Why Won't My August Lock Fully Lock or Unlock?

Problem Description

Calibration teaches your August lock the exact locked and unlocked positions of your deadbolt's thumbturn. When calibration has issues, the lock over- or under-turns, jams, or reports the wrong state — usually because the deadbolt binds or the thumbturn meets resistance.

Why This Happens in Real Homes

August calibration is the lock learning where "locked" and "unlocked" are by turning your thumbturn to each stop — so it fails or drifts when the deadbolt binds, the thumbturn is stiff, or the adapter slips, because the lock can't find clean, repeatable end positions. It's a mechanical setup issue, not a software one.

Before calibrating, confirm the deadbolt throws fully and smoothly by hand into an aligned strike, and lubricate a stiff mechanism. Make sure the lock is mounted square over the thumbturn's axis with the adapter gripping firmly, and fit fresh AA batteries so the motor has full torque. Then recalibrate with the door closed. A free-moving deadbolt is what lets calibration land accurate, stable positions.

Symptoms

• Calibration fails or won't complete
• Lock over/under-turns the thumbturn
• Jams during calibration
• Wrong lock/unlock state
• Motor strains calibrating
• Has to recalibrate often
• Positions drift
• Bolt not fully thrown after calibration

Recognize these? Here's what usually causes it.

Common Causes

• Deadbolt binding/misaligned
• Thumbturn resistance too high
• Adapter slipping on the thumbturn
• Low batteries (weak motor during calibration)
• Lock mounted off-square
• Door not fully closed during calibration
• Firmware issue
• Deadbolt itself stiff

Tools & Requirements

Step-by-Step Solution

1

Run calibration from the August app

Open the August app, select your lock, go to Lock Settings > Calibrate Lock. The app walks you through three positions: fully locked, fully unlocked, and the door open position. At each step, manually turn the deadbolt to the correct position and tap Next in the app. The lock learns the exact rotation range needed. If calibration fails, make sure you are within Bluetooth range (within 5 feet of the lock) and the lock has fresh batteries.

Needed for this step

Door Latch Strike Plate, Stainless Steel Door L...

This helps complete the fix you are currently reading.

$7.49

View Needed Item

2

Fix the deadbolt not turning fully

If the lock motor stops before the deadbolt is fully extended or retracted, the deadbolt is meeting physical resistance. Check door alignment — close the door and try turning the deadbolt by hand with the thumb turn. If it is stiff, the bolt is not aligned with the strike plate. Loosen the strike plate screws, adjust its position so the bolt slides in smoothly, and retighten. Even slight misalignment forces the motor to work harder and can cause incomplete locking.

3

Check the lock adapter fit

August locks attach to your existing deadbolt using an adapter that fits over the thumb turn. If the adapter is loose or the wrong size, the motor turns but the deadbolt does not move fully. Open the lock and check the adapter. It should grip the thumb turn firmly with no play. August includes multiple adapter sizes — try a different one if the current one is loose. The adapter must be fully seated before mounting the lock body.

4

Recalibrate after door or frame changes

If you adjusted the strike plate, planed the door edge, installed new weather stripping, or made any change that affects how the door closes, recalibrate the lock. The motor learns specific rotation amounts during calibration — any physical change to the door means those amounts are wrong. Recalibrate whenever the lock starts failing to fully lock or unlock, even if it worked fine before.

5

Fix calibration failing repeatedly

If calibration keeps failing, check battery level first — low batteries cause the motor to move slowly or stall, which the app interprets as a calibration failure. Replace batteries and try again. If it still fails, remove the lock from the door, calibrate it off the door (holding the adapter and turning by hand), then reinstall. If calibration passes off the door but fails on the door, the deadbolt has too much resistance — fix the mechanical alignment first.

Needed for this step

Duracell Coppertop Double AA Batteries with Pow...

This helps complete the fix you are currently reading.

$6.96

View Needed Item

Quick Solutions

Still having issues? This is usually the deeper cause below.

Need More Help? August Home Support

Note: The contact information below connects you directly to August Home's official customer support team, not Trunetto. They can help with warranty claims, device replacements, and advanced technical issues.

How Does August Home Compare?

Before replacing your August Home device, see how it stacks up against alternatives in our full comparison guides.