm from the email DOOR sends.

Your property management team is notified to sync your doors so the old Keycard stops working. You can also run the sync yourself on any internet-less doors from the DOOR App.

How do I get a Keycard?

Contact your property manager — every building has its own policy on whether Keycards are issued.

Can I have more than one Keycard active?

No. You can only have one active Keycard at a time.

4. Mechanical key

Some Latch devices accept a physical mechanical key as a backup. Mechanical key support is limited to these models: C1, M1, M2, G-M2, and M3. Other Latch devices (including R-series and any non-listed M variants) do not have a mechanical keyway.

If your unit's lock is one of the models above, whether a mechanical key is issued to you depends on your property's policy. Ask your property management team.

5. Android NFC unlock

Near Field Communication (NFC) is a short-range wireless protocol, the same technology used by Keycards and tap-to-pay cards. NFC unlock is faster and more reliable than Bluetooth over very short distances.

When NFC works

You are using the latest version of the DOOR App on Android.
The Latch lock is running a supported firmware version. If the firmware doesn't support NFC, the app falls back to Bluetooth automatically.

Is NFC available on iPhone?

No. Apple does not currently allow third-party apps to use NFC to unlock doors. DOOR is continuing to work on this. iPhone users should use Hold Near or Tap to Unlock.

How to turn NFC off

Go to Access → Settings in the DOOR App and disable NFC. The app will use Bluetooth instead.

Unlock from background (Android + NFC)

On supported firmware, you may be able to unlock a door without opening the DOOR App or even unlocking your phone — just hold the phone to the lock. To enable it, go to Access → Settings and opt in to NFC Background Unlock.

If your phone is lost or stolen while NFC Background Unlock is enabled, check with your device manufacturer and Google's Android support about remotely wiping the phone.

iOS widgets (quicker unlock from the home or lock screen)

iOS supports two DOOR widgets:

Access widget (Home Screen). Place it on your home screen with your preferred doors. Tapping a door opens the DOOR App and initiates the unlock. The medium size holds up to 4 doors; the large size holds up to 10. Configure the doors shown by tapping the Widget icon in the Access tile of the DOOR App. For how to add an iOS widget, see Apple's widget instructions.
Lock Screen widget. Place a DOOR widget on your iOS lock screen. Pressing it opens the DOOR App (you'll need FaceID or your PIN). It does not initiate an unlock by itself, but once the app opens, Hold Near to Unlock starts working immediately. For how to add a Lock Screen widget, see Apple's lock screen guide.

Why some unlock options may not be available at your door

Which unlock methods work at a given door depends on your property's setup:

Doorcodes must be enabled at the door by your property team.
Keycards depend on your property's policy.
Mechanical keys are available only on Latch C1, M1, M2, G-M2, and M3 devices, and only when your property issues them.
NFC depends on your Android version and the lock's firmware.

For questions about what is available at your property, contact your property management team. If you manage your own Latch device at a single-home property, email support@door.com.

When to contact DOOR support

Email support@door.com if:

A doorcode that used to work stops working and a Door Sync doesn't recover it.
Your Keycard won't activate at keycard.latch.com even after entering the correct serial and email.
Android NFC is enabled but consistently fails where Bluetooth succeeds.

For all other unlock issues, contact your property management team first.

This article does not cover

Bluetooth errors and failed unlocks (e.g., "Bluetooth not connected", unlock times out) — see I'm having issues unlocking my door or seeing a Bluetooth Error.
No doors showing in the Access section at all — see I don't see doors or I am missing doors in my DOOR App.
Locking your door after an unlock — see Locking your Door.
Inviting a guest so they can unlock your door — see Inviting Guests and Revoking Guest Access.
Out-of-schedule or access-denied errors at a door you can see — see I'm getting an 'Out of Schedule' error in the DOOR App.
iOS Shortcuts automation for unlocking — see Using iOS Shortcuts for the DOOR App.

Questions this article answers

"How do I unlock my door with the DOOR App?"
"What is Hold Near to Unlock?"
"Where do I find my doorcode?"
"How do I enter my doorcode on the lock?"
"Why does the lens flash twice when I enter my doorcode?"
"What's the difference between residence and communal doorcodes?"
"How do I activate a Latch Keycard?"
"How do I deactivate a lost Keycard?"
"Does iPhone support NFC unlock?"
"How do I turn off NFC on Android?"
"Can I unlock without opening the DOOR App?"
"How do I add a DOOR widget to my iPhone?"

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