SmartThings moves lock codes into each lock card

SmartThings opened an opt-in lock-code migration test on August 28, 2026. The company is moving code management out of the standalone Smart Lock Guest Access service on the Life tab and into each lock's device control card. The beta accepts hub-connected Z-Wave, Zigbee, and supported Matter locks that can program codes, provided the owner already has at least one active code, has Smart Lock Guest Access installed, and is running the latest production SmartThings app.

That should make cleaner, visitor, and family PINs easier to find because each lock will own its code screen. SmartThings says its migration tool will carry existing codes into the new model. Its technical guide says legacy code names are preserved when a code becomes a user plus PIN credential. The beta exists to test that process, however, and SmartThings has not published a model-level list of eligible Matter locks or a date for the wider rollout beyond later in 2026.

Before joining, write down every active PIN name and the person or routine that depends on it. After migration, compare the list inside each lock card and test a non-critical code while someone can still open the door another way. A rental, service entrance, or only route into the home is a poor place to discover that a migration needs support.

The underlying change is larger for integrations. SmartThings is retiring its legacy lockCodes capability in favor of separate lockUsers and lockCredentials capabilities. Matter door locks already use that newer model, and SmartThings is extending it to Zigbee and Z-Wave locks so developers can address them through the same API shape. Existing apps, Rules, or services that read lockCodes must be updated before the old services shut down.

This does not give every lock the same access features. SmartThings says the current transition is scoped to PIN credentials, while each lock reports which credential types it actually supports. Time-limited schedules also depend on the lock exposing SmartThings' scheduling capability. Basic remote lock and unlock commands are unchanged.

Owners with a spare entrance and a recoverable code list can help test the migration now. Anyone who depends on guest PINs for unattended access should wait for the public rollout and a confirmed compatibility path for the exact lock.