Why Does My August Smart Lock Keep Unlocking by Itself When I Walk Past

Problem Description

Your August smart lock auto-unlocks when you walk past the door inside your home or when you are nearby but not approaching the door. The auto-unlock feature uses your phone Bluetooth and GPS to detect when you arrive home and unlocks the door. But the geofence detection is imprecise and triggers from inside the home or from the driveway when you are not going to the door.

Why This Happens in Real Homes

Auto-Unlock unlocking as you "walk past" happens because the feature acts on detected arrival, not intent — if your phone briefly exits and re-enters the geofence (common when you live near the boundary, or walk the dog past the house), August reads it as coming home and unlocks. It's the geofence being triggered by ordinary movement near the door.

Tighten the geofence and confirm your home location so short passes don't register as leaving and returning, and make sure DoorSense is set up so unlocks tie to the actual door state. If your living situation constantly crosses the boundary, you may prefer to turn Auto-Unlock off and unlock manually or by keypad. Keeping firmware current helps, as August has refined arrival detection over time.

Symptoms

• Unlocks when just walking past
• Unlocks without intending to enter
• Unlocks from inside near the door
• Fires when passing outside
• Unexpected auto-unlocks
• Unlocks then you don't go in
• Too sensitive
• Security concern

Recognize these? Here's what usually causes it.

Common Causes

• Geofence/return detection triggering on a pass-by
• Bluetooth range reaching beyond the door
• Phone briefly leaving and re-entering the geofence
• DoorSense not distinguishing states well
• Living near the door (frequent proximity)
• Auto-unlock radius too generous
• Walking near home counted as a 'return'
• Firmware behavior

Tools & Requirements

Step-by-Step Solution

1

Recalibrate Auto-Unlock

In the August app go to lock settings then Auto-Unlock. Tap Recalibrate. Walk at least 200 feet away from your home then walk back toward the front door. This resets the geofence boundary. A properly calibrated geofence only triggers when you approach from outside the boundary not from inside your home.

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2

Check DoorSense

DoorSense tells the lock whether the door is open or closed. If DoorSense is not working the lock does not know the door is already closed and you are inside. It may auto-unlock thinking you are arriving. In lock settings check that DoorSense shows closed when the door is shut. Recalibrate DoorSense if it reads incorrectly.

3

Limit Auto-Unlock Users

In Auto-Unlock settings check which phones have auto-unlock enabled. Each phone with auto-unlock can trigger the lock independently. If a family member walks by the door with their phone the lock may unlock. Disable auto-unlock on phones that do not need it.

4

Enable Background App Refresh

Auto-unlock requires the August app to track your location in the background. On iPhone go to Settings then August then Location and set to Always. Also enable Background App Refresh. Without these permissions the app cannot properly track when you leave and return causing incorrect unlock triggers.

5

Consider Disabling Auto-Unlock

If false unlocks persist disable auto-unlock entirely. Use the August app manual unlock button the keypad or Apple Watch to unlock instead. Manual control is more reliable and eliminates all phantom unlock issues. Auto-unlock is convenient when it works but unreliable geofencing makes it a security concern.

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.

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