Get lock credential status

Use this action to check the status of a single credential slot on a Matter lock. The response tells you whether the slot is in use, which user it belongs to, and which controller created or last changed it. A common use is to check whether a slot is free before you add a new credential.

This action returns its result in a response variable, which you can use in later steps of the same automation or script.

Using this action from the user interface

If you prefer building automations and scripts visually, Home Assistant walks you through this action step by step. You pick what to target, tweak a few options, and save. No YAML knowledge required.

To get a credential status from an automation or a script:

1. Go to Settings > Automations & scenes.
2. Open an existing automation or script, or select Create automation > Create new automation.
3. If you’re setting up a new automation, add a trigger in the When section. Scripts don’t need a trigger. They run when something else calls them.
4. In the Then do section, select Add action.
5. Select what you want to control. Under By target (see Targets), select the lock you want to query.
6. From the actions shown for that target, under Matter, select Get lock credential status.
7. Set the Credential type and Credential index to check.
8. Select Save.

Options in the UI

The available credential types are:

• programming_pin: A special administrative PIN used to manage the lock at the keypad.
• pin: A numeric PIN code entered on the lock’s keypad.
• rfid: An RFID tag or card tapped against the lock’s reader.
• fingerprint: A fingerprint registered on the lock’s biometric sensor.
• finger_vein: A finger-vein pattern registered on the lock’s biometric sensor.
• face: A facial recognition profile registered on the lock.
• aliro_credential_issuer_key: An Aliro credential issuer key, used by Aliro-compatible locks for NFC-based access.
• aliro_evictable_endpoint_key: An Aliro endpoint key that the lock can remove when it runs out of space.
• aliro_non_evictable_endpoint_key: An Aliro endpoint key that the lock must keep and cannot automatically remove.

Using this action in YAML

If you work directly in YAML, or you want to know exactly what Home Assistant does under the hood, this section has the technical reference. It lists the field names you use in YAML, their types, and which ones are required. For how an automation or a script is built in YAML, refer to Automations in YAML and Scripts.

In YAML, refer to this action as matter.get_lock_credential_status. Store the result in a response variable so you can use it in later steps:

action: matter.get_lock_credential_status
target:
  entity_id: lock.front_door
data:
  credential_type: pin
  credential_index: 1
response_variable: credential_status

Options in YAML

Targets of the action

This action requires a target. The target is the object of the action. You can point the action at a single entityAn entity represents a sensor, actor, or function in Home Assistant. Entities are used to monitor physical properties or to control other entities. An entity is usually part of a device or a service. [Learn more], a device, an area, a floor, or a label, and Home Assistant will run the action on every matching Matter lock behind that target.

• Entity: one specific Matter lock, such as lock.front_door.
• Device: every Matter lock that belongs to a device.
• Area: every Matter lock in a room or area.
• Floor: every Matter lock on a floor.
• Label: every Matter lock that shares a label.

You can also select different target types in one action. For example, you can add a specific entity and an area as targets in the same action to run the action on both of them at once.

Response data

The action returns the status of the credential slot you queried. The response includes the following fields:

• credential_exists: Whether a credential is stored in the slot.
• user_index: The user the credential is linked to, if any.
• creator_fabric_index: The controller that created the credential.
• last_modified_fabric_index: The controller that last changed the credential.
• next_credential_index: The next credential slot, if the lock reports one.

Good to know

• The creator_fabric_index and last_modified_fabric_index fields refer to the controller (such as Home Assistant, Apple Home, or Google Home) that created or changed the credential.

Still stuck?

To test the action on its own, run it in the automation editor with Run action, and check the message that it shows. To see what the action did when the automation ran, open the trace of that run. For details, refer to Testing automations. For common problems and their solutions, refer to Troubleshooting automations.

If that doesn’t help, the Home Assistant community is quick to help: join Discord for real-time chat, post on the community forum with the action you’re calling and what you expected to happen, or share on our subreddit /r/homeassistant.

Related actions

Explore related actions:

• Set lock credential: Adds or updates a credential, such as a PIN, on a Matter lock.

• Clear lock credential: Removes a credential, such as a PIN, from a Matter lock.

• Get lock users: Returns all users configured on a Matter lock.