Free template · updated November 3, 2026

Smart lock check-in instructions template

Smart locks let you send a code or a digital key from anywhere, but guests are using your setup for the first time, often with a weak phone battery and a long day behind them. If they need an app, they need to know that before they're standing on the step.

This template covers getting the key or code, unlocking with the app or the keypad, how the lock behaves, and a backup way in when the phone or the lock's connection lets them down. Keep it short and put the backup first in your mind, not last.

The template

Replace anything in [brackets] with your own details.

Before you arrive

We'll send your access on [Day and time access is sent], by [How it's sent, e.g. a text message link / an invite to the lock's app].
If you need the app, please download [App name] and sign in at home, while you still have good signal.
Your access works from [Check-in time] on [Arrival day] until [Checkout time] on [Departure day].

1. Find the place

Head to [Address]. The door with the smart lock is [Which door].

[Photo: the door and the lock]

2. Park

Please park [Parking spot]. [Any parking note, e.g. street parking is free after 6 p.m.].

3. Unlock the door

Option A, with your phone:

Turn on Bluetooth and stand right at the door.
Open [App name or link] and tap [Unlock button name].

Option B, with the keypad:

Press [Wake button], enter [Door code], then [Finish button].

[Photo: the keypad with the wake button marked]

4. Locking up

The lock closes by itself [Time] after the door shuts.
To lock it yourself, [How to lock, e.g. tap Lock in the app / press the logo on the keypad].

5. First things inside

Lights: [Light switch location]
Wifi: [Network name] / [Wifi password]
Heat or air conditioning: [Thermostat location]
Please don't change any settings on the lock or its hub by the [Hub location].

6. If it doesn't work

Phone dead or no signal: use the keypad code above.
Keypad dark: [Backup entry, e.g. key in the lockbox at [Location], code [Lockbox code]].
Still stuck: call [Host name] at [Host phone]. We can often unlock it for you remotely.

A note on cameras

[Camera disclosure, e.g. there is a doorbell camera covering the front step. There are no cameras inside.]

Tips

Offer a keypad code alongside app access, since many guests don't want to install an app for one stay.
Check that your lock's remote unlock actually works from outside your home network before you rely on it.
If your smart lock includes a camera or video doorbell, disclose it in your listing and in these instructions.
Keep a physical backup way in that doesn't depend on wifi, batteries or the guest's phone.
Remove each guest's access at checkout, and check the lock's history if anything seems off.

Put it on one guest page instead of a binder

Keegix turns your welcome book into one link and a QR sign by the door. Upload the binder you already have and AI drafts the page in about a minute, or paste this template in. Free forever for one property.

Upload my binder, free See a sample guest page

Questions

Do guests need an app to use a smart lock?

It depends on the lock. Many smart locks also have a keypad, so you can give guests a code and skip the app entirely, which is easier for most people.

What if the wifi goes down?

Most smart locks keep working on their batteries and stored codes even when the wifi drops, but remote changes won't reach the lock until it reconnects. Check how your model behaves and keep a backup key.

Can I unlock the door for a guest remotely?

Many smart locks can be unlocked from the app if the lock is connected through a hub or wifi. Test it before guests arrive, and confirm who is at the door before you open it.

More free templates

All check-in instructions · Every free template

Free to use

Copy it, change it, print it, use it with any platform. Sharing it with a host group, on a blog or in a forum? A link back to this page helps other hosts find the latest version:

https://keegix.com/check-in-instructions/smart-lock/