How to Choose a Mounting Plate for Your August Smart Lock
By August Home | Smart Locks for Convenient, Keyless Entry | Published: 2026-10-16
Category: How-to Guides
Match the right August mounting plate to your lock generation, doorbell, or replacement job. A step-by-step guide with compatibility checkpoints and common mistakes.
Quick answer
Choose the mounting plate that matches your exact August device generation, not the lock shape or the door. The August Wi-Fi Smart Lock, 4th Gen uses its own plate, the August Doorbell Cam Pro uses a doorbell-specific plate, and the 1st Gen, 2nd Gen, and 3rd Gen Pro smart locks share one plate. If you order by brand alone, you will likely get a plate that does not line up with the mounting holes.
Why the plate matters more than it looks
The mounting plate is the metal interface between your door and the lock body. It carries the screw holes, the alignment tabs, and the cutout that lets the lock sit flush. A plate from the wrong generation can look almost identical but sit a few millimeters off, which is enough to stop the lock from seating or to strip screws during installation.
August sells these as standalone parts, so replacing a lost, bent, or painted-over plate does not require buying a new lock. That is the main reason people search for a replacement in the first place.
What you need before you order
Gather three things: the exact model name printed on the lock or its box, the generation number, and a photo of the current plate on the door. The generation number is the deciding factor. August lists compatibility by generation, and the Wi-Fi Smart Lock, 4th Gen is treated separately from the earlier Smart Lock and Smart Lock Pro lines.
If you are replacing a doorbell plate rather than a lock plate, the decision is simpler: the August Doorbell Cam Pro Mounting Plate is made for the Doorbell Cam Pro and is designed to replace your existing wired doorbell setup. Do not substitute a lock plate here.
Where people go wrong
The most common mistake is ordering the 4th Gen plate for an older lock, or the older plate for a 4th Gen lock, because the product photos look similar. The second most common mistake is assuming a plate that fits one August lock will fit another. The catalog does not list cross-generation compatibility, so treat any plate as specific to the models named in its product listing.
A third mistake is reusing old screws with a new plate. If the original screws are stripped or the wrong length, the plate will not torque down evenly, and the lock can shift later.
Step-by-step: choosing and fitting the right plate
- Identify your exact August model and generation: Check the label on the back of the lock or the original packaging. Write down whether it is a Wi-Fi Smart Lock 4th Gen, a Smart Lock 1st or 2nd Gen, a Smart Lock Pro 3rd Gen, or a Doorbell Cam Pro. Checkpoint: if you cannot confirm the generation, do not order yet. A guess here is the top cause of returns.
- Match the generation to the correct plate listing: Use the product listing compatibility line, not the photo. The 4th Gen lock and the Doorbell Cam Pro each have their own plate; the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Gen Pro locks share one plate. Checkpoint: the plate listing should name your model explicitly. If it does not, keep looking.
- Remove the old plate and inspect the door surface: Take out the mounting screws, lift the old plate away, and check for stripped holes, paint buildup, or a damaged cutout. Clean the surface before fitting the new plate. Common mistake: forcing a new plate over old paint or debris, which prevents it from sitting flat.
- Test-fit the new plate before tightening: Set the plate in place and confirm the screw holes and lock cutout line up. Only then start the screws, and tighten them evenly in a cross pattern. Checkpoint: the lock body should seat without resistance. If it rocks or binds, stop and recheck the model match.
- Reinstall the lock and test operation: Mount the lock, then run a full lock and unlock cycle, including any auto-unlock or keypad entry you use. Confirm the plate does not shift under normal use. Next step: if the plate moves, remove it and check screw length and hole condition before retightening.
August mounting plates in this store
- Mounting Plate for August Wi-Fi Smart Lock, 4th Gen: Replacement mounting plate from August Home, designed for use with the August Wi-Fi Smart Lock, 4th Gen. Standard option, SKU 025-00261. This is the correct plate if your lock is specifically the Wi-Fi Smart Lock, 4th Gen. It will not be the right choice for 1st, 2nd, or 3rd Gen locks.
- August Doorbell Cam Pro Mounting Plate: Replacement mounting plate for the August Doorbell Cam Pro, designed to replace your existing wired doorbell setup. Standard option, SKU 025-00138. Use this only for the Doorbell Cam Pro. It is a doorbell plate, not a deadbolt plate, so it solves a different installation problem.
- Mounting Plate for Smart Lock 1st Gen, 2nd Gen, 3rd Gen Pro: Mounting plate that attaches to the inside of your door to hold the August Smart Lock. Compatible with August Smart Lock 1st Gen, August Smart Lock 2nd Gen, and August Smart Lock Pro 3rd Gen. One plate covers three older generations, so if you own any of those locks, this is the part to order. It is not listed for the 4th Gen.
