Google Wallet for Android is getting a digital home key for locks you have set up in Google Home. You hold your phone against the lock or keypad and the door opens, much like Apple Home Key in Apple Wallet. Three devices work at launch, including the Nuki Keypad 2 NFC. According to 9to5Google, Google started rolling out the feature on 11 November, first through the Google Home Public Preview and then to all users “over the coming weeks”.
How the Google Wallet home key works
The key belongs to your home in the Google Home app, not to a single lock. If you have several compatible locks, they all work with the same key in Google Wallet. After you set up a lock, the Home app asks whether you want to save the key; otherwise you will find it under Home settings, Google Wallet key. The key syncs automatically to other Android phones signed in to the same Google Wallet account. Tap to unlock uses NFC and works by default even when your screen is locked. For extra security, you can require your screen lock or fingerprint in the Wallet app. You need Android 9 or newer.
Which locks work with Google Wallet?
At launch, Google supports the Aqara Smart Lock U400 (NFC and UWB), the Schlage Sense Pro (NFC first, UWB later) and the Nuki Keypad 2 NFC, with more models to follow. These are locks with Aliro, the digital home key standard from the Connectivity Standards Alliance, the organisation behind Matter. With a lock and phone that support Aliro over Ultra-Wideband (UWB), the door can even unlock as you walk up to it. That feature only works on the Pixel 10 Pro series and newer and on select Samsung Galaxy phones with UWB. Wear OS watches are not supported at launch.
Google Wallet or Apple Home Key: what it means for you
With this step, Google catches up with a feature iPhone users have had for years. Because both companies are backing Aliro, the same lock increasingly works with Android and iPhone, which helps in a household with both. Google has not yet said which countries will get the feature, so it is still unclear when it will reach your country. If you are shopping for a smart lock or keypad now, a model with Aliro support is the safer choice. If you already use a Nuki lock, the Nuki Keypad 2 NFC is the easiest way to unlock with your Android phone; we covered it recently when Nuki added a white Keypad 2 NFC. For a wider overview, see the best smart locks of 2026.
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