Schlage Sense Pro review: UWB Home Key proves itself again

The Schlage Sense Pro is the latest smart lock to support Apple Home Key via Ultra Wideband, and while it’s an impressive solution, it’s largely an Apple-only lock at launch.

Ultra Wideband can automatically unlock your door as you approach, with greater reliability and performance than Bluetooth smart locks. So far, only one or two UWB smart locks have reached the market.

The Schlage Sense Pro, first shown off at CES 2026, is the latest. By all accounts, it could be the best yet.

Electronic door lock components laid out on gray surface, including black lock units, metal latch and strike plates, screws in packets, mounting hardware, and a Duracell battery, with plant partially visible.

Schlage Sense Pro review: Everything included in the box

The box includes all essentials, such as installation hardware, four AA batteries to power the lock, and instructions. There are also pairing codes included both in the manual and inside the lock for Matter and Apple Home control.

It comes in both black and silver finishes, with the former being tested here.

Schlage Sense Pro review: Installation & design

Maybe it’s because I’ve installed countless smart locks over the years, but it didn’t take long to get the Schlage Sense Pro up and running. For moderately handy users with pre-drilled doors, it shouldn’t take more than 5-10 minutes to have it installed.

After removing the old deadbolt, you first insert the deadbolt into the edge of the door and secure it with the two medium-sized screws. Make sure you note which way is facing up, as denoted by the arrow.

Hand using a screwdriver to install or remove an electrical wall fixture, with exposed wires and metal mounting plate on an indoor wall.

Schlage Sense Pro review: Screw the exterior part to the interior mounting plate and route the wires through the hole.

Then, you move on to placing the exterior portion of the lock. This gets affixed to the interior mounting plate with the two long screws.

The two wires from the exterior portion plug into the back of the interior portion. After you tuck the wires away, the interior is screwed into place with the two tiny screws.

Person using a small screwdriver to tighten or loosen a screw on a rectangular black electronic device mounted on a wall, with one hand holding the device steady

Schlage Sense Pro review: The back slides onto the mounting plate and is then screwed into place itself.

Finally, the batteries are inserted into the top, and the cap is slid on. It’s stress-free, and as long as you have the holes in the door, you don’t need anything more than a regular Phillips screwdriver.

The lock has a very clean, minimalist appearance. The outside is largely devoid of lights, buttons, cameras, or other distractions, sans a subtle “Schlage” logo in the middle.

Hand reaching toward a wall-mounted electronic access panel with small red indicator lights, next to a closed door indoors

Schlage Sense Pro review: Lights on top show your approach, and a keypad will also appear

Only when the lock is activated do the lights for the keypad illuminate. There are lights along the top edge, too, that indicate your proximity to the lock.

I was impressed with the overall feel of the lock, as it’s mostly metal. It has a solid, strong, durable construction that helped it achieve its BHMA Grade 2 certification, which is high for a residential lock.

Schlage Sense Pro review: Many methods of entry

There’s a variety of ways to unlock the Schlage Sense Pro, and one noticeable way you can’t. You can use Apple Home Key via NFC or UWB, a passcode, or various apps and voice assistants such as Apple Home, SmartThings, or Amazon Alexa.

Product box showing compatibility logos for Schlage Home, Matter, and Built on Thread, with small printed text and website link against a white background on a gray surface

Schlage Sense Pro review: The lock supports Matter, and soon, Aliro

This gives users quite a bit of flexibility in how they access their home. Kids and guests can use codes, while primary members can use the Ultra Wideband or NFC.

In what will ultimately be a controversial move, Schlage opted to omit support for physical keys on this futuristic smart lock. There’s no getting around the fact that this will be a dealbreaker for some.

For me, this isn’t an issue. There’s no situation where I’d see the need for a physical key.

In some ways, it’s more secure because there is no way for your lock to be picked or bumped. Passcodes still give a fallback for when you don’t have your phone/watch with you, or there are users without smartphones in your home.

Hands assembling a small black electronic device on a gray table, inserting a cable or connector, with another larger black gadget nearby and a small potted plant in the corner

Schlage Sense Pro review: The bottom has an emergency USB-C port for power

If the lock ever runs out of batteries, there’s an emergency USB-C port hidden on the bottom of the outer portion. I always have a cable in the car parked in the driveway, so it’s not a concern, and you can draw power straight from your phone.

Schlage Sense Pro review: Smart home tech

Digging into the tech, the Schlage Sense Pro has Wi-Fi for use via the Schlage app. Alternatively, it supports Thread, though you need a Thread border router to take full advantage of it.

Person holding a smartphone showing a home security app screen, with a lock setup dialog open labeled Lock Name and buttons for Continue and Identify

Schlage Sense Pro review: Adding the lock to Apple Home

Wi-Fi can provide up to six months of battery life with regular use, while Thread can extend that to nine months. For Apple Home users, HomePod, HomePod mini, and Apple TV all act as Thread border routers.

For ecosystems, you can technically use the Schlage Sense Pro through all the major ones, such as Apple Home, Google Home, Amazon Alexa, and Samsung SmartThings. This is thanks to its Matter certification, which supports basic lock and unlock capabilities.

Hands holding a smartphone showing a smart home app, with a Home Key setup screen displayed over live camera feeds of a modern house interior and exterior

Schlage Sense Pro review: The lock supports Apple Home Key with NFC or UWB and will soon support Aliro for other ecosystems

Apple users get an early exclusive feature, though. The Ultra Wideband auto-unlock capability currently only works with Apple Home Key, and the same goes for NFC.

Schlage says that a future update will bring Aliro, the open version of Home Key, and will deliver UWB and NFC support for Samsung and other Android devices. Considering Ultra Wideband is the feature to buy this lock for, only Apple users should be considering this lock until the Aliro update arrives.

Schlage Sense Pro review: All about that UWB

The secret sauce to this lock, and the sole reason to buy it, is its use of Ultra Wideband technology. Apple first started adding ultra Wideband, or UWB, to iPhones with the iPhone 11 model and it’s found on Apple Watch, too.

Two black rectangular tech devices on a gray surface, one larger with a protruding clip, against a softly blurred background with colorful lights and a partially visible Apple poster

Schlage Sense Pro review: The latest UWB smart lock to hit the market

Compared to other wireless unlocking standards, UWB, in combination with Apple Home Key, is an unrivaled solution. Not counting more manual authentication methods like fingerprints or passcodes, most other locks use NFC or Bluetooth for auto-unlock.

Close-up of a closed glass door with a rectangular smart sensor or contact sensor mounted on the door frame and a matching piece on the adjacent brick wall

Schlage Sense Pro review: Outside view of the UWB lock

Those other solutions have drawbacks, though. Bluetooth is historically unreliable and slow, and NFC requires you to raise your phone or watch to the lock.

In all my testing, I’ve never found a Bluetooth lock that could reliably auto-unlock every time or do so quickly enough. They rely on geolocation to detect when you’ve arrived home before searching for a Bluetooth signal, and the door only unlocks once that connection is established.

Here, it uses Apple Home Key in the Wallet app, so no app needs to run in the background. UWB is also capable of tracking items in 3D space, as we see with AirTag, so it can gauge your position, angle of approach, speed, and distance as you approach your door.

The Schlage Sense Pro uses all of that information to determine your intent. If it senses that you’re about to open the door, it unlocks it as you approach.

In my weeks of testing, it has worked 100% of the time, no exceptions. It’s incredible and gives you peace of mind I’ve rarely experienced with other smart locks because I know the door will be open by the time I get to it.

Since it knows your speed, it adjusts the unlocking speed based on how quickly you’re approaching the door, so it doesn’t unlock too early or too late. It always unlocks just as my hand is about to reach the handle, and a confirmation appears on my phone and watch.

Close-up of a black smart door lock mounted on a white door, with a blurred indoor room and furniture visible in the background

Schlage Sense Pro review: Side profile view of the lock on the inside of the door

My favorite part of the process was that it simply worked. I test a lot of locks, which can be hard on the family when they may need to install new apps or set up new accounts each time.

I swapped the lock while my partner was away from the house. Once they arrived home and walked to the door, they walked right in without realizing it was a different lock or that the door had been locked at all.

They were part of our Apple Home, so the existing Home Key in their Wallet app worked without any changes. As they got home, the lock worked perfectly and let them in.

There’s no need to pull out your phone, wrangle kids while waiting for the door to unlock, or tap your Apple Watch on the lock while carrying bags of groceries. This lock works, and it works without effort.

Schlage Sense Pro review: Versus Aqara U400

At the time of this review, only two UWB locks on the market are worth considering. They’re the Aqara U400 and the Schlage Sense Pro.

Black rectangular smart doorbell with a circular button in the center mounted on a white wall beside a window showing a partial view of a person in plaid clothing

Schlage Sense Pro review: The Aqara U400 is the other big UWB lock out there

Interestingly, they come in at vastly different price points, which makes comparing the two somewhat easy based on your priorities.

Aqara, priced at $269 MSRP, is far cheaper, but it is mostly plastic with a lower strength rating. I like it, though, because it also supports fingerprints and has swappable battery packs instead of just AA’s.

The Schlage Sense Pro is more than $100 more expensive, but is more compact, stronger, and made of elevated, premium materials. The metal body and extra strength come with a price.

Between the two, I personally lean towards the Aqara U400 as the better choice for the average user. It’s a more approachable price point, and I don’t have to buy a bunch of AA batteries.

Hands holding a smartphone and a detachable battery grip with three cylindrical batteries on a dark tabletop, with a small potted plant visible in the upper left corner

Schlage Sense Pro review: The lock is powered by four AA batteries

It’s way easier to plug in a USB-C cable or pull out the battery pack to charge. I could use rechargeable AA batteries, but they don’t last as long as regular AA batteries.

People are surely going to disagree, but I think Aqara’s strength is sufficient. If the door doesn’t budge and someone wants into your home, your windows are a more likely target.

More locks mean more options for users, allowing them to choose the model that best suits their needs.

Schlage Sense Pro review: Should you buy?

Here’s the good news. The Schlage Sense Pro is a fantastic smart lock, through and through.

I love the robust metal construction, minimalist design, thoughtful features, high strength rating, and Apple Home Key support with Ultra Wideband. At the same time, it’s not cheap.

Box of Schlage Sense Pro smart lock on a table in a modern living room, with blurred shelves, decorations, and framed wall art in the background

Schlage Sense Pro review: Box for the Schlage Sense Pro

If you want a similar experience, you can make compromises and save a lot of money by opting for the Aqara U400. You could also save money and get a completely hidden smart lock without UWB like the Level Lock Pro.

For those who want the best lock, the Schlage Sense Pro is the one to beat. My only gripe is the AA batteries that power it.

I’d much prefer a swappable rechargeable battery. So as long as you’re an iPhone user and fine with the battery and price, it’s absolutely worth checking out.

Schlage Sense Pro review: Pros

Compact, minimalist design in black or silver

Ultra Wideband support to auto-unlock with Apple Home Key

Matter support for multiple ecosystems

Thread for better performance & battery

Fantastic performance

Supports up to 250 passcodes

Easy installation

Good battery life

Schlage Sense Pro review: Cons

No Aliro at launch for non-Apple ecosystems

Uses disposable AA batteries

Comparably expensive

Lack of a key could be dealbreaker

Schlage Sense Pro rating: 4 out of 5

Where to buy the Schlage Sense Pro

You can find the Schlage Sense Pro on Amazon for $398 in both black and silver finishes.

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