August DoorSense — Installation Guide for August Smart Lock Pro

Installation guide for DoorSense, the door-position sensor accessory for the August Smart Lock Pro. DoorSense lets your smart lock know whether the door itself is open or closed — not just whether the deadbolt is locked — enabling accurate auto-lock behavior and door-status alerts in the August app.

Choosing an Installation Method

August offers two mounting options:

• Surface Mount — Requires only a screwdriver. DoorSense ships partially assembled for this method, with the magnet enclosure already inside the housing.
• Flush Mount — A cleaner, less visible look with more robust performance, but requires drilling a 5/8" hole into the door frame. Not recommended for hollow metal door frames — use surface mount instead in that case.

Surface Mount Installation

1. Determine mounting location. For optimal performance, mount DoorSense within 1.5" of the edge of the door frame and within 1.5" of the top of the extended deadbolt. If the frame isn't flat, or a perpendicular wall sits next to the door, DoorSense can instead be mounted on that wall — still using the deadbolt height as your guide.
2. Attach mounting tape. Remove one side of the adhesive backing and attach it to the back of the DoorSense unit, aligning the edges and screw holes. Then remove the other side of the backing.
3. Place on door frame. Press the adhesive side onto the frame at the identified mounting position, aligning the pill shape vertically.
4. Screw into frame. Hand-tighten DoorSense to the frame using the included screws. Tip: you may want to wait until after calibration to insert the screws, so you can reposition the unit if readings aren't accurate.
5. Attach the cover. Press the cover onto the DoorSense unit.

Flush Mount Installation

Requires a drill and a 5/8" drill bit.

1. Remove the magnet from the housing — push the magnet carrier out through the center hole using a small blunt object (may require some force).
2. Assemble the magnet to the cap — remove the blue adhesive backing and press the cap onto the notched side of the magnet carrier until the two shapes interlock.
3. Determine mounting location — DoorSense mounts flush into the door frame so the Smart Lock swings away when the door opens. Position it no more than 1.5" from the top edge of the deadbolt strike plate, centered on the frame.
4. Mark drill depth — DoorSense requires a 1/2" deep hole; taping your drill bit at that depth (using the assembled unit as a guide) helps prevent over-drilling.
5. Drill the hole — keep the drill straight and steady.
6. Insert DoorSense into the hole. If it's too snug to push in by hand, protect the frame with scrap wood and use light hammer/mallet taps.

Calibrating DoorSense with Your Lock

1. Once your August Smart Lock Pro is set up, go to Lock Settings → Calibrate Lock, and select LOCK AND DOORSENSE.
2. Follow the in-app instructions until the lock and DoorSense are successfully calibrated together.
3. Open and close the door and confirm the door state reported in the app is accurate.
4. If calibration fails or readings are inaccurate, move the DoorSense housing closer to the August Smart Lock Pro and repeat calibration.
5. If you deferred securing the screws during surface mounting, insert them into the housing and frame now, then replace the cover.
6. If accuracy drifts over time, simply re-run Door State Calibration.

Caution (flush mount): Take extreme care not to drill the hole too large — an oversized hole can let the magnet assembly fall inside the door frame.