Lockout scenarios and recommended solutions

Question

What can I do if I get locked out? 

Answer 

There are a variety of ways in which a lock-out is experienced. Some lockouts are simple to fix, and others will require instructions to get help. Here are some common lockout scenarios, along with our  recommendations for each:

1.  No Power: The lock is electrically dead
2. "The lock says 'unlocked,' but the door won't open!"
3. "The passcode, fingerprint, or fob will not work!"
4. "I left my smartphone and key inside, and I don't have any passcodes or fingerprints saved to the lock.
5.  I no longer have admin control over my lock. Someone has reset it without permission.

Scenario 1. No Power: The lock is electrically dead (or) I just closed the door after installing the lock  but forgot to insert any batteries 

In this scenario, a lock is not lighting up when touched and appears to have no electrical power. This may be simply a case where the batteries drained, the connecting cable is damaged, the circuit board was damaged by weather, or they simply closed the door after installing the lock but forgot to install the batteries.

1. The first recommendation is to use the physical key (if available at that time).
2. The second recommendation is to try to power it on with a power bank.

Sifely-S USB Port	Sifely-X USB Port

The Sifely-S and Sifely-X models are equipped with a micro USB port (type B) that can be used to power on the lock temporarily. This would help to open the door and then be able to replace batteries or further troubleshoot. (Note: The Sifely E Deadbolt will not have this option)

3. If the first and second recommendations are unable to solve the problem, we recommend calling a reputable local locksmith to open (in most cases, we can reimburse the locksmith bill and consider replacing or refunding the product. See Scenario 2 for more details)

Scenario 2. "The lock says 'unlocked,' but the door won't open!"

 There are three main possibilities in this case.

1. The lock is damaged.
2. The lock was incorrectly installed.
3. The lock's spindle is not properly aligned.

Here are the recommended troubleshooting steps: 

1. Use key to unlock the lock.
2. Turn the handle multiple times after the lock has said "unlocked". 

In this case, we recommend getting assistance from a local locksmith with a 5-star rating. We will reimburse the bill after an image of the bill is sent to us. For a locksmith bill reimbursement, please provide the following:

1. An image upload of the locksmith bill
2. Your original order number
3. Your Zelle or Paypal account info

You can email us at cs@sifely.com

Scenario 3. "The passcode, fingerprint, or fob will not work!"

There are times when the lock user is a renter with only a passcode, fingerprint, or FOB as a means of opening a door. This is a difficult situation because the renter may not have the App access to this door or the Physical key. Unfortunately, this will require the actual lock owner to be involved. The renter does not have the authority to break the lock or even call a locksmith. 

In this case, we can recommend the following:

1. Reach out to the lock owner to see if he or she is able to send another passcode, send an ekey, or remotely open the door. 
2. Have the owner physically open the door 
3. Have the owner call a locksmith 

Scenario 4.  "I left my smartphone and key inside, and I don't have any passcodes or fingerprints saved to the lock yet!"

We recommend signing in with a different smartphone.
If you locked your physical key and smartphone in the house and there are no passcodes, fobs, or fingerprints saved to the lock, we recommend using a friend's smartphone, downloading the app, and signing in with your existing username and password. After signing in, get close to the lock and tap the "big lock icon" to open it.

Scenario 5. "I no longer have Admin control over my lock. Someone reset it without my permission!" 

In rare instances, this can happen. The main admin can lose admin control over a lock because someone has reset the lock and paired it to his or her own phone. This will, most likely, require either factory resetting the lock or having the lock transferred back to your account.  Here is what we recommend. 

1. First, try to open the door with the physical key 

2. If the physical key is not available, try to get the back panel of the lock through a different entrance to the building.

3. If there is no physical key or additional entrance, you will have to contact Sifely Customer Service and get the lock transferred back to you. (See "Getting a lock transferred back to you"  instructions) 

If you were able to get to the back panel (battery side) of the lock, you can try a Factory Reset of the lock (in order to put it back in pairing mode). (see Factory Reset Options)

Factory Reset Options:

• For a Sifely-S  (Brown box version), see Factory Reset Sifely-S (Brown Box version)
• For a Sifely-S (Blue Box version), the instructions are identical to the article Factory Reset Sifely-S (Brown Box version)  except for the reset button location, which is located behind the battery cover between the 2 screws. See photo below:

• For a Sifely-X see Factory Reset Sifely-X
• For a Sifely-E see Factory Reset Sifely-E

Getting a lock transferred back to you 

Find the lock code so an agent can transfer the Admin ownership.

To find out the lock code, do the following steps:

       1.  Get near the lock,  open the app, and click “Add lock.”

     3. You may see one or more results that are greyed out. 

     4. When selecting a result, you will see a message similar to the one below. 

     5. At this point, you can locate the lock code (shown above in a red box) 

     6. Now contact a Sifely Phone support agent at  cs@Sifely.com

Please note: For security reasons, the agent will ask a security question, and we cannot guarantee the successful transfer of a lock in every given situation.