Android users gained the ability to store digital home keys in Google Wallet, bringing functionality that Apple users have had since 2021, as reported by ZDNET.
Maria Diaz said that Apple introduced Home Keys with iOS 15, allowing users to store digital keys in Apple Wallet to tap an iPhone or Apple Watch on a lock.
Public preview rollout details
The feature started rolling out to users enrolled in the Google Home Public Preview program, with wider availability expected over the coming weeks, according to Android Authority. Google announced the addition, allowing compatible smart locks to open either through an NFC tap or hands-free via Ultra-Wideband technology.
“over the coming weeks,” Google stated regarding the broader release schedule for users outside the public preview. Tyler Lacoma, who has spent time testing smart home and security technology, detailed that the upgrade brings Samsung Wallet-like functionality to Google Wallet by incorporating NFC and UWB unlocking.
Aliro standard enables specific smart lock models
The integration relies on Aliro, an open standard for digital access solutions developed by the Connectivity Standards Alliance and released in February 2026. At launch, three specific smart lock models support the functionality: the Aqara U400, the Schlage Sense Pro, and the Nuki Keypad 2 NFC. Pricing for these initial devices varies, with the Schlage Sense Pro listed at $394.98, the Aqara U400 at $269.99, and the Nuki Keypad 2 NFC lock priced at $179.
Nuki announced its integration of Google Wallet Home Keys, noting that the Keypad 2 NFC provides six different ways to unlock a door without a traditional key, including Google Wallet Home Key, Apple Home Key, Samsung Digital Home Key, Tap to Unlock via the Nuki app, fingerprints, and individual access codes.
Running the system requires more than just a compatible lock. Users need an NFC-enabled Android phone running Android 9 or later, alongside a Matter-enabled Google Hub featuring a Thread Border Router, such as a 2nd-generation Nest Hub, Nest Hub Max, Nest Wifi Pro, or Google TV Streamer, as detailed by Android Authority.
Setting up a new Matter and Aliro-compatible smart lock prompts Google Home to automatically suggest adding a digital home key to Google Wallet, though users can also use Home settings and Google Wallet key manually.
NFC tap-to-unlock and UWB hands-free entry
The system provides two distinct unlocking methods. Tap to Unlock uses Near Field Communication to open doors when the back of the phone is held near the lock reader. This method “works even when your phone screen is locked,” provided the device has been unlocked within the past few hours. Users can also configure the Google Wallet app to require biometric verification or a screen lock for every tap.
For automatic entry, the “unlock on approach” feature utilizes Ultra-Wideband technology to sense a user walking toward the door. This hands-free capability requires specific hardware. “Select UWB-enabled Samsung Galaxy phones” and Google Pixel 10 Pro series devices and above support the feature, while Wear OS smartwatches do not support it at launch. Google said that Wear OS support might be in the future.
Google Home app manages multiple digital keys
Managing multiple doors in a residence is streamlined because the digital key links to the Google Home app rather than an individual device. Consequently, “each of your compatible Aliro locks will work with a single key in your Google Wallet,” as noted by 9to5Google.
Household members connected to the same Google Home account can generate their own digital keys, which “automatically syncs across compatible Android phones signed into your Google Wallet account,” according to Source 5. Google plans to expand support to additional lock models “over the coming weeks,” as stated by 9to5Google.