The No Response error August Smart Locks can get in HomeKit is easily one of the biggest problems that has been plaguing August Smart Locks for quite a while now.
An infamous issue that has been discussed at length by many users over the years.
The problem wouldn’t be so bad if it weren’t for the extensive troubleshooting and strange setup sequences required to fix it.
And even then, there is no guarantee that users will be able to get their August lock to work properly.
The August “No Response” Error in HomeKit
An August Smart Lock can become unresponsive in HomeKit at different points in time.
Sometimes the issue can happen after a few hours and others after a few weeks, months, or even years, as we have seen in some cases.
The August lock will work fine through the August App.
The status will be displayed correctly, too.
However, it will not work through HomeKit.
When you try to lock or unlock the August smart lock through HomeKit, it will display as unresponsive, even though its status will be updated correctly.
Generally, this is suspected to be a software issue, particularly with how the notifications work.
Preliminary Checks and Possible Quick Fixes
Go through the list below, as each one of these factors can influence how the lock works.
Some of these have been shown to fix the No Response issue on their own.
And others are important details that should be kept in mind while performing the troubleshooting processes outlined in this article.
Device and Hub Locations
Regardless of which August Smart Lock you have, it must be within Bluetooth range of your Home hub.
Even if you have the August WiFi Smart Lock, it still uses Bluetooth to connect to your Home hub.
This means that you may have to rearrange your HomePods, iPad, or Apple TV to provide good coverage. Also, check the batteries of your Home Bridge and ensure that it is working properly and has Bluetooth enabled.
Generally, the effective range of Bluetooth communication is about 30 feet (10 meters).
However, physical obstructions and signal interferences may negatively impact that range.
Even August recommended keeping devices within 10 to 15 feet (3 to 5 meters) from one another.
And many users report that they have to keep everything even closer at around 2 to 4 feet (0.6 to 1.2 meters) from the August Smart Lock or Connect bridge.
Battery Issues
Interestingly enough, some people reported that their August Smart Lock became unresponsive in HomeKit after replacing the lock’s batteries.
A quick fix for that is to recalibrate the August Smart Lock through the August App each time you change the batteries.
And sometimes, simply replacing the batteries again, even if they were new, can fix the problem.
While we are at it, check if the batteries in your devices need to be changed. It may seem like an obvious thing, but sometimes the most obvious things are the easiest to overlook.
Firmware Updates
Ensure that all firmware is up to date.
If you’ve had your Home set up in HomeKit created a while ago, it is a good idea to delete everything and create a new Home.
This can be a time-consuming project, but it could remove some odd firmware bugs that may not have been resolved over the years.
Renaming the August Smart Lock
Do not rename the August Smart Lock.
There have been cases where the August Smart Lock will stop responding almost immediately after the user renames the lock in HomeKit.
If you have renamed your August Smart Lock, you will have to reset everything and start over with the setup process. Keep the default name in both apps.
A Complete Power Cycle
Usually, the first thing to do is to reset everything.
Restart all HomeKit Hubs, including smartphones and August Smart Locks.
In some cases, this can help.
DoorSense Interference
Some users have also reported recurring issues while using the DoorSense sensor.
Removing DoorSense resolved the No Response problems for them.
If you are using DoorSense, it may be worth removing it, factory resetting the lock, and going through the lock’s setup again (without setting up DoorSense) to see if this will fix the issue for you.
Other Connected Devices
While troubleshooting your August Smart Lock, make sure no other devices or controllers are connected to any of the Apps or the lock.
For example, if another phone (or user) is currently connected to the lock via the August App, this can cause the lock to appear unresponsive on your end.
The same issue can occur if another HomeKit device is also connected to the August Smart Lock at the same time.
Setup Sequences
Below you will find a few different setup sequences that have been found to work over the years.
Unfortunately, users have reported varying results.
We are yet to find a fix that works 100% all the time.
Also, ensure your smartphone does not time out during each step of the different troubleshooting sequences. This is important because it has been shown to mess up the setup process in some instances.
Setup Sequence 1
This setup sequence involves resetting the HomeKit functionality in the August App and has been found to help in many cases.
- Factory reset the lock and remove it from the August App.
- Remove the lock from the HomeKit app.
- Remove the August Smart Lock from the door.
- Place it on a flat surface with the batteries facing up.
- Remove the battery cover.
- For the August WiFi Smart Lock
- Remove one of the lock’s batteries and reinsert it.
- Press and hold the red button found on the back of the lock.
- The lock will start blinking rapidly. Let go of the button when the lock stops blinking. However, ensure you have pressed the button for at least 5 seconds before letting go.
- If the steps are performed correctly, the lock will briefly blink red and then green.
- For the August Smart Lock Gen 3, Gen 2, and Pro
- Remove one of the batteries and reinsert it.
- After reinserting the battery, the lock will begin flashing green for a total of 10 seconds.
- Remove and reinsert one battery again while the lock is flashing green.
- The lock will produce 2 quick green flashes if the steps are performed successfully.
- After completing the reset, place the battery cover back on and place the lock on your door.
- Start the setup process in the August App.
- Enable HomeKit.
- Operate the lock a couple of times after finishing the setup.
- Open the August App.
- Go to Settings.
- Go to Lock Settings.
- Choose HomeKit.
- Choose Identify Accessory.
- Open the HomeKit App and try operating the lock a few times.
Setup Sequence 2
Another solution that has been found to help is this:
- Reset the HomeKit functionality by pressing and holding the red button on the back of your August Smart Lock following the same steps outlined above in Setup Sequence 1.
- When ready, open the August App.
- Go to the Settings Menu.
- Scroll down to Utilities.
- Factory reset the August Smart Lock in the August App.
- Tap on Set up a New Device, then tap Setup a Smart Lock. Choose your smart lock model and go through the setup and calibration processes as usual.
- Choose Enable HomeKit when prompted and go through the HomeKit setup process.
- When asked to Setup WiFi, choose Skip. (Do not set up WiFi for the lock.)
- Next, open your Home App.
- Press and hold on the August Smart Lock in the Accessories section.
- Go to Settings.
- Choose Status and Notifications.
- Turn off Include Home Status and Activity Notifications.
If this still doesn’t work, go to your lock’s settings in the August App and disable Secure Remote Access, as well.
Unfortunately, due to recent firmware changes, the Status and Notifications option does not show up, so your mileage may vary.
Setup Sequence 3
One user reported fixing the issue after taking a slightly different approach after performing a factory reset.
- Proceed and do a factory reset of your August Smart Lock.
- Open the August App and continue with the setup process as usual.
- Do not enable the Auto Unlock function when prompted. (You can turn the Auto Unlock function on later in HomeKit. Not in August App)
- While in the August App, continue and set up HomeKit.
- Go through the setup process as usual.
- When prompted, do not tap on the View in HomeKit button. Choose Done.
- Open the HomeKit App and operate the lock a couple of times.
Setup Sequence 4
Some users have found that not following the exact setup process fixed the No Response error for them.
Here’s what they did differently.
First, they would go the usual route of factory resetting the lock and removing it from the Home App.
But then they will perform the setup process backward and add the lock to the Home App first before doing it in the August App.
Using HomeBridge or Home Assistant
Switching to 3rd party solutions such as HomeBridge or Home Assistant can be a good idea.
When it comes to controlling devices through HomeKit, HomeBridge is generally considered the best way to go.
HomeBridge does seem to fix the No Response issue August Smart Locks get in HomeKit.
The only downside is that it is a more involved process and requires some tech knowledge.
That said, most plug-ins (including the August plug-in) are easy to use, and usually, there are very detailed instructions on GitHub.
HomeBridge also allows for faster and stabler connections compared to the native HomeKit integration.
Setting up a Home Assistant server for your home is also another way to go about this, which can fix unresponsive August Smart Locks in some instances.
When to Reach out To August
Contact August Customer Support for further assistance if none of the above-mentioned solutions work.
You will likely be asked to go through some of the steps outlined here again.
But if nothing works and you have purchased the lock recently, you should still be able to return the lock.