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🔐 Device Guide

Your August Smart Lock — A Plain-English Guide

Published October 2026 · Last verified October 2026

Setting up an August lockFrom box to a smart door1Install app2Mount on bolt3Add DoorSense4Join Wi-FiThe whole setup runs through the free August or Yale Access app.Illustration — a schematic; details vary by device and setup.
The whole setup runs through the free August or Yale Access app.
Three ways to openThe lock adds ways, never removes oneNew ways in• Tap to unlock in the app• Auto-unlock as you walk up• A code on the keypad accessory• A guest's own phone accessThe old way stays• Your original outside key• The thumb-turn by hand inside• Works with a dead battery• Works with no internetYour key is always the backup, so a dead battery never locks you out.Illustration — a schematic; details vary by device and setup.
Your key is always the backup, so a dead battery never locks you out.

An August smart lock mounts on the inside of your door and leaves your existing deadbolt and keys exactly as they are. Here is how to install it, set it up in the app, and use every feature in plain English.

Bill Davis
Bill's Home Tech · Atwater, Ohio
Want the full deep-dive?
Download the printable Your August Smart Lock guide
PDF · plain English · no ads · made by Bill
Brand
August (by Yale)
Category
locks
Helpful App
August / Yale Access
Typical Price
$130 – $230

An August smart lock mounts on the inside of your door and leaves your existing deadbolt and keys exactly as they are. Here is how to install it, set it up in the app, and use every feature in plain English.

What's inside this guide

The printable PDF walks through 23 short chapters, in plain language. It also includes an everyday cheat sheet, a plain-English word list and at-a-glance pictures.

  1. What an August smart lock really is
  2. Why renters and movers love it
  3. The August and Yale lineup
  4. Will it fit your deadbolt?
  5. What comes in the box
  6. Getting the app
  7. Installing the lock on your door
  8. Setting up DoorSense
  9. Connecting to Wi-Fi
  10. Locking and unlocking day to day
  11. Auto-Lock so you never wonder
  12. Auto-Unlock as you walk up
  13. Guest access and codes
  14. The activity feed and alerts
  15. Working with Apple Home, Alexa, and Google
  16. Built-in Wi-Fi versus the old bridge
  17. Batteries and Ohio winters
  18. Your key is still your backup
  19. When it will not connect
  20. When the bolt sticks or struggles
  21. Keeping it secure and private
  22. Is an August lock right for you?
  23. When to Call Bill

Get the printable guide

Everything above is a quick summary. The full, printable guide — the same words, laid out to read and keep by the computer — is a free PDF.

Download the printable PDF →

Last verified October 2026. Information accurate as of October 25, 2026.

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✍️ Every guide researched, written, and reviewed by Bill — your local Portage County tech.

Any prices or outside products mentioned in this guide can change over time — the details here were last checked August 2026 and this page is accurate as of October 18, 2026; please confirm current pricing before you buy. See how often we review our guides →