Schlage Sense lock not responding on Homekit

From my experience, this is a Bluetooth issue and has nothing to do with Homekit. The Schlage Sense has a very short bluetooth range and if your AppleTv is too far away, you will experience connectivity issues. Take this test to confirm. Using your iPhone or iPad, turn off WiFi and cellular. Using Bluetooth alone stand 3 feet from your Schlage lock and confirm you can lock and unlock the door using the Schlage App. Walk 5 feet further and try again. If it works, walk 5 feet more and try again. Keep trying this until you can no longer connect to the Schlage app. This will determine the limit of your Bluetooth range. If your Apple TV is further than your known Bluetooth range, then you will have problems as your Schlage lock won’t be able to connect to your AppleTv. My solution was to move my Apple TV within my established Bluetooth range. It’s worked flawlessly ever since.

Update: I have had continuing issues with one of my deadbolts and recently had the chance to change out my original 4K @TV with one of the latest models, (white border around the remote’s menu button). This resolved my remote connectivity issues, there must be something different about the hardware in the two different 4K @TVs as I had surmised earlier in this thread.

I don’t know of a way to extend the Bluetooth range. I found 2 solutions. 1) At my sons house I purchased a “Schlage Sense™ Wi-Fi Adapter” because his Apple TV was too far from the lock. Works perfectly and doesn’t require setting up HomeKit. 2). I wanted a AppleTv 4K so after purchasing one I took my old Apple TV that was already setup as my HomeKit hub and plugged it into an electrical outlet 4 feet from the lock. I don’t have this Apple TV hub connected to a tv so it’s only connections we’re wifi and ac outlet. It’s sole use is for connectivity to Schlage. Works perfectly.

I've got some good news for everyone hopefully. I had all the same problems reported by everyone on this issue. I've got an iPhone 6s Plus, and even installed the latest iOS 12.0.1 update. However, this didn't resolve the issue.

The resolution to the problem was to do a factory reset on the Schlage lock, and then reinstall the lock. This will take you about 60 minutes to complete from start to finish. You'll find the procedure for a factory reset from the Schlage site, specific to your model. My model was Schlage Sense SMART DEADBOLT.

Before you do a factory reset, you'll need the factory default codes for programming/activating the lock again. These codes are on the front of your Schlage Sense manual. If you don't have the manual, I believe they are also on the inside of the lock on a sticker; check the battery case that slips out. You'll need the:

• Programming code
• and either User Code A, or User Code B (default unlock codes)
• and the Setup Code

Steps to get things working again: (60 mins.)

1. Removed (deleted) the lock accessory from the Home app on my iPhone.
2. Check the Schlage Sense app; you shouldn't see a lock in the app anymore.
3. Close the Home app, and the Schlage Sense app.
4. Remove the cover from the lock, and disconnect the battery connection.
5. From the outside side of the door, hold down the Schlage button on the keypad, and connect the battery again. This will perform the reset.
6. You'll need to enter that factory default "programming code" now to activate the lock. It'll do it's lock/unlock thing, once or twice, and then stop - should be ready to connect to now.
7. Ok, now open your Schlage Sense app again, and click on the lock icon to connect to your lock. Select the Apple HomeKit option, and the Schlage Sense app will launch the iOS Home app for you to scan your Setup code from your manual (it's the sticker on the front of your manual with a little home icon and bar code)
8. After successfully connecting via the Home app, try locking and unlocking from your iPhone; hopefully this is working well - mine is working with no problems whatsoever (no more "not responding" status messages).
9. If you've made it successfully this far, you can go in and enter all your personal pin codes for the lock again, using the Schlage Sense app: click on the people icon, and you can enter your codes and descriptions for each.

Everything was working after this.

• I had to (there was a red badge notification) confirm the time zone setting in the Schlage Sense app.
• I also had to re-apply personal preferences again (such as auto-lock after 4 minutes).
• And I after I closed and re-opened the Schlage Sense app again (one more time, just to be sure), I was prompted to do a firmware update - which I decided to chance, and install - and everything is still working fine (this took another 20 minutes though).

Hope this helps most people out. Good luck everyone! If this fails to work, you're no worse off than you were, not being able to lock/unlock from your phone. You could still programmatically set your personal codes on the keypad - and continue to use your keypad to lock/unlock the door. But hopefully this helps most people, and saves some of you from thinking you'll need to buy a replacement lock.

This might help:

"Set up HomePod as a home hub

HomePod automatically sets itself up as a home hub so you can control your HomeKit accessories remotely with the Home app and create home automations. Just make sure that the iOS device you used to set up HomePod is signed in to iCloud with the Apple ID that you used to set up your HomeKit accessories in the Home app."

Also, this might help:
"Check the status of your home hub

You can check the status of your home hub, like if it's connected, in the Home app on your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, or Mac.

• On your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch: Tap in the upper-left corner. If you have multiple homes set up, tap Home Settings, then tap a home. Look under Home Hubs to see if your home hub is connected.
• On your Mac: Go to Edit > Edit Home. Then look under Home Hubs to see if your home hub is connected. To check the status of a home hub in a different home that's set up in the Home app, tap Homes in the upper-left corner, then click a home.

To check if your Apple TV is set up as a home hub, go to Settings on your Apple TV, then click AirPlay > Room and make sure that you assign your Apple TV to a room in the Home app.*

If you have multiple home hubs set up, the primary home hub will show as connected. The other home hubs will show Standby as their status and will take over remote access if the main home hub is disconnected."

This all comes from: Set up your HomePod, Apple TV, or iPad as a home hub - Apple Support

In addition, you might want to look at this:

https://www.reddit.com/r/HomeKit/comments/8q9jub/change_primary_hub/

Thank you! It is definitely a Bluetooth issue. Is there any way to extent range for Bluetooth? I use an iPad as a home hub - it’s pretty darn close already but I guess I need to get it even closer. It will be hard to do based on available outlets.

Same here. I updated my iPhone X and TVOS to v12 , and ever since then my Schlage sense smart displays “No Response” in HomeKit and “Unreachable” in the Schlage app.

I find this completely unacceptable given I’m in the IT field and go through the Lifecycle Dev process myself based on dependent applications myself, multiple times throughout the year.

Schlage, fix this!! It’s on you. Just posting here so that there is documentation from the HK side.

My 5 other HK devices work fine since updating TVOS and iOS.

I’m not exactly sure what the problem is cause it’ll work for a few days and then not work. I do believe that it’s a Homekit issue because it hasn’t been that reliable

We have 2 of these locks. One works fine after updates and the other doesn’t.

My Schlage Smart Sense lock stopped responding via wifi too, but after resetting (detach battery cap for 15sec), and rebooting iPhone X and iPad Air (hub) -- OK now. I am running thru ...

1. 4th Gen ATV on tvOS 12.1
2. iPhone X on ios 12.0.1 (wants me to upgrade to 12.1 now)
3. iPad Air on ios 11.4.1 (wants me to upgrade to 12)

Now I'm terrified to upgrade any device further, and risk losing my wifi connection to Smart Lock

I have experienced the same issue over the past several months finally decided to tackle this this morning! I am using an Apple 4th generation and a Schlage Sense Lock primarily using the Schlage Sense App to manage users and see the history. For the past 6 or more months I seemed to lose all remote accessibility to my lock and had to stand within 10 feet or so to control the lock. After looking at several posts I believe this has something to do with Apple's updates to iOS and/or tvOS on the AppleTV.

What I noticed on my iPhone was that within settings under my Apple ID I noticed that my Apple tV was listed. I deleted this and my Schlage Sense app started working again and was able to connect even though I was out of BlueTooth range. However if I tried to cast anything from my phone back to my appletv it added the AppleTV back in on my list of devices on my iphone under Apple ID.

What I wound up doing on my AppleTV to fix this issue (really a work around for now) was logging out of icloud, itunes and game center. All three of these use your Apple ID. I believe that iCloud is the culprit here.

1. Go to Settings>Accounts>
2. iCloud>logout
3. iTunes and App Store>Logout
4. Game Center>Logout

Once I did that my Schlage Sense magically reconnected. I just did this this morning so time will tell if this will continue to work but I believe Apple needs to address this issue and I believe it is tied to the iCloud account! I know this will not be ideal for everyone but in my situation it works.....

Good Luck

I downgraded my Apple TV back to tvOS 11. Worked with my 2 schlage sense locks for a week, now one of my locks says not responding. My iPhone is on iOS 12.

Even tried removing them from my home and repairing. Nothing works.

Even tried using an iPad (on iOS 12) as a hub instead of Apple TV.

Very frustrating.

Same issue here. All connected devices work except for Schlage Sense lock. Every time a new IOS is released HomeKit and Schlage lock stop working. This is unacceptable..... your development lifecycle needs adjustment to better test apps!

Despite what Schlage might say, this is THEIR issue, not Apple’s. Apple cannot possible test EVERY SINGLE device out there from EVERY SINGLE manufacturer to make sure it’s compatible with new iOS changes—that’s on the manufacturer to make sure their products work with Apple’s OS.

From the number of you having issues with this specific lock, and the nature of it, I venture a guess that Schlage needs to release a firmware update for its hardware and/or an update for its iOS app. I guarantee unless Schlage has initiated something to work with Apple on a solution that Apple is not bothering with this minor inconvenience.

I spoke to Schlage and they told me the issue is with Apple. They also said that I can use Bluetooth to lock/unlock my door with the Schlage app.

This is the reason why I selected HomeKit so I can remotely check and lock the doors!!!!!

I don’t know whose fault it maybe. Did Schlage use private API And Apple changed it causing their lock to fail? Or did iOS 12 break something?

I think Schlage will need to update their firmware to make it work with HomeKit.