Our patent pending Virtual Fobs are one of Buzzly's most handy features. A Virtual Fob is a shareable secure link you send to someone you trust so they can open your buzzer themselves, without ever getting your phone number. Think dog walker, cleaner, weekend guest, or a delivery you're expecting. You stay in control, and you're not stuck answering buzzes from the couch.
The very first one was built for Dexter, our founder's dog and Buzzly's first Chief Snuggle Officer, who needed a midday walk when nobody could be by the phone. đ¶
What is a Virtual Fob?
It's a link, not a physical key fob you hand over. You create one from your dashboard, give it a name (like "Dog Walker"), and send it to the person who needs access. When they need to get in, they open the link on their phone and let themselves through. You decide when it works, and you can turn it off or delete it any time.
The best part: they never see your number, and you're not the one picking up the buzzer call.
â
How it works, step by step
Here's where the magic happens. The order matters, so this is the one thing worth reading twice:
Your guest opens their Virtual Fob link on their phone.
They tap the big Tap to Activate button. This starts a 60-second window.
Within those 60 seconds, they dial your buzzer (the same way any visitor would).
Buzzly answers the buzzer call automatically and plays your Unlock Button to open the door. You don't get the call.
You get a notification that says who came in (for example, "Virtual Fob entry: Dog Walker"), and it shows up in your Buzz Log.
Once the 60 seconds are up, your buzzer goes right back to normal (forwarding the call to your phones).
â
â
â
The #1 thing to tell your guest
Activate first, then buzz. The 60-second clock starts the moment they tap Activate, not when they reach the buzzer. So they should walk up to the panel, tap Tap to Activate on their phone, and then dial you. If they tap activate, wander off, and come back two minutes later, the window has already closed and they'll need to tap again.
The activation page spells this out for them too, so you don't have to be the one explaining it at the door.
Setting when it works
You choose exactly when a Virtual Fob is allowed to unlock:
Always: the Virtual Fob works any time of day, every day. Great for a roommate or a regular dog walker.
Set a Schedule: only valid during the days and times you set, so a guest can let themselves in this weekend but not next month.
Recurring weekly windows (for example, every Tuesday and Wednesday from 8am to 10am) are available on the Buzzly Social plan. You can change the validity whenever you like, even after you've already sent the Virtual Fob to someone. đ
The Enabled toggle
Every Virtual Fob has an Enabled toggle. Flip it off and the Virtual Fob stops working immediately, without deleting it, so you can pause access and switch it back on later. Flip it on and it's live again. If you want a Virtual Fob gone for good, you can delete it entirely.
What's a Buzz Code?
Some buildings make a visitor punch a name or number into the buzzer panel before it dials up. If that's your building, you can set an optional Buzz Code so your guest knows exactly what to enter.
When you set one, it shows up right on the guest's activation screen ("Select or enter your code on the buzzer"), so they're not standing there guessing. The Buzz Code is just the building's keypad entry, not a private PIN or password, so it's fine for guests to see. You can set it from the Virtual Fobs page (max 12 characters, something like 205 or SMITH).
Which plans include Virtual Fobs?
Virtual Fobs are part of Buzzly Home and Buzzly Social. They're not included on Buzzly Lite.
If you're on Buzzly Lite and want them, upgrading is self-serve: head to Plan & Usage in your dashboard and pick a plan that includes Virtual Fobs. You can see what each plan offers on our pricing page.
Ready to make one?
Creating a Virtual Fob takes about a minute. See how to create a new Virtual Fob.
Give us a buzz if you get stuck! đ