Your Android phone can now open your front door. Google Wallet is getting digital home keys for compatible smart locks set up in the Google Home app: you tap the phone on the lock, or on some phones you just walk up to it. You add the key from the Google Home app, under Home settings > Google Wallet key.
The feature went live on November 11, 2026 for people in the Google Home Public Preview. Google says everyone else gets it over the coming weeks.
What you need before you start
This is the part that will stop most people. The key only works with locks that support Aliro, a new open access standard from the Connectivity Standards Alliance. Here is the full list of requirements from Google:
- a Matter-certified smart lock that supports Aliro;
- a Google hub with a Thread Border Router, such as the Nest Hub (2nd gen), Nest Hub Max, Nest Wifi Pro or Google TV Streamer;
- an NFC-enabled Android phone running Android 9 or later;
- the latest versions of the Google Home and Google Wallet apps.
At launch, three locks are supported: the Aqara U400 (NFC and UWB), the Schlage Sense Pro (NFC now, UWB later) and the Nuki Keypad 2 NFC. Google says more models are coming. If your lock is older or not on that list, the key will not show up for you yet.
How to add a home key to Google Wallet step by step
- Update the Google Home and Google Wallet apps from the Play Store.
- Set up your Aliro lock in Google Home if it is not there already. When you add a new compatible lock, the app offers to save a home key to Wallet at the end of setup.
- Already set up? Open Google Home, go to Home settings and tap Google Wallet key. You can also start from the lock's own device settings.
- Confirm, and the key lands in Google Wallet next to your cards and passes. The card shows a Google Home logo and the name of your home.
- To open the door, hold the back of the phone near the lock reader.
You only need one key per home. It works on every compatible lock in that home, and it syncs to your other Android phones signed in to the same Wallet account. If you have two homes in Google Home, you add one key for each.
How to make it safer or hands-free
By default, the tap works even when your screen is locked, as long as the phone was unlocked within the last few hours. That is convenient. It also means someone holding your phone could open the door. I would change it on day one:
- Open Google Wallet and select your home key.
- Turn on Require device unlock. From then on, every tap asks for your screen lock or fingerprint.
Unlock on approach is the hands-free option. Your door opens as you walk up, with no tap at all. It needs a phone and a lock that both support Aliro over Ultra Wideband (UWB). On the phone side, Google lists the Pixel 10 Pro series and newer, including Fold and XL models. On the lock side, today that means the Aqara U400. It is off by default. To switch it on, open your key in Google Wallet, tap the menu in the top right corner and turn on Unlock on approach.
Quick answers
Can my family use the same home key?
Each person adds their own. Anyone who is a member of your home in Google Home can save a key to their personal Google Wallet on their Android phone. For guests who are not members, Google points you to guest passcodes in the Google Home app instead.
Does the home key work on a Wear OS watch?
Not yet. Google says Wear OS smartwatches are not supported at launch. For now this is a phone-only feature on Android.
How do I remove a home key from Google Wallet?
Open the key in Google Wallet, tap the menu in the top right corner and choose Remove. The key also turns off on its own if the lock is removed from your home or if you leave the home in Google Home. Worth knowing before you hand an old phone down to someone.