Ring’s first smart lock can be charged by turning a dial when the battery unexpectedly dies - The Verge

Ring's First Smart Lock Solves Dead Batteries With a Manual Dial

Smart locks offer undeniable convenience, but they have long suffered from one major design flaw: battery anxiety. When a smart lock's batteries die unexpectedly, homeowners risk being locked out of their own houses. Ring, the Amazon-owned home security giant, has unveiled its first-ever smart lock with a built-in mechanical solution. The new Ring Battery Smart Lock features an integrated physical dial that users can rotate by hand to generate emergency power, allowing them to unlock the door even when the main batteries are completely drained.

How the Manual Generator Solves Dead Battery Lockouts

The standout feature of the Ring Battery Smart Lock is its kinetic energy generation system. If the internal batteries die and leave you stranded outside, you do not need to hunt for a physical backup key or run to the store for a spare battery.

By rotating the dial on the exterior of the lock, you actuate an internal DC generator. This hand-crank style movement generates a brief, localized electrical charge. This emergency power is routed directly to the lock’s internal processor and wireless radio, waking the device up just long enough to input your access code or send an unlock command from your smartphone.

How This Compares to Existing Smart Lock Backups

To appreciate Ring's design choice, it helps to understand how the smart lock industry currently handles power failures. Most smart locks on the market use one of three backup methods:

• Physical Key Cylinders: Many smart locks retain a traditional keyway. However, this defeats the purpose of going keyless, as users must still carry a physical key "just in case."
• External Battery Terminals: Brands like Yale and Schlage frequently place two metal contact points on the bottom of the lock. If the battery dies, you must hold a standard 9-volt battery against these terminals to temporarily power the keypad.
• USB Emergency Ports: Some newer locks feature a USB-C or Micro-USB port on the exterior, allowing users to plug in a portable power bank to jump-start the system.

While 9-volt terminals and USB ports work, they rely on the user having access to an external power source during an emergency. Ring's manual dial eliminates this dependency entirely, providing a self-contained fail-safe built directly into the chassis of the lock.

Integration with the Ring and Amazon Ecosystem

As Ring's debut entry into the smart lock category, the device is built to integrate seamlessly with existing Ring and Amazon smart home setups. Users can monitor the lock's power status through the Ring app, receive low-battery notifications long before the manual dial is ever needed, and pair the lock with Ring Alarm systems or Alexa-enabled devices for voice control and automated smart home routines.

By solving the physical anxiety of digital lockouts, Ring is aiming to lower the barrier of entry for homeowners who have previously been hesitant to replace their traditional deadbolts with smart technology.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does the manual dial on the Ring Smart Lock work?

The dial acts as a small manual generator (similar to a hand-crank emergency radio). When you rotate the dial, it generates kinetic energy and converts it into electricity. This provides a temporary electrical charge to power up the lock's keypad and internal receiver so you can enter your code and unlock the door.

Do I need a physical backup key for the Ring Battery Smart Lock?

No. The manual dial serves as the primary backup mechanism, removing the absolute necessity of carrying a physical key to prevent lockouts due to dead batteries.

How do I know when the main batteries are low?

The lock connects to the Ring app, which monitors battery life and sends push notifications to your smartphone when the battery level drops below a certain threshold, giving you ample time to replace or recharge them.

Is this Ring's first smart lock?

Yes. While Ring has previously integrated with third-party smart locks (like those from Schlage and Yale) within its app ecosystem, this is the first smart lock designed, manufactured, and branded directly by Ring.

Do other smart locks have hand cranks or dials?

Most mainstream smart locks rely on physical keys, external 9-volt battery terminals, or USB ports for emergency power. Ring's manual generation dial is a highly unique design choice in the residential smart lock market.