Before you start:
Download the Portal App
Log in to your account
Enable Bluetooth on your phone
Make you create the rooms via the Portal App or Dashboard before this setup — see Portal: How to Manage Doors if you haven't created the room/door yet
A Portal Gateway should be installed and connected nearby — see the Gateway section below
Important — Disc compatibility: a SmartDisc used with a Module setup and a disc used directly in an older-generation SmartLock are not interchangeable, even though they look identical and the physical removal/charging procedure is the same for both. If a SmartLock's disc is mistakenly connected to a Module setup (or vice versa), it will not work. Always keep discs with the property/setup they were originally provisioned for.
Step 1 - Install the Portal Adaptor
Together with the smart disc, you will receive an Adaptor (wireless module) which will allow the Smartdisc to communicate with your current locks.
The first step is to open your current lock and replace the wireless module.
The black and red cables connect to the power, and the others connect to the motor.
Step 2 - Connect the Wireless Module to the Room
Open the Portal App;
Navigate to the Menu> click "Add device"> select "Module">select the room;
Press and hold the reset button for 5 seconds to turn on the blue light.
Select the wireless module from the list.
Wait a few seconds, and it will prompt you to the next step.
Step 3 - Pairing the SmartDisc Keypad to the Wireless Module
Using a paperclip, press the initialize button on the back of the disc. Once it beeps, it's ready to be paired.
Open the room/door in the Portal App.
Tap the 3-dot menu (Options) > under Accessories, tap Smart Disc.
If the disc is in pairing mode, it will be found.
Hit connect & allow to finish pairing;
Your SmartDisc is now connected to your lock, and will show as "Connected" with its battery percentage under Accessories > Smart Disc.
Step 4 - Install SmartDisc
Attach the backplate to the desired place.
Add the SmartDisc frame on top of the backplate.
Place the Smartdisc on the frame, and they should click together.
Tip:
The SmartDisc can be mounted on doors or next to doors. This is handy if you have fire-rated doors & can not penetrate the door with any screws.
Bringing the Module Online via a Portal Gateway
The Module has no built-in Wi-Fi radio, so it relies on a nearby Portal Gateway to come online and stay in sync with Portal's servers.
To connect a Gateway
Open the Portal Staff App and go to the Gateways tab.
Tap the + button.
Choose the Gateway type and name it.
Make sure Bluetooth is on, then power-cycle the gateway (plug/unplug) so the app can find it.
If it's a Wi-Fi gateway model, tap the device in the app and let it search for nearby Wi-Fi, then select your network, enter the password, and tap Connect.
Confirm the gateway was not previously connected to another property.
See Portal-Access Gateways for the full gateway article, including reconnect steps, LED status meanings, and placement guidance.
Testing the Module After Connecting
Connecting a Module does not automatically create a way to unlock or test it. If the Unlock option doesn't appear for the room/door in the Portal App — for example, the app may show "No key grants you access to this door. Issue or update one from the dashboard, then check again." — this is expected:
Confirm the room/door was created first — see Portal: How to Manage Doors.
Create a Staff Key for the installer in the Portal Dashboard (Keys tab → Add Key), with this room/door added — see Portal: Teams vs Keys — Understanding Staff Access for the full walkthrough.
The installer signs in to the Portal App using the same account the Key was assigned to.
Once the Key syncs, the Unlock option appears for that room/door — tap Check Again on the door screen if it was already open.
Use Unlock to confirm the Module opens the lock correctly.
5. Battery Information
The door detail screen in the Portal App shows two separate battery readouts: one for the Lock and one for the SmartDisc — these can differ, since the disc and the lock's own battery drain independently. The Doors list also shows both percentages side by side for doors with a connected Module (e.g. "100% · 13%").
Note: Right after installation, the battery may not yet appear split into these two separate readouts. The two-battery display only becomes reliably visible after the door has been unlocked at least once — unlocking triggers a sync that reports both battery levels back to Portal. If you check immediately after connecting and only see one reading (or none), unlock the door once and check again rather than assuming something is wrong.
The Smart Disc's own battery and connection status can also be checked under the door's Options > Accessories > Smart Disc tab.
Note: Most locks use AA batteries, so if the Lock battery reading is low, it likely means the AA batteries in that lock need to be replaced — this is separate from the SmartDisc's own rechargeable battery.
The physical removal and charging procedure is the same for discs used with Modules and discs used with older-generation SmartLocks — for full steps, see Portal-How to remove the disc and battery from the SmartLock. As noted above, the discs themselves are not interchangeable between the two setups.
