How to Use Your Smartphone to Unlock Your Community Doors

If you live in a community with a video intercom or LittleBird access readers with the NFC logo on the front, you can use your compatible smartphone to unlock your community’s access points. Compatible devices are iPhone 11 or newer, and Android phones newer than 2020. Older devices may be compatible, but are not supported.

Prerequisites:

• For Android OS Devices, the following services must be turned on, and the app must have permissions to them: Bluetooth, Location, and NFC. Additionally, VPN's can cause interference, so please turn off any VPN you may have turned on.
• For Apple Devices, the following services must be turned on, and the app must have permissions to them: Bluetooth. Additionally, VPN's can cause interference, so please turn off any VPN you may have turned on

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Version 5.16.1 and higher:
  • Videos
  • For touchless readers or LittleBird intercoms, here's a step-by-step process:
  • NFC Readers
• Version 3.X and below: 

Version 5.16.1 and higher:

Here's a few short videos on how to use your smartphone to access readers around your property:

For intercoms, or touchless access:

For tap-required readers, using NFC (usually around the pool):

For touchless readers or LittleBird intercoms, here's a step-by-step process:

1. Open the LittleBird app, and navigate to the "Access" screen
2. The phone will immediately begin scanning for readers close (you'll need to be within 8 feet of the reader). You'll know is scanning by the "Scanning" logo at the bottom: 
3. If it doesn't find the door you're looking for, tap the "rescan" button at the bottom: 
4. Once its found the door you want to access, tap that door, so its highlighted: 
5. Then, tap the yellow "Unlock" button.  You'll see a small status bar, as the phone communicates to the reader:
   
6. The unlock button will go green, and you should hear a beep, and the door unlocking: 
7. Enter the door, and you're good to go!

For readers that require a "tap to unlock" (usually pool readers)

1. Open the LittleBird app, and navigate to the "Access" screen

2. The phone will immediately begin scanning for readers close (you'll need to be within 8 feet of the reader). You'll know is scanning by the "Scanning" logo at the bottom: 
3. Once its found the door you want to access, tap that door, so its highlighted: 
4. Then, tap the yellow "Unlock" button.  On an iPhone, you'll see a small popup, requesting that you tap your phone to the reader.  On an android, you'll see the "unlock" button change to a NFC logo. Android:
5. For apple iPhones, you'll use the top edge of the phone, and for android phones, generally the center back of the phone, but that can differ.   Hold the recommended part of your phone against the reader until you feel a small vibration, and you'll see the screen change - per the following:Android:
6. You should hear the reader beep, and the door unlock.  Enter, and you are good to go! 

Version 3.X and below: 

1. While standing at a LittleBird Video Intercom unit or LittleBird access reader, open the LittleBird mobile app on your mobile device.

2. Browse to the Smart Access (keypad lock) icon in the navigation bar and watch for your intercom access point to appear on this screen. 

3. Tap the access point’s name once it appears on your screen (As shown above - "Resident Door").

1. If you receive a prompt asking you to “Tap your device on the reader to access”, set the top of your iPhone, or the center back of your Android device on the signal icon on the front of the access reader (iPhone pictured below). Hold it there for 1-3 seconds, until you feel a small vibration and/or see the green checkmark appear on the screen.
   
   

2. If a message stating “Connecting to the reader wirelessly” appears, simply wait for the intercom or the access reader to recognize your device. This will take just a few seconds. 

Tap the Okay button on the confirmation message that appears once the intercom unit or access reader has successfully recognized your device. You’ve now unlocked the access point. 

TROUBLESHOOTING NOTES:

• If you receive an error, often force-closing the LittleBird app, and re-opening it will resolve this.

• If you are not getting any access points to populate when near a reader, there might be a Bluetooth issue. Clearing out the cache could possibly resolve these issues. (*Note: This will clear all Bluetooth connected devices to the phone*) After clearing the cache, uninstall, delete all data, and reinstall the app, accepting all permissions.

• If, after doing these things, it still doesn't work, reach out to LittleBird support, and include your device make and model, so we can confirm that it is a supported device and troubleshoot further with you.