Ring Smart Lock: $249 Price, Release Date and Hand Crank

What’s the one thing that keeps people from putting a smart lock on their front door? It isn’t hackers or price. It’s the fear of a dead battery leaving them stranded on the porch. The Ring Smart Lock, announced on October 7, 2026, tackles that fear head-on with a small dial you twist by hand to bring a drained lock back to life long enough to let yourself in.

Here’s the short version. Ring’s first smart lock costs $249, unlocks with your fingerprint, a backlit keypad, the Ring app or Alexa, and fits a standard single-cylinder deadbolt with no extra wiring. It’s due in the US in early 2027, but it still needs FCC authorization before it can go on sale.

So is it worth waiting for, or should you buy something now? Let’s break it down: the price, the release window, how the hand crank works, what it connects to, and the questions you should ask before you pre-commit.

Key fact	Details
Product	Ring Smart Lock, Ring’s first smart lock
Announced	October 7, 2026
Price	$249 ($249.99 on Ring’s product page)
Release	US, early 2027 (Q1), pending FCC authorization
Ways to unlock	Fingerprint, backlit touchscreen keypad, Ring app, Alexa
Backup power	Hand-turned power dial charges an internal supercapacitor
Battery life	About one year per charge, with a rechargeable pack
Fit	Standard single-cylinder deadbolt, no extra wiring
Finishes	Black, silver and brass

What Ring actually announced

Ring has been on front doors for years through its video doorbells, yet it has never sold a lock of its own. That changes with this launch. The lock pairs a keypad and fingerprint reader on the outside with a thumbturn on the inside, and every unlock shows up in the Ring app’s activity feed alongside your doorbell and camera events.

Why does that matter to you? If you already own Ring gear, the lock slots into a system you check every day instead of adding another app to your phone. Amazon’s announcement says it works with Ring doorbells, cameras and alarms, plus Echo speakers and Alexa voice control.

The access controls are the practical bit. You can decide who gets in, how they get in and when that access expires, so a dog walker could get a code that only works on weekday afternoons. TechCrunch also reports that Ring plans to let third-party developers build software for the lock, with Airbnb hosts who swap codes often given as an example.

The key takeaway here is simple: this is a full-featured keypad lock first, and the crank is the headline extra.

How the Ring smart lock hand crank works

Let’s back up a little. Most smart locks run on batteries, and when those batteries die, you’re relying on a backup key or an emergency power trick. Ring’s answer is a small dial that sits below the keypad.

According to Engadget, you turn that wheel back and forth three or four times. Inside, a small motor and a supercapacitor build up roughly 3 volts, which is enough to run the lock for about 30 seconds. Tom’s Guide, which tried a demo unit, put the window at around 20 to 30 seconds, enough time to tap in a code.

Here’s the part that surprises people. The lock doesn’t drop into a crippled low-power mode during that window. Engadget reports it runs at full capability, so you can use the fingerprint reader, keypad, app or Alexa. Once you’re inside, TechCrunch says you can pop out the rechargeable battery pack and charge it the normal way.

“A lock has to work every time, and until now, a dead battery could leave you locked out of your own home.” — Jamie Siminoff, founder and chief inventor of Ring

Will you ever use it? Maybe not. The battery is expected to last about a year, and the Ring app alerts you when it needs charging. The crank is insurance, not a daily habit.

In short: thirty seconds of power is all you need, and Ring gives you a way to make it without a key.

Ring smart lock price, release date and finishes

The price is easy. Ring lists the lock at $249.99, and most coverage rounds that to $249. Android Authority calls that competitive, and Tom’s Guide describes the lock as on par with most basic smart locks.

The release date is softer. Amazon says the lock arrives in the US in early 2027, and Engadget reports Siminoff hopes it lands closer to January than March. Here’s the catch: Amazon’s own disclosure says the lock hasn’t been authorized by the FCC yet and can’t be sold or leased until it is.

Detail	What’s confirmed	What’s still open
Price	$249.99 on Ring’s site	Launch discounts or bundles
US release	Early 2027 (Q1)	Exact date; FCC sign-off
Other countries	Nothing announced	Europe or UK plans
Finishes	Black, silver, brass (per Amazon)	Final availability by finish
Pro installation	Ring lists standard installs from $129.99	Whether it applies to this lock at launch

If you’re shopping for a lock during this month’s sales, keep the timing in mind. Our Prime Big Deal Days 2026 guide covers what’s discounted now, and Ring’s lock won’t be one of those deals.

The bottom line on cost: $249 is mid-pack money for a smart lock, and you’re paying a little extra for peace of mind.

Connectivity: Sidewalk, Bluetooth and the Wi-Fi question

This is where the Ring lock differs from many rivals. Amazon says remote locking, status updates and PIN syncing run over Amazon Sidewalk, a shared low-bandwidth network built from nearby Amazon devices, rather than your home Wi-Fi. Unlocking itself happens on the lock.

Sounds convenient, right? Mostly. Amazon notes that Sidewalk coverage varies by location and can change or be interrupted. Tom’s Guide adds that the lock uses Bluetooth for setup, has no Wi-Fi of its own, and needs an Echo Dot or similar device as a bridge to stay connected.

There are also gaps worth knowing. Tom’s Guide reports the lock isn’t Matter-compatible, doesn’t work with Google Home, and lacks NFC and Aliro support. It does carry an ANSI Grade 2 rating.

You see, if your home runs on Alexa, none of that is a problem. If you’re a Google Home or Apple Home household, it’s a dealbreaker today.

How it compares with other smart locks

Ring isn’t entering an empty market. The Ring app already supports more than 35 Z-Wave locks from Schlage, Kwikset and Yale, but only through a Ring Alarm Base Station acting as the Z-Wave controller. If you’re curious how that hub setup works, our Z-Wave hub guide explains it.

The new lock removes the need for that base station. It talks to Ring directly over Sidewalk, which makes it the simplest way to get a lock into the Ring app if you don’t own Ring Alarm.

Then there’s Apple. Leaks point to an LG-built smart deadbolt designed with Apple’s help, reportedly with Matter, Thread and UWB for hands-free unlocking. We covered those reports in our piece on Apple’s rumored LG smart lock, and every detail there is still unconfirmed.

Option	Status	Backup power	Ecosystem
Ring Smart Lock	Announced, early 2027	Hand-turned power dial	Ring, Alexa, Sidewalk
Works with Ring Z-Wave locks (Schlage, Kwikset, Yale)	On sale now	Varies by model	Ring Alarm base station required
Apple-designed LG lock	Rumored	Reported emergency power option	Reportedly Matter, Thread, Apple Home

The contrast is clear. Ring is betting on Alexa and its own network, while Apple is reportedly betting on open standards and proximity unlocking.

“The best smart lock is the one you never have to think about, and that includes the day its battery runs flat.”

Privacy questions to ask before you buy

A lock is the most sensitive device in your home, so privacy deserves a minute. Ring’s lock reads your fingerprint to unlock, and Amazon’s announcement doesn’t detail how that biometric data is handled. It links separately to Ring’s TAKE default encryption announcement but doesn’t say the lock uses TAKE.

The Next Web points out that Ring’s Familiar Faces camera feature faces a proposed class action in Seattle and has been disabled in Illinois and Texas, which have strict biometric laws. That’s a camera feature, not the lock, but it’s a reminder that biometric rules vary by state.

Sidewalk is the other question. It shares a sliver of bandwidth from nearby Amazon devices, and you’ll want to understand that before you rely on it. Alexa isn’t perfect either, as our report on the Alexa “la la la” bug showed.

That said, none of this is unusual for a connected lock. The takeaway: ask where your fingerprint lives and how Sidewalk works before launch day, not after.

Should you wait for it or buy now?

Here’s the thing. Your answer depends on what you already own and how urgent your need is.

1. Wait if you’re all-in on Ring and Alexa

If Ring cameras already cover your porch, the lock’s shared activity feed and Sidewalk link are the strongest reasons to hold off. You avoid buying a base station just to control a lock.

2. Buy now if you need a lock this season

Early 2027 is a target, not a promise, and FCC sign-off is still pending. If you’re moving house or replacing a broken lock, a Works with Ring Z-Wave model from Schlage, Kwikset or Yale is available today.

3. Skip it if you use Google Home or Apple Home

No Matter, no Google Home and no Aliro means the Ring lock fits poorly outside Amazon’s world. Watch the Apple and LG reports instead.

4. Check your door before you commit

The lock needs a standard single-cylinder deadbolt. If your door uses a different setup, confirm the fit before ordering.

Put simply: the crank is clever, but the ecosystem should make your decision.

Where Ring’s first lock leaves you

Ring has turned the most common smart lock worry into its main selling point, and that’s a smart move. A $249 lock with a fingerprint reader, a year of battery and a manual backup could convince plenty of holdouts to finally ditch the hidden spare key.

There’s still a lot to watch before early 2027, from FCC approval to how Sidewalk performs in real neighborhoods. Fast forward a few months and you’ll know whether this lock lives up to the pitch. For now, it’s one of the most interesting smart home launches of the fall.

Source: Amazon’s Ring Smart Lock announcement.

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