Choosing a smart lock is usually a fight between two priorities. You want the security and convenience of a keyless deadbolt, and you also want the lock to look right on the door, because the hardware is one of the first things a visitor sees and one of the last things you notice each night. The Schlage Encode with the Greenwich trim in bright chrome manages both. It is a WiFi smart deadbolt with a touchscreen keypad and full app control, and the polished chrome Greenwich trim gives it a bright, modern presence on the door. I installed this bright chrome version on a front door, used it daily for a month, and this review records how it performed and how it looked.
Before the details, the standard note. This article contains affiliate links, and if you buy through one of them the site earns a small commission at no extra cost to you. That commission does not change what I test or what I recommend. The lock reviewed here was installed on a real entry door and used every day.
The bright chrome finish is the first thing you notice. It catches the light and reads as polished and contemporary, a deliberate departure from the darker finishes that dominate the smart lock market. The rest of this review covers the installation, the keypad and app, the integrations, and how the chrome trim changes the experience.
Design and Build
The Greenwich trim is the modern member of the Encode family, with clean squared lines and a rectangular interior handle. In bright chrome, that squared profile becomes positively shiny, reflecting light across the door in a way that suits contemporary entryways, white and light colored doors, and any exterior where you want hardware to stand out rather than disappear.
The build quality is the standard Schlage quality, substantial metal parts and a solid mechanical feel. The exterior carries the touchscreen keypad with the physical keyway tucked beneath it, and the interior has the clean rectangular thumb turn. The bright chrome is applied evenly across the metal, and after a month of daily use the finish showed no chips, peeling, or discoloration. It is a proper architectural detail rather than a plastic smart gadget.
The one honest note on the finish is fingerprints. Bright chrome is a polished reflective surface, so it shows smudges and finger marks more readily than a matte or satin finish, particularly on the touchscreen and the area around it. A quick wipe restores the shine, but anyone who hates fingerprints on their hardware should weigh that against the look of the chrome.
Key Features
The functional core is the same as every Encode model. WiFi is built in, so the lock connects directly to your 2.4 GHz home network with no bridge or hub, and the Schlage Home app unlocks and locks the door from anywhere. The app manages access codes, letting you create permanent codes for family, temporary codes for guests, and scheduled codes for recurring visits like a house cleaner or a dog walker.
The touchscreen keypad is the daily interface. Codes enter on the standard layout, the keys respond reliably in all light, and the keypad works alongside the physical key backup. The lock reports which code opened the door and when, building a useful history in the app that tells you who came and went.
The smart home integrations cover Alexa, Google Home, and Ring, so you can lock by voice or see the deadbolt status alongside a video doorbell. The Encode also works with Airbnb, which lets short term rental hosts manage guest access without sharing a physical key, and it carries ANSI Grade 1 certification, the highest residential security grade, along with a built-in alarm that triggers on forced entry or tampering.
Real-World Performance
Installation followed the standard Encode path. The lock is a full replacement deadbolt that fits a standard door prep, and I had it on the door in about twenty minutes with a Phillips screwdriver. The app walked through the setup, found the WiFi network, and paired the lock without a hitch. For a homeowner who has changed a door handle, the install is not intimidating.
The keypad performed flawlessly all month. The touchscreen lit up instantly in the morning dark, the digits registered cleanly, and the lock cycled with a satisfying mechanical thunk. Entering a code and turning the thumb turn, or just entering the code and pulling, opened the door every single time. The bright chrome surface did collect fingerprints as expected, and I found myself wiping the area around the keypad more often than with a matte lock, which is the price of the polished finish.
The app experience was dependable. Locking and unlocking remotely responded within seconds, and the activity log correctly showed which code entered the door and at what time. The auto-lock feature relocked the door after the set delay, and the low battery alert was proactive rather than panicked. I paired the lock with Alexa and confirmed voice locking worked, and the Ring integration displayed the deadbolt status beside the doorbell camera feed.
Battery life through the month stayed strong, with the included batteries reporting full in the app. The one genuine limitation, shared with the whole Encode line, is the 2.4 GHz WiFi requirement, which can be an issue on mesh networks that push everything to 5 GHz, and the price, which sits above hub-based smart locks even though the hub-less design narrows the real cost.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Polished bright chrome Greenwich trim looks striking on modern doors
- Built-in WiFi with no hub or bridge required
- Reliable app control and remote lock status
- Flexible access codes for family, guests, and schedules
- ANSI Grade 1 certification with a built-in alarm
- Works with Alexa, Google Home, Ring, and Airbnb
Cons:
- Bright chrome shows fingerprints readily
- Premium price compared with hub-based locks
- Needs a 2.4 GHz WiFi network
- No built-in doorbell camera
How It Compares
The Greenwich Encode shares its electronics with the Century Encode, so the real comparison is about trim style and how the bright chrome changes the look. The table below lines up the two Encode trims and a hub-based alternative.
| Feature | Encode Greenwich Chrome | Encode Century | Hub-Based Lock |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trim style | Modern, squared | Traditional, rounded | Varies |
| Finish | Bright chrome | Satin nickel | Varies |
| WiFi built in | Yes | Yes | No, needs hub |
| Touchscreen keypad | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| ANSI Grade 1 | Yes | Yes | Varies |
| Airbnb support | Yes | Yes | Varies |
If your door and exterior lean bright and contemporary, the Greenwich in bright chrome is the cleaner visual match, and it stands out beautifully on white and light colored doors. The Century satin nickel is the safer traditional pick that hides fingerprints better. The electronics underneath are identical, so the choice comes down to finish, and you can check the current price of the Schlage Encode Greenwich on Amazon to compare the finishes.
Who Should Buy It
Buy the Schlage Encode Greenwich in bright chrome if you want a polished, eye catching lock for a light or contemporary door, if you want hub-free WiFi control with flexible guest codes, and if you do not mind a quick wipe to keep the chrome shining. It suits homeowners who treat the front door as part of the design as well as the security, and hosts who want app based guest access without handing out keys.
Skip it if you prefer traditional hardware, because the Century trim is the safer classic look, or if you hate visible fingerprints, because the chrome will demand wiping more than a matte finish would. For a bright modern door, this is the smart lock that makes a statement.
How We Test
I installed the Schlage Encode Greenwich in bright chrome on a front door and used it as my daily entry lock for a month. I tested the touchscreen in sunlight and darkness, created personal and temporary codes, and used the app to lock and unlock from a remote location. I paired the lock with Alexa and Ring, used the auto-lock setting, reviewed the activity log, and checked the bright chrome finish for wear and fingerprints after a month of use.
I did not run a formal security test or attack the lock physically, and I used the included batteries throughout. For a broader look at smart locks and their security ratings, Tom's Guide has a guide to the best smart locks that is worth reading. The Schlage Encode Greenwich listing on Amazon shows the current price and available finishes.
Schlage Encode Greenwich: Questions People Ask
What makes the Greenwich trim different from the Century trim?
The Greenwich trim features a sleeker, more modern profile with a rectangular interior handle, while Century has a more traditional rounded shape.
Does the Schlage Encode need a hub to connect?
No, the Encode has WiFi built in, so it connects directly to your 2.4 GHz home network and works with the Schlage Home app without any separate hub or bridge.
Can I unlock the deadbolt from anywhere?
Yes, because the Encode is WiFi native, the Schlage Home app unlocks and locks the door from anywhere as long as your home internet connection is up.
Will the bright chrome finish hold up on a front door?
The bright chrome finish is a polished reflective surface that suits modern doors, and the lock is built for exterior use, though chrome does show fingerprints more readily than matte finishes.
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