Use the Emergency Unlock safety feature on your Lockbox and understand what happens when you do
Emergency Unlock is a safety feature that lets you open your Lockbox locally when you need immediate access and your Keyholder isn't available. Use it only in genuine emergencies.
Emergency Unlock is for real emergencies. Using it without a valid reason may damage trust with your Keyholder and affect your experience.
Use Emergency Unlock
Open the device menu
While the Lockbox is locked or a lock timer is running, press and hold the Lock/Enter button for about 2 seconds until the menu appears.
Select Emergency Unlock
Navigate to Emergency Unlock and select it.
Confirm
Confirm your decision. A QR code linking back to this guide appears on the screen.
Verify success:
- The device displays that it is unlocked and the lid can be opened.
- In your dashboard, the active lock session shows as ended.
What happens when you use it
Using Emergency Unlock triggers important consequences:
- Immediate session end — Your current lock session ends right away.
- Partner notification — If you have a Keyholder or partners linked to your account, they receive an alert via email and the dashboard.
- 24‑hour cooldown — After an emergency unlock, the Lockbox cannot start a new lock for 24 hours. You may see "Emergency Mode" during this period. After the cooldown ends, locking becomes available again.
Activity related to Emergency Unlock appears in your device's activity history in the dashboard.
Before you use Emergency Unlock
Try messaging your Keyholder to request a break first. Open communication is usually the best path.
Consider these checks before proceeding:
- Confirm the situation is a genuine emergency requiring immediate access
- Try contacting your Keyholder directly for a temporary break
- Remember you may be asked to explain your reasons afterward
Disable Emergency Unlock (optional)
If you find Emergency Unlock too tempting, you can disable it from your dashboard so it cannot be used under any circumstances.
When Emergency Unlock is disabled, the only way to access the device without your Keyholder is to physically break the backplate. Consider this carefully.
What to know
- You can change this setting only while the device is unlocked
- Once disabled, Emergency Unlock cannot be used
- The only way to unlock will be through your Keyholder
How to disable it
Open your dashboard
Sign in and go to your Lockbox dashboard.
Open the session settings
Navigate to your current lock session settings.
Locate Emergency Unlock
Find the Emergency Unlock section.
Toggle to disable
Toggle Disable Emergency Unlock and confirm.
Verify the toggle remains enabled after refresh.
Disabling adds commitment and security, but it also means you cannot access the device in a real emergency without your Keyholder's help.
If the software menu isn't available
If your Keyholder or lock template disabled Emergency Unlock, the software option won't appear. As a last resort, you can perform a hardware emergency unlock by breaking the backplate. See Emergency Unlock: Break the Backplate.
Restart the device, then try again. See Restarting your device.
Emergency Unlock works locally on the device and does not require an internet connection. If Wi‑Fi is down, you can still use the device menu.
Related guides
Quick Start
Connect, pair, and learn the basics, including emergency options.
Hardware Emergency Unlock
Destructive backplate method for when software unlock isn't possible.
Restarting your device
Safe restart steps and what to expect after reboot.
FAQs
Common questions about locks, control, and emergency scenarios.