- Updated: March 24, 2026
- 7 min read
Nuki Launches Keypad NFC 2 with Apple Home Key and Samsung Digital Home Key Support
Skip to main contentThe homepageThe VergeThe Verge logo.The VergeThe Verge logo.TechReviewsScienceEntertainmentAIPolicyHamburger Navigation ButtonThe homepageThe VergeThe Verge logo.Hamburger Navigation ButtonThe VergeThe Verge logo.Nuki adds Apple Home Key to its smart lockTechCloseTechPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All TechNewsCloseNewsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All NewsSmart HomeCloseSmart HomePosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All Smart HomeNuki adds Apple Home Key to its smart lockThe Keypad NFC 2 supports Aliro, bringing tap-to-unlock with Apple and Samsung’s digital keys to the retrofit lock.The Keypad NFC 2 supports Aliro, bringing tap-to-unlock with Apple and Samsung’s digital keys to the retrofit lock.by Jennifer Pattison TuohyCloseJennifer Pattison TuohySenior Reviewer, Smart HomePosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Jennifer Pattison TuohyMar 24, 2026, 1:00 PM UTCLinkShareGiftIf you buy something from a Verge link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics statement.IMAGE: NukiPart OfAll the smart home news, reviews, and gadgets you need to know aboutsee all updates Jennifer Pattison TuohyCloseJennifer Pattison TuohyPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Jennifer Pattison Tuohy is a senior reviewer with over twenty years of experience. She covers smart home, IoT, and connected tech, and has written previously for Wirecutter, Wired, Dwell, BBC, and US News.This week, my top pick for a retrofit smart lock launched the first Aliro-compatible keypad. The Nuki Keypad 2 NFC ($179) brings tap-to-unlock via Apple’s Home Key and Samsung’s Digital Home Key to the Nuki smart lock, allowing you to tap your phone or smartwatch to unlock your door, just like you tap to pay.RelatedThe smart lock standard that could replace your keys is finally hereNuki’s Smart Lock is a better retrofit door lockI tested Apple’s hands-free Home Key — and it’s a big upgradeSamsung’s Digital Home Key lets you use your phone as your keyAliro is a new smart lock standard supported by all major platforms and handset manufacturers. It is designed to allow any smart lock to be securely unlocked by any smartphone, regardless of manufacturer, without requiring proprietary apps.An open standard, Aliro stores a digital key in your phone’s wallet that you can tap to a compatible lock or keypad. Along with NFC, Aliro supports Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) and Ultra Wideband (UWB) to unlock your door using your phone.The Nuki is a retrofit smart lock that replaces your thumb turn. Photo by Jennifer Pattison Tuohy / The VergeNuki is a retrofit door lock, meaning you don’t need to remove your deadbolt to install it. Instead, you replace the interior thumb turn with the Nuki.This makes it simple to install and ideal for renters or people who can’t or don’t want to replace their entire lock. There is no visible smart lock on the outside of your door, so an exterior keypad is needed to enable tap-to-unlock.Nuki Keypad 2 NFC$179$179$179 at Amazon$179 at NukiEarlier this year, Aqara released the first full replacement door lock to support Aliro. The Aqara U400 also features UWB connectivity, enabling hands-free unlocking with Apple Home.The Nuki keypad only supports NFC, so it doesn’t work with hands-free unlocking.The Keypad 2 NFC can be set to one of two modes: Smart Home Mode or Nuki App Mode. The former allows the lock to work with Apple Home and Samsung SmartThings and connect through Matter. The Nuki lock works with Thread, so you will need an Apple or Samsung SmartThings Matter/Thread hub to use the feature.Nuki App Mode lets you use tap-to-unlock without being tied to a platform or a specific handset manufacturer.You only need an NFC-capable smartphone and the Nuki app.The Nuki keypad currently supports tap to unlock using Apple Home, Samsung SmartThings, and the Nuki app. Image: NukiThe Aliro standard is still in its early stages, and compatibility remains limited. Nuki’s Martina Stix says that currently, while you can use the keypad with both Apple Home Key and Samsung Digital Home Key simultaneously, this only works if Apple Home is paired first and Samsung SmartThings is added later.“We’re constantly working with the mobile wallet providers to improve the interoperability between their systems,” she says. “But can not give any timelines about future changes or improvements.”I demoed a prototype of the new keypad at the IFA tech show last year.Along with tap-to-unlock, the new keypad offers fingerprint and keypad unlocking, and, of course, you can still use your existing key.While the keypad does not support auto-unlock over UWB, the Nuki lock offers a similar feature in its app. The keypad is now available and compatible with existing Nuki smart locks.Follow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.Jennifer Pattison TuohyCloseJennifer Pattison TuohySenior Reviewer, Smart HomePosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Jennifer Pattison TuohyMatterCloseMatterPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All MatterNewsCloseNewsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All NewsSmart HomeCloseSmart HomePosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All Smart HomeTechCloseTechPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All TechMore in: All the smart home news, reviews, and gadgets you need to know aboutAnother smart oven shuts down.Jennifer Pattison TuohyMar 19Ikea tried to build a smart home for everyone — here’s why it’s not working yetJennifer Pattison TuohyMar 17Aqara’s first wired doorbell works with Apple’s HomeKit Secure Video and costs $100.Jennifer Pattison TuohyMar 17Most PopularMost PopularNvidia CEO Jensen Huang says ‘I think we’ve achieved AGI’The US government just banned consumer routers made outside the USDonut Lab’s solid-state battery could barely hold a charge after getting damagedConfronting the CEO of the AI company that impersonated meVideoSome writing advice from Project Hail Mary’s Andy WeirThe Verge DailyA free daily digest of the news that matters most.Email (required)Sign UpBy submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice. 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Andrii Bidochko
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Andrii Bidochko is an AI entrepreneur and researcher focused on AI agents, reinforcement learning, and autonomous systems. He writes about the technologies shaping the future of machine intelligence, from frontier models and agent architectures to real-world AI applications.