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The Schlage Encode Plus is a full-replacement deadbolt with a keypad, built-in Wi-Fi and Apple Home Key, so an iPhone or Apple Watch unlocks it with a tap. Schlage’s locks are known for strong hardware. One thing to know up front: it is not a Matter lock and Schlage has not said it will become one.
I have not owned the Schlage Encode Plus. This review is built from the maker’s published specs and independent reviews, linked below. For more picks, see the Smart Locks hub .
Key specs
| Schlage Encode Plus | |
|---|---|
| Entry | Keypad, key, app, Apple Home Key |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi; Thread for Apple Home |
| Matter | No |
| Platforms | Apple Home, Alexa, Google, Schlage Home app |
| Codes | Up to 100 |
| Power | 4 AAA batteries, per 9to5Mac |
Sources: Schlage , The Verge , Schlage support , 9to5Mac , PCWorld .
What reviewers like
- Apple Home Key is fast and does not need your phone unlocked.
- Solid, well-made hardware.
- Wi-Fi built in, no bridge.
What to watch for
- Not Matter, and Schlage says it will not be updated to Matter. Plan around that.
- Thread works only with Apple Home.
- It is a full replacement, so it is not ideal for renters.
Who should buy it
Buy it if you live in Apple Home and want tap-to-unlock with a sturdy deadbolt. Skip it if you want Matter, or if you are in Google Home first; a Matter lock like the Level Lock+ fits better.
Apple Home Key
With Home Key, you hold your iPhone or Apple Watch near the lock and it opens, like a transit card. The Verge compares it to Apple Pay: tap your phone or watch and wait for the green light. With Express Mode you do not even unlock the phone, and 9to5Mac notes it keeps working for a few hours after an iPhone battery dies. Other family members get their own keys through Apple Home.
Wi-Fi and Thread
The Encode Plus uses Wi-Fi for remote access, and Thread for Apple Home when you have a home hub. Outside Apple Home, it works through the Schlage Home app and Alexa and Google integrations.
About Matter
Matter lets one lock work across Apple, Google and Alexa. The Encode Plus does not support it. That matters only if you might switch platforms; see my Matter smart lock setup guide .
Quick answers
Does it have a fingerprint reader? No. Keypad, key, app and Home Key.
Before you buy any smart lock
- Measure your door: thickness, backset (the distance from the edge to the center of the hole) and whether the deadbolt drags. A lock motor struggles with a bolt that sticks.
- Check your ecosystem: Apple Home, Google Home, Alexa, Z-Wave or Matter.
- Decide how you will get in when batteries die. Most locks have a key, a USB-C or 9V jump point, or both.
- Think about who gets codes. Guest codes and schedules are a big part of the value, and you can revoke them at any time.
- Renters should check the lease before replacing a lock; a retrofit model may be the safer route.
Who it suits
The Encode Plus fits a house that is all-in on Apple: iPhones, Apple Watches and a HomePod or Apple TV as a home hub. Home Key is the standout. It is the closest thing to a hotel key card on your front door. If anyone in the house uses Android, they use the keypad or the Schlage app instead, which works fine. The keypad also makes it easy to give a code to a dog walker or a cleaner, and revoke it later. Its weakness is the future: if Matter becomes the standard you care about, this lock will not join it, so buyers who switch platforms often should look at a Matter lock instead.
Is the Schlage Encode Plus on sale for Black Friday?
It is one of the products I am watching this season. I do not list sale prices here because they change by the hour and differ by color, bundle and store. Compare against the price you see in the weeks before the sale, and check whether a bundle adds things you will not use.
Our take
AI Score note: research-based, not hands-on. The best Apple Home Key lock in reviews, with no Matter path. This is my editorial read of published reviews, not a rating.
Check today’s price before you buy: See the Schlage Encode Plus on Amazon .
Compare
See the best smart lock , or browse the Black Friday smart lock deals .