May 23, 2025

Understanding Your Door Handing, Swing Direction & Mortise Before Going Smart

When you’re thinking about upgrading to a smart door lock, it’s easy to get excited about the features—keyless entry, remote control, or face recognition. But before you pick the perfect smart door lock, it’s important to understand one thing first: your door itself.

Your door's handing, swing direction, and lock type all play a big role in making sure the smart door lock you choose will fit properly and work smoothly. If these basics aren’t checked, you might run into installation problems or even need extra modifications that could have been avoided.

The good news is, figuring out your door setup is much easier than it sounds. In this guide, we'll walk you through the simple steps to understand terms like left-handed, right-swing, and mortise, so you can shop smart and install with confidence.

Whether you're upgrading your home, securing your office, or preparing a rental property, understanding these door basics will help you find the smart door lock that fits just right—and gives you the convenience and security you're looking for.

1. Why Knowing Your Door Setup Matters for a Smart Door Lock

Choosing a smart door lock isn't just about the design you like or the tech features you want. The way your door is built affects everything—from how the lock lines up to how securely it functions day after day.

Key door details like handing, swing direction, door thickness, and lock type all determine which smart door lock will work for your space. Overlooking these small details can lead to a poor fit, difficulty locking or unlocking, or even costly modifications later.

Before you dive into selecting a smart door lock, it’s smart to get familiar with the basic terms and measurements. If you’d like a deeper introduction to the language used around smart locks and connected devices, check out our Smart Home Terminology Glossary here. It’s a helpful resource that breaks down important terms you’ll often see when choosing your next upgrade.

2. Understanding Door Handing: Left-Handed vs Right-Handed

One of the first things to check is your door’s handing. Knowing whether your door is left-handed or right-handed matters because many smart door locks are designed specifically for one type or the other.

How to Check if Your Door is Left-Handed or Right-Handed

Understanding door handing might sound technical, but it’s actually very easy to figure out on your own. You don’t need any tools—just a quick look at your door from the right position.

🔍 Step-by-Step:

Stand outside the door.
This is the key starting point. For front doors, this usually means standing on the side where you use your key or smart door lock to enter. For interior doors, stand on the side where you would naturally enter the room.
Look at the hinges.
These are the metal pieces that connect the door to the frame. Check which side they are attached to:

If the hinges are on your left, it’s a left-handed door.
If the hinges are on your right, it’s a right-handed door.

Notice how the door swings.
Most handing guides assume the door swings away from you (i.e., you push it open). That’s called an outswing door. If your door swings toward you (pulling it open), the handing is still based on hinge position, but it helps to double-check for clarity.

✅ Quick Summary:

Hinges on the left = Left-Handed Door
Hinges on the right = Right-Handed Door

Knowing your door’s handing is essential for choosing the right smart door lock, especially if you're getting a model with a fixed handle or swing-specific design.

If you pick a smart door lock without matching the handing correctly, you could end up with a lock that feels awkward to use or one that doesn’t latch properly. Some smart door locks are adjustable for both handings, but it’s always good to confirm before ordering.

3. Door Swing Direction: Inswing vs Outswing

Next, you’ll want to know your door's swing direction. This is how the door moves when you open it.

Inswing Door: Opens into the room or building.
Outswing Door: Opens outward, away from the room or building.

Why does swing direction matter?
For smart door locks, especially ones with larger handles or face recognition sensors, the door’s swing affects how well the lock fits and functions. Outswing doors often need locks and accessories that are weatherproof and secure against forced opening.

Here’s a simple tip: Stand outside. Push the door.

If it opens away from you, it’s an outswing.
If it opens toward you, it’s an inswing.

Knowing your swing direction helps you pick a smart door lock that fits neatly and keeps your entryway safe and functional.

4. What is a Mortise Lock? How is it Different from a Cylindrical Lock?

Before you choose a smart door lock, it’s important to know what type of locking system your door has. Most doors either have a mortise lock or a cylindrical lock—and knowing which one you have will help you pick a smart door lock that fits properly.

Here’s the difference in simple terms:

Mortise Lock:
A mortise lock is installed into a deep, rectangular pocket inside the edge of the door. It’s a heavy-duty type of lock often found in older homes, commercial buildings, and higher-end doors. Mortise locks are built for strength and durability. If you're upgrading to a smart door lock on a mortise setup, you’ll need a model that is specially made to fit that deeper pocket.
Cylindrical Lock:
A cylindrical lock is more common today. It fits through a simple round hole drilled into the face of the door, with a latch bolt sticking into the frame. You’ll find cylindrical locks on most modern residential doors. Many smart door locks are designed to easily replace cylindrical locks, making them a quicker and simpler upgrade.

🔍 How to Tell Which One You Have:

Look at the side edge of your door where the lock hardware is located.

If you see a long, rectangular plate with multiple screws, you likely have a mortise lock.
If you see just a small round latch, it’s probably a cylindrical lock.

Since mortise and cylindrical locks are built differently, they are not interchangeable without modifications. Choosing the right smart door lock based on your door's setup will save you time, money, and make installation much smoother.

For a deeper breakdown on mortise locks—especially the differences between sliding doors and swing doors—you can check out our full guide on Sliding and Swing Door Mortises here. It will walk you through how mortises are built and why it’s important when upgrading to a smart door lock.

5. How to Identify Your Door Type at Home (Quick Checks)

You don’t need special tools or expert training to figure out your door’s handing, swing, and lock type.

Here’s a quick way you can check it yourself:

Handing: Stand outside. See which side the hinges are on.
Swing Direction: Push the door open. See if it swings inward or outward.
Mortise or cylindrical Lock: Look at the side of the door and check the lock size and shape.

If you can answer these three simple checks, you’ll have most of the information you need to find a smart door lock that fits perfectly.

Tip: If you have a glass door, metal door, or a door with a narrow frame, you might also want to measure the door thickness, as some smart door locks require minimum thicknesses for secure installation.

6. Choosing the Right Smart Door Lock Based on Your Door

Once you know your door’s setup, choosing the right smart door lock becomes much easier.

Here are some important things to match up:

Handing and Swing: Choose a lock that supports your door’s handing and opening style. Some smart door locks handle direction are interchangeable which means you have the liberty to have it set up right or left handle direction.
Lock Type: If you have a mortise setup, look for smart locks designed for mortise doors. If you are open to conversion, consider the door make and model and the door type you have. Conversion differs from one door to another.
Door Thickness: Double-check if the lock fits the width of your door. Check the Technical Specifications of each lock to ensure accuracy.
Material Compatibility: Make sure the smart door lock is compatible with wood, metal, or glass if needed.
Special Styles: If you have a narrow stile door, sliding door, or framed glass door, there are specialized smart locks available that fit these designs.

By matching your door’s specifications with the smart door lock’s requirements, you avoid future problems and make sure your security upgrade feels seamless.

7. When to Call a Professional Locksmith

Even after doing all the right checks—handing, swing direction, lock type—sometimes it’s still better to leave the installation to a professional. Installing a smart door lock isn’t just about fitting the lock onto the door. It’s also about making sure the lock lines up properly, seals tightly, and operates securely day after day.

That’s where working with a trusted professional locksmith really makes a difference.

A qualified locksmith can:

Confirm your door’s handing, swing, and mortise setup before installation.
Recommend the right smart door lock model based on your specific door structure.
Perform careful modifications if needed (especially for mortise doors or narrow stiles).
Ensure the smart lock is properly calibrated for long-term performance and security.

At the Connected Shop, we proudly offer a Locksmith Partnership Program designed to connect you with professional locksmiths who are experts at installing our full range of smart door locks.

Our locksmith partners are trained to work with different door types—residential, commercial, framed glass doors, sliding doors, multipoint systems, and more—ensuring a smooth and stress-free experience.

🔑 Real-World Success Stories:

Malcolm, a trusted locksmith partner, has successfully installed our Next Gen Smart Lock on narrow commercial doors and completed challenging multipoint retrofits with our Smart Door Lock Slim. Watch the successful installation here.
Georgia Home Products, one of our collaborating partners, integrates our smart locks for homeowners who are transitioning from traditional hardware to smart solutions—especially on specialty door frames. Watch the installation video here.
Total Relock in Los Angeles has installed sliding door smart locks on impact-rated doors, showcasing smooth before-and-after transformations for residential customers and rental properties. Watch here to discover a smart door lock upgrade.

Through these partnerships, we’ve helped hundreds of homeowners, businesses, and builders upgrade to smarter access solutions—with professional handling every step of the way.

If you're unsure about compatibility, door preparation, or installation, reaching out to one of our locksmith partners is the smartest way to move forward. You get peace of mind knowing your smart door lock is installed correctly, backed by experts who know the products inside and out.

Conclusion

Upgrading to a smart door lock is one of the best ways to improve the security, convenience, and style of your space. But before you choose your lock, understanding your door’s handing, swing direction, and lock type makes all the difference.

A few quick checks now will make installation easier later—and help you pick a smart door lock that truly fits your life. Armed with the right information, you’re ready to enjoy smarter, safer access to your home or business.

Key Takeaways: Door Talk 101

✔️ Understand Your Door First
Before choosing a smart door lock, take time to check your door's handing, swing direction, and lock type.

✔️ Handing Matters
Stand outside your door. If the hinges are on your left, it's a left-handed door. If they're on your right, it's right-handed.

✔️ Swing Direction Affects Fit

Inswing doors open into the room.
Outswing doors open outward.
This affects weatherproofing and lock installation.

✔️ Know If You Have a Mortise Lock
Mortise locks sit inside a deep pocket in the door. Tubular locks fit into a standard round hole. Choosing the right smart door lock depends on this.

✔️ Use Quick Checks at Home
Handing, swing direction, and lock type can usually be checked in just a few minutes without tools.

✔️ Choose a Lock Designed for Your Door
Pick a smart door lock that's compatible with your door’s size, thickness, material, and style.

✔️ Call a Locksmith If Needed
When in doubt, a professional locksmith can help you measure, choose, and install your smart door lock correctly.