Maybe you just moved into a new high rise in Philadelphia, PA or a studio apartment in Columbus, OH, and you just got your new keys. When you go to unlock your apartment, you may notice that there isn’t a hole for a key but instead, there’s a small box next to your door. Don’t worry, you haven’t been scammed. Most likely, your building is just set up to use key fobs instead of keys.
Key fobs are sleek, usually black or gray, and a little smaller than your average key. In fact, you’ve probably seen a key fob before, since more and more cars use them instead of keys to start their engine. You can find your apartment key fob on the keyring your landlord gave you when you moved in. Depending on how your building is set up, you can use your key fob to access your building, apartment, and other amenities in your apartment building, like the elevator and gym.
If you’ve never had an apartment key fob before, you may have a bunch of questions. How do apartment key fobs work? How do you copy an apartment key fob? How do you get an apartment key fob replaced? Can apartment key fobs be tracked? Read on for answers to these questions and more.
What are apartment key fobs?
Apartment key fobs are a convenient entry option for apartments. Usually, they are small, circular objects a little smaller than a key. You can easily put them on your key ring and they unlock doors simply by tapping them against a sensor near the door you want to open.
Every apartment building uses apartment key fobs differently. For example, one building may have key fobs that open only the front door, while other buildings will have you use your key fob to enter the building, stairwell, elevator, and even your apartment. If you’re apartment shopping, you may want to check in with each apartment building to see how and where they use key fobs.
How do apartment key fobs work?
Key fobs use RFID, or radio frequency identification. What does that mean? Basically, your key fob is…