As VoIP phones do over traditional telephones, IP intercoms provide extensive upgrades when compared with traditional analog intercoms.
From improved audio quality and greatly improved video quality to simple integration with other communications devices in a unified system, IP entry phones offer many advantages.
One of the big advantages that IP door phones offer over traditional models is the diversity of secure entry options. And one of the most convenient secure access control solutions is letting a user unlock the door using a smartphone app.
In this blog, we’ve written a clear FAQ on smartphone apps that integrate with IP intercoms.
Let’s get into it!
All About Apps for Intercom Entry Control
Let’s start with the most basic question:
What is an IP intercom?
An IP intercom is an intercom that’s connected to the IP network, usually using an Ethernet cable; it is configured and managed through the network. It is contrasted with an analog intercom, which is connected via an analog cable to analog equipment. An IP intercom is the equivalent of an IP paging speaker or VoIP phone vs an analog paging speaker or analog telephone.
As with an analog intercom, an IP intercom can be connected to a door strike or door controller, which allows it to unlock a door. But the options for unlocking a door are much greater with an IP intercom.
What access control options do IP intercoms support?
Depending on the model, IP intercoms might offer a wide variety of secure access control options. Here are some examples:
- Button for calling someone who buzzes you in
- Keypad for entering a PIN code or dialing an extension
- RFID sensor for using a contactless RFID card or key fob
- QR code scanner for temporary or one-time passwords given to visitors
- Fingerprint scanner for biometrics-based security
- App-based entry control using proximity, Bluetooth, NFC, and more
This isn’t a complete list. There are more options, too — IP intercoms are much more versatile than traditional intercoms, just like a smartphone is so much more than a traditional phone.
Which entry method is supported depends on the model of the intercom and the app itself.
What IP intercom smartphone apps are available?
Many of the most popular and trusted manufacturers of network-connected intercoms have released apps for Android and iOS. Here are a few examples:
- 2N My2N
- Aiphone IXG Mobile
- Grandstream SecureAccess
This is important: Just because, say, Grandstream has an intercom mobile phone app, that doesn’t mean that the app is compatible with every Grandstream intercom. Always double-check compatibility.
How do I know what app is compatible with an intercom?
You have to check the manufacturer’s website for up-to-date compatibility information.
Are access control apps available for Android? For iOS?
It might depend on the manufacturer but, in our experience, apps should be available for both smartphone ecosystems: Android and iOS.
How do smartphone apps connect to IP intercoms?
Mobile door entry apps might communicate with an IP intercom directly using Bluetooth or NFC, or they might communicate indirectly through the network using Wi-Fi or cellular.
What method is used depends on the model of intercom, the mobile OS, and the app. For example, as of today (August 2026), iPhones in the USA don’t support using NFC for this type of use-case, so only compatible Android phones will be able to use NFC.
Bluetooth is used for a couple of unlocking methods. If it’s used, your phone will connect to the intercom via Bluetooth, and this connection is used to authenticate your phone. (In other words, only apps used by authorized phones will work, not just any phone with Bluetooth.) You then will, for example, tap a button in the app to unlock the door.
Bluetooth might be used for proximity entry; again, the intercom uses a Bluetooth connection to securely identify your phone. Then, as your phone enters within a preset range from the intercom, the door can be automatically unlocked.
What unlocking methods are available in mobile apps for IP intercoms?
There are quite a few unlocking methods available. Here’s a list of some of the options:
- Tap a button or use a slider in the app
- With your phone on your person, touch a button on the intercom (proximity)
- With the app open on your phone, be near the intercom (proximity)
- Shake your phone near the intercom
- Use NFC in the same way that you’d use an RFID card by holding the phone with the app open near the intercom’s reader
- Enter a PIN code in the app
Again, not every intercom will support every feature.
Also note that not all intercom mobile apps are intended to let you unlock the door for yourself; some, like Aiphone IXG, are intended to be used only to open the door for guests.
Can I use a smartphone app to open the door for a guest?
Yes. Depending on the app, you can use an intercom smartphone app to open the door for a visitor.
To unlock the door for a guest, you might tap a button or use a slider in the app. You might also be able to produce a one-time QR code or PIN code that can be used by the guest.
Can I see a video feed of a visitor on my intercom app?
Many apps support video feeds, so when someone at an IP video intercom calls your extension, you may be able to answer it as a video call. The intercom must have a camera in it or attached to it.
How can I connect the app to the intercom so I can use it to unlock the door?
The system administrator needs to authenticate your device, associate the appropriate extension with your device, and add you as an authorized user.
You then follow the app’s registration procedure, which might involve scanning a QR code.
Are there browser-based intercom apps?
We are unaware of any browser-based IP intercom apps for unlocking doors.
How reliable are the apps? Are they secure? Are they updated regularly?
We only sell intercoms from trusted manufacturers that have a proven track record of excellence and professional-grade security. We can’t, however, vouch for IP intercoms from manufacturers we don’t sell.
For example, all of the apps that we listed above have been updated in the last two months (on iOS).
Are there options for my tablet? For my smartwatch?
Yes, these apps often work on tablets like iPad, too, and some manufacturers like 2N offer apps for smartwatches like Apple Watch.
That said, always check the manufacturer’s website for up-to-date compatibility information.
What do I do if I want to know more?
Get in touch! Our experts are here to help you.