Level makes some of our favorite smart locks—including in the retrofit class—so we were excited to hear last March that the company had achieved Matter certification. But we’ve been waiting ever since for the firmware update that would enable that support. That day has finally arrived—in a manner of speaking.
Level has announced the launch of the all-new Level Lock+ (Matter), which is equipped with both Bluetooth and Thread radios, the latter to support Matter over Thread. Physically, the lock is identical to the existing Level Lock+ we reviewed in July, 2023. That lock also has Bluetooth and Thread radios, but the latter is dormant.
The new Level Lock+ (Matter) is priced at $329, the same as the Bluetooth Level Lock but $20 less than the Bluetooth + Wi-Fi Level Lock (which comes with a Bluetooth-to-Wi-Fi bridge).
This news is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best smart locks.
The good news for existing Level Lock+ users who care about Matter is that a firmware update will finally activate that lock’s Thread radio. The bad news is that you’ll need to jump through some hoops to get that update. And once you get it, installing the firmware will remove compatibility with Amazon’s Sidewalk network, which could complicate things—at least temporarily—for users who have been connecting to their Level Lock+ over the internet via a Sidewalk bridge.
Michael Brown/Foundry
The absence of Sidewalk support will most likely impact Ring and Android users, since the typical iPhone-using smart-home enthusiast probably has their Level Lock+ connected to an Apple smart home hub (e.g., an Apple HomePod, HomePod mini, or a 4th-generation Apple TV or later).
Looking on the bright side again, buying a Level Lock+ (Matter) or updating an existing Level Lock+’s firmware opens a host of alternative connectivity choices via the Amazon Alexa, Apple Home, Google Home, or Samsung SmartThings ecosystems. You’ll be able to use a Level Lock+ with any or all of those hubs.
As for the hoops you’ll need to jump through: Level says the firmware update is irreversible, so you’ll need to visit Level’s update site, confirm that you wish to update a Level Lock+ (not the original Level Lock, Level Lock (touch edition), or the Level Bolt retrofit lock), confirm that you have a Matter-over-Thread-compatible smart home hub (various models of the Amazon Echo, Eero router, Apple HomePods and newer Apple TVs, Google Nest Hubs and Google Wifi routers, and Samsung SmartThings devices qualify (including the Aeotec Smart Home Hub and the Samsung SmartThings Station).
Michael Brown/Foundry
You’ll also need to ensure that the lock is paired with the Level app (a factory reset and re-pair is required if it isn’t), acknowledge that you’ll need to re-pair the lock with any third-party ecosystem (Amazon, Apple, Google, or Samsung), acknowledge that linking to Ring via Sidewalk will no longer work after the firmware update, and provide your lock’s serial number.
But after all that, you still won’t get the firmware update. Instead, you’ll need to provide your name and email address and then wait for Level to contact you “with next steps.” No guidance is provided as to when that might happen.
Don’t wait too long to act, though; Level says its firmware update will only be available for 60 days, until January 14, 2025.
