Google Wallet adds digital home keys so Android phones can unlock Aliro smart locks

Google Wallet can now hold your house keys

Google has added digital home key support to Google Wallet, letting Android users open compatible smart locks by tapping their phone against the lock or simply walking up to it. According to The Verge, the capability is live in public preview through the Google Home app, and Google says it will reach all users in the weeks ahead.

The move catches Android up with Apple and Samsung customers, who have had phone-based unlocking for some time. Google Home already offered a degree of lock control, but the new feature makes direct use of the NFC and Ultra-Wideband (UWB) hardware inside modern Android handsets.

Two unlocking modes

The Verge describes two ways the keys work. The first, Tap to Unlock, involves holding the back of an NFC-equipped Android phone near the lock's reader, and the phone does not need to be unlocked beforehand. The second, Unlock on Approach, has to be switched on manually in Google Wallet, after which it can open the door automatically as it senses the user arriving.

A single digital home key can manage several locks, and every household member tied to the same Google Home account can load their own key into their personal Google Wallet.

The hardware catch

The system is built on Aliro, the open standard meant to let any smartphone open any smart lock, but compatible hardware is still thin on the ground. Per Google's announcement, the initial lineup covers the Aqara u400, the Schlage Sense Pro (NFC at launch, with UWB to follow) and the Nuki Keypad 2 NFC, with additional locks promised.

There are further conditions. Users need a Matter-enabled Google hub with a Thread border router on the network, such as the second-generation Nest Hub. On the phone side, tap-to-unlock requires an NFC-capable device running Android 9 or later, while hands-free unlocking is limited to Aliro UWB-compatible handsets, with The Verge pointing to the Google Pixel 10 Pro series and newer as examples. Wear OS watches are excluded for now, although Google's phrasing about support "at launch" hints it may arrive later, something The Verge considers plausible given that the Apple Watch already offers similar functionality.

Why it matters

Android's enormous installed base makes Google Wallet a powerful distribution channel for the phone-as-key idea, pushing it beyond a niche perk for Apple and Samsung owners. Google's decision to build on Aliro is also significant: the standard is explicitly designed for cross-brand interoperability, and backing from the biggest mobile platform could pressure lock manufacturers to adopt it, sparing buyers from having to check which ecosystem a lock belongs to before purchasing.

At the same time, the fine print shows how early this still is. Three supported locks, a required smart hub and hands-free mode restricted to the newest flagship phones mean most households cannot simply opt in today. The trajectory, though, is clear: between payments, cars and now front doors, the phone is steadily absorbing the objects people used to carry.