What is an NFC lock? It's an electronic lock that checks a credential over near-field communication (NFC), the 13.56 MHz radio standard that only works when two devices are a few centimeters apart (NFC Forum). You tap a card or a phone, the lock verifies it, and the latch releases. Where NFC locks differ most is in where their power comes from. That last point gets lost in most product listings. Search for "NFC lock" and you'll find hotel keycard readers, home deadbolts with

Short answer: Most smart locks unlock fine without WiFi — the network exists for management, not for opening the door. Power is the harder question, and the answer depends on which of three jobs inside the lock loses its supply. Vendor pages tend to compress all of this into a reassuring "don't worry," which is exactly why the confusion persists. This article gives you the uncompressed version: a three-layer model of what a smart lock actually needs, a matrix of the four dif