Google is pushing digital house keys into Google Wallet, giving Android users the ability to unlock compatible smart locks by tapping their phones against the hardware or, on newer handsets, simply walking up to the door. The capability is available now in public preview inside the Google Home app and is set to reach all users over the next several weeks, the company said in its announcement.
The move closes a gap that had left Android behind its two main rivals. Apple introduced Home Keys in 2021 with iOS 15, storing digital keys in Apple Wallet so an iPhone or Apple Watch could be tapped against a lock, and Samsung has offered similar convenience for some time. Google Home already carried limited unlocking functions, but the new integration is the first to pair the NFC and Ultra-Wideband radios inside Android phones with locks built to a common standard.
That standard is Aliro, an open specification intended to let any smartphone open any compliant smart lock. Hardware support remains thin at launch. Google lists the Aqara U400, which works with both NFC and UWB; the Schlage Sense Pro, shipping with NFC and UWB to follow; and the Nuki Keypad 2 in its NFC variant. More locks are promised.
Two unlocking modes are on offer. Tap to Unlock works by holding the back of an NFC-equipped Android phone near the lock’s reader and does not require the handset to be unlocked first. Unlock on Approach must be switched on manually in Google Wallet, after which a door can open automatically when the system detects the user approaching.
One key covers the whole home. A single digital home key is generated per Google Home household and can open every compatible lock tied to that account, so users do not have to sort through separate credentials for a front door, back door or bedroom. Every member linked to the same Google Home account can add their own key to a personal Google Wallet.
Getting the feature to work requires more than a phone. Users need a Matter-enabled Google Hub equipped with a Thread Border Router, such as the second-generation Nest Hub. Tap to Unlock calls for an NFC-capable handset running Android 9 or later, while hands-free unlocking is restricted to Android phones with Aliro-compatible UWB, a list that begins with the Pixel 10 Pro series. Wear OS smartwatches are not supported at launch, though the company’s wording leaves room for them later.
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Hub | Matter-enabled Google Hub with Thread Border Router (e.g., 2nd-gen Nest Hub) |
| Tap to Unlock | NFC-enabled Android phone, Android 9 or later |
| Unlock on Approach | Aliro UWB-compatible Android phone (Pixel 10 Pro series and above) |
| Wearables | Not supported at launch |
| Supported locks | Aqara U400 (NFC + UWB), Schlage Sense Pro (NFC at launch, UWB later), Nuki Keypad 2 (NFC) |
Note: Details as described in Google’s announcement.
The launch arrives as the smart-home industry tries to standardize how locks, phones and hubs talk to one another. Aliro is designed to prevent the fragmentation that has long forced buyers to match a lock to a specific phone brand or app, and Google’s adoption gives the specification its largest consumer-facing rollout to date. Before this update, Android owners could control compatible locks through manufacturers’ own apps and Google Home, and lock makers offered their own access methods including NFC cards, Bluetooth and geolocation.
Google Wallet already holds digital car keys for supported vehicles, and home keys extend that model into residential property. The approach borrows from the template Apple established, in which credentials live in the wallet and the phone handles authentication in the background.
For lock makers, the change widens the potential buyer pool to the Android installed base without requiring a separate app ecosystem, though it also raises the bar on certification and UWB hardware. For consumers, the practical effect is that a phone can replace a physical key or a keypad code, with the caveat that hands-free entry remains limited to a narrow set of premium devices. Google has not disclosed pricing or licensing terms tied to the feature.
Separately, Google this week began selling the Pixel Tag, a lost-item tracker priced at ¥5,010 (approximately $31) for one and ¥16,940 (approximately $110) for a four-pack in Japan, positioning it against Apple’s AirTag. The device relies on the Find Hub network, which Google says reaches more than a billion Android devices, and supports UWB plus the newer Bluetooth Channel Sounding specification for centimeter-level ranging on recent handsets.