At the gate
Gate access
Last verified: October 4, 2026This guide is for the SAGE app (version 3) and management portal you use today. See the guide for the new apps.
Your phone is your key. Residents, invited guests and vendors all open the gate the same way, as long as they have an access key in the app and are inside their access schedule.
Open the gate with the app
- Tap Gain Access - On the home screen, tap Gain Access (Tap to Enter).
- Pick QR or BLE - If your community has set you up for Bluetooth entry, the button splits into QR and BLE. Pick one. If not, the camera opens straight away for a QR scan.
- Scan or connect - For QR, point your camera at the QR code on the gate kiosk’s screen, or at the QR code an on-site guard shows you on their tablet. For BLE, hold your phone close to the gate’s reader and wait for it to connect.
- Check the result - The app shows Access Granted or Access Denied.
If you haven’t verified your identity in the app (minors don’t need to), what happens depends on your community and your phone. If your community requires ID verification, you have to verify before you can scan. If it doesn’t, tapping Gain Access on iPhone still opens a prompt to verify your identity instead of the scanner, while on Android the scanner opens as usual. See ID verification.
If you have access keys for more than one property in the same community, the app asks which key to use after you scan.
On iPhone, you can press and hold BLE to turn automatic Bluetooth entry on or off. A white outline around BLE means it’s on.
The gate only opens inside your access schedule. If your access is suspended or outside its schedule, you’ll see Access Denied. On iPhone, if Gain Access says “Not available for your account”, your type of account can’t scan for entry. Ask your property manager.
The QR code on a kiosk changes after each entry. On iPhone, if you scan a code that has already changed, you’ll see Code Expired. Scan the code on the kiosk again.
The app needs your camera for QR and Bluetooth for BLE. If you see a black screen instead of the camera, or Bluetooth isn’t working, open your phone’s settings, find SAGE, and allow camera and Bluetooth access. The app also offers a shortcut to Settings if camera access is off.
Using the gate kiosk
Not every community has a SAGE kiosk. Where there is one, it’s the way in for your guests. A kiosk can show any of these options. Your community decides which ones appear on each kiosk.
| Kiosk option | What it does |
|---|---|
| Resident Directory | Visitors search for a resident by name or address and call them. See Call directory. |
| Contact Guard | Calls a guard for help with access. |
| Enter Code | Opens a keypad for a one-time code. |
| Exit Gate | Appears on some kiosks, for leaving through that gate. |
| QR code on the screen | Residents and guests scan it with Gain Access. |
Open the gate with a one-time code
If you have a one-time code, one you made yourself or one a resident shared with you, tap Enter Code on the kiosk and type the six digits. You’ll see Access Granted (“Please Enter the Gate”) or Access Denied (“Please Contact the Resident”). You don’t need the app. See One-time codes.
No kiosk?
If your community has an on-site guard instead, the guard checks you in. The guard’s tablet can also show an entrance QR code that you scan with Gain Access.
Need help?
Questions? Contact us at support@sagesystems.io.