TTLock is a deeper platform than most users realise. The official manual runs to 56 pages. Most people read none of it — and that's fine, until something stops working.

This guide is for people who already have a TTLock-platform lock installed and running — a McGrath, Lockton, or Austyle — and want to get more from it. It assumes the lock is set up and working. It is not a setup guide for beginners.

This guide covers:

• Why newly generated passcodes sometimes stop working immediately after creation
• The one code type that deletes every credential on your lock simultaneously
• How to fix the most common cause of time-limited passcode failures on Bluetooth-only setups
• Which gateway to choose — and why that choice determines long-term reliability
• The fingerprint enrolment technique that dramatically improves read reliability
• When to disable Touch-to-Unlock, and how
• Two-factor unlock: which situations warrant it
• The lock transfer step that trips up every property handover
• Battery management for Airbnb and remote properties
• Cyclic passcodes: the scheduling feature most hosts never set up
• The Tamper Alert toggle: leave it off

For a full platform overview — how TTLock works, all six passcode types, and the complete security disclosure — see the TTLock Platform Guide in our Smart Lock Buyer's Guide. If you're using TTLock specifically for Airbnb, our guide to using TTLock for Airbnb in Australia covers PMS integration and automation in detail. For a side-by-side platform comparison, see our Igloohome vs TTLock/McGrath comparison. If you prefer to work from the official source, the TTLock User Manual is available as a PDF download, an app overview video is also available, and Australian users may prefer the McGrath Locks App how-to video presented by a local expert.

The 24-Hour Activation Rule — Why New Codes Stop Working

This is the number one cause of "my code doesn't work" support calls. If you take one thing from this guide, make it this rule.

Three of TTLock's six passcode types — Permanent, Time-Limited, and Cyclic — must be used at least once within 24 hours of generation, or within 24 hours of the validity start date for time-limited and cyclic codes. If that window closes without the code being tested at the keypad, the code auto-expires permanently. The app shows no warning. The code cannot be reactivated.

The reason TTLock implements this rule: it prevents pre-generated codes from sitting in an unactivated state where they could be intercepted and used later. It is a deliberate security design choice with one specific, practical consequence. For the broader context of how PIN-based access works in smart locks, see Chapter 03.

The fix is simple: generate the code, then walk to the keypad and test it immediately. Do not generate passcodes in advance and assume they will be ready when a guest arrives three days later.

The Erase Code — The One Code You Should Never Share

TTLock includes a passcode type called the Erase code (referred to as the Clear Code in some app versions). When entered at the keypad, it deletes every passcode stored on the lock simultaneously — guests, cleaners, family members, property managers, all gone in a single entry.

The Erase code is valid for 24 hours from generation. After that window it becomes inert. Its legitimate use is narrow: clearing a lock before a property handover, or after a security incident where you need to wipe all existing credentials and start fresh.

A scenario that comes up more often than it should: a host generates the Erase code and stores it in a notes app "in case of lockout." A guest finds the note. The guest enters the code. Every credential is gone. Treat the Erase code with the same care as a master key that simultaneously changes every lock.

If you are doing a lock reset before a property handover, the correct sequence is: generate the Erase code yourself, test it at the keypad to confirm the wipe, then set up the new owner's credentials from scratch. Do not hand the Erase code to the incoming owner to use independently.

Clock Calibration — The Fix for Most “Valid Code” Failures

TTLock-platform locks have an internal clock that they use to validate time-limited and cyclic passcodes. If that clock drifts — even by a few minutes — codes that appear valid in the app fail at the keypad, because the lock and the app disagree on what time it is.

With a gateway connected, this is not a problem. The gateway calibrates the lock's internal clock automatically and continuously. This is one of the underappreciated benefits of adding a gateway to your TTLock property. For what happens to the lock if the internet goes down while a gateway is connected, see Chapter 08 — What Happens When the Internet Goes Down — local access is unaffected.

Without a gateway, calibrate the clock manually. The path in the app is: TTLock app → Lock Settings → Diagnosis → Adjust Time. Run this after initial pairing, and again after every battery change.

G2 vs G5 — Why Your Gateway Choice Affects Reliability

The G2 gateway is the most common choice in residential and Airbnb installs in Australia. It works reliably under simple network conditions. It has one significant limitation: it operates on 2.4GHz WiFi only.

Most Australian NBN-era routers broadcast a single SSID across 2.4GHz and 5GHz and steer devices between them automatically. The G2 can only connect to 2.4GHz. When the router steers the gateway to 5GHz, the G2 goes offline silently. The symptom is intermittent — the gateway appears online most of the time and drops out unpredictably, for no obvious reason. This is the band-steering problem, and it is the most common source of TTLock gateway complaints in Australia. See also our dedicated guide on why smart locks drop off WiFi.

Two solutions exist. Split your router into separate 2.4GHz and 5GHz SSIDs and connect the G2 to the 2.4GHz SSID only — see the hardware fix for persistent band-steering issues. Or upgrade to the G5, which is dual-band and handles both frequencies natively.

The G5 also supports up to 100 locks and uses USB-C power. For any new install, the G5 is the default recommendation — the band-steering relief alone justifies the modest additional cost. For the full gateway comparison across all four models, see gateway selection for TTLock properties.

McGrath gateway products available from GCSL: McGrath G2 Gateway • McGrath G5 Gateway

Getting Fingerprints Right — The Enrolment Technique Most People Skip

TTLock supports multiple fingerprint entries per user account. Most people enrol one finger at one angle and accept whatever reliability they get. The platform is designed to do better than this. For the broader context of fingerprint access and its known failure modes, see Chapter 03 — Fingerprint Access.

The technique: enrol the same finger three times at slightly different angles — once straight on, once with a slight tilt to the left, and once with a slight tilt to the right. This covers the natural variation in how the same finger lands on the sensor under different conditions: hands full, slightly wet, cold, or placed at a hurried angle. Multiple enrolment angles give the sensor more reference points to match against.

As a practical backup, also enrol a finger from the non-dominant hand. If the primary hand is occupied — carrying bags, wearing gloves in winter, or holding a coffee — a registered backup finger on the other hand avoids the need to juggle.

Touch-to-Unlock — When to Disable It

Touch-to-Unlock is enabled by default on TTLock-platform locks. When active, touching the keypad while the TTLock app is open and your phone is within Bluetooth range unlocks the door without entering any code. This is part of the Bluetooth access mode and is convenient for regular residents at their own front door.

It becomes a problem in several situations. In an office or commercial setting, a phone carried past the door with the app open can trigger an unintended unlock. In properties where the Bluetooth range of the lock or gateway overlaps with a neighbouring door, a neighbour's phone with the app installed can trigger the same. In any environment where reliable keypad-only entry is required, Touch-to-Unlock should be off.

To disable: TTLock app → Settings (gear icon) → Touch to Unlock → toggle OFF. The setting can be changed remotely with a gateway connected.

Two-Factor Unlocking — The Security Feature Nobody Enables

TTLock supports requiring two credentials simultaneously to unlock. One credential alone is not sufficient — both must be presented in sequence. Examples: fingerprint followed by PIN, or IC card followed by PIN.

The setting is under Lock Settings → Security Settings → Two-Factor. Exact wording varies by firmware version.

Two-factor unlock is appropriate in specific contexts: NDIS or disability housing where staff access should be doubly verified and logged, commercial doors where a single compromised credential should not grant entry, or safe rooms. See Chapter 09 — NDIS Funding for context on how TTLock fits into disability housing applications.

Transferring or Re-Adding a Lock — The Step That Trips Up Property Handovers

Once a TTLock-platform lock is paired to an account, it cannot be paired to a new account until the current administrator deletes it from their account while physically at the lock via Bluetooth. The deletion requires Bluetooth proximity. It cannot be done remotely, even with a gateway connected and active.

This catches people out at property sales, rental changeovers, and secondhand lock purchases with more frequency than you would expect.

The rule: delete the lock from your TTLock account before you vacate the property or hand over the hardware. Do this while physically at the door, before you leave for the final time. The process takes approximately thirty seconds. The same applies to gateways — delete or transfer the gateway before handover.

If you are taking on management of a property with an existing TTLock lock and you are not sure whether it is registered to another account, test it: try to add the lock in the TTLock app. If it refuses, the lock is still registered and you need to track down the previous account holder. If you need professional help with a lock handover situation, see our professional installation and setup service.

Battery Management — The Silent Reliability Factor

Low battery in a TTLock-platform lock affects remote functions before it affects local functions. The lock may still open reliably at the keypad while the gateway has already lost communication with it. From the outside — and from the outside is how an Airbnb host typically monitors their property — everything appears to be working. Remote unlock stops responding and push notifications stop arriving with no obvious indication of why. This is one of the most common causes of what actually fails in electronic locks in real-world operation.

For Airbnb properties or any lock in an access-critical role: check the battery level in the app weekly. The TTLock home screen shows battery level for every connected lock. Replace batteries at 20% remaining — don't wait for keypad warning beeps, which occur much later in the discharge cycle. For realistic battery life expectations, see battery life — the truth, not the marketing version.

After every battery change: calibrate the clock at Lock Settings → Diagnosis → Adjust Time before testing any time-limited passcodes. As described in the clock calibration section above, battery replacement is the most commonly skipped calibration step.

Cyclic Passcodes — The Scheduling Feature Most Hosts Overlook

TTLock's cyclic passcode type repeats on a set schedule: daily, weekdays only, weekends only, or a specific day of the week. The code is valid within a defined time window on each qualifying day — for example, 9am to 3pm every Tuesday.

The most practical use case: a cleaner on a fixed weekly schedule. Generate a cyclic passcode once, set it to Tuesday 9am–3pm. The code is available every Tuesday morning and usable at no other time. No weekly regeneration, no shared master code, no need to remember to update anything. This is how TTLock's passcode scheduling genuinely separates itself from competing platforms that offer fewer scheduling types.

The same pattern works for: property managers with a fixed monthly inspection day, regular contractors on a specific weekly pattern, or any recurring access requirement where a time-limited passcode would otherwise need regenerating repeatedly. For how these integrate into a fully automated Airbnb PMS workflow, see PMS platforms that integrate with TTLock, and Chapter 07 — Property Management Systems for the broader context.

Tamper Alert — Leave It Off

Every TTLock-platform lock shows a Tamper Alert toggle in the app. The toggle is present because the TTLock platform supports tamper detection when the connected lock hardware includes the required sensor. On McGrath, Lockton, and Austyle locks sold in Australia, that hardware is not present.

Enabling the toggle causes phantom alert notifications — the app reports tamper events for no physical reason, because the software is polling a sensor circuit that exists in the platform design but is not populated in the hardware of these models. The alerts look real, occur randomly, and provide no useful information.

Leave the Tamper Alert toggle OFF on all McGrath, Lockton, and Austyle locks.

If you are already receiving phantom tamper alerts and want a step-by-step procedure to stop them, see why Tamper Alert should always be disabled and the step-by-step disable procedure. For the technical explanation of why the toggle exists when the hardware doesn't support it, see Tamper Alert on Smart Locks — What It Is and Why You're Getting Phantom Alerts.

Related Guides in This Series

Something Not Working the Way It Should?

If a setting isn't where this guide describes it, or a problem doesn't match any of the scenarios above, our team can walk you through it.

Disclaimer: App interface wording, menu locations, and feature availability change with TTLock firmware and app updates. The steps described in this guide reflect the TTLock app as of May 2026. Verify current behaviour in your installed version before acting on any of the settings described here.