Is a buzz code the same as the number I press to open the door?

No, and mixing them up is where most of the confusion comes from. The buzz code is what a visitor enters on the panel to ring your unit. The number you press is the release key on your own phone once the buzzer call reaches you, almost always 9 and sometimes 6, and it is what actually unlocks the door. One is for the person outside, the other is for you on the call.

What do I put when a delivery app asks for a buzz code or entry code?

Put the unit or directory code that rings your phone, and add a quick note like 'dial unit 305, it calls my phone to buzz you in.' If your building has a real door code that unlocks the lobby, you can enter that instead so the driver lets themselves in. If you are not sure which your building uses, your unit number plus your phone number in the delivery notes covers you either way.

Is sharing a permanent building buzz code safe?

It is convenient but it is a standing risk. A fixed door code does not expire and cannot be traced to one person, so every former tenant, ex-roommate, and one-time visitor who ever learned it can still open the lobby. If your building allows it, a code you can change or expire per visitor is far safer than one shared number everyone keeps.

Blog / What Is a Buzz Code? Apartment Buzzer Codes Explained

What Is a Buzz Code? Apartment Buzzer Codes Explained

By Ty · 2026-06-04

A delivery app asked for your “buzz code,” or a guest texted from the lobby to ask what to punch in, and you realized you are not sure what yours actually is. In almost every apartment building, your buzz code is simply the number a visitor enters on the entry panel to ring your unit, usually your apartment number or a short directory code the building gave you. Entering it places a phone call to your phone, and you let them in from there. Here is how to find yours and what to tell people at the door.

How to find and use your buzz code

To find your buzz code, look at the entry panel by the front door, where your name and code are usually listed, or check your lease or move-in packet. If neither shows it, your building manager can confirm it in seconds. Keep in mind that in most buildings this code only rings your phone, it does not open the door on its own. A smaller number of buildings also issue a fixed door code that unlocks the lobby without calling anyone. Here is how the common ways to get someone in compare:

Option	Pros	Cons
Your unit’s call code (visitor dials you)	Nothing to set up, works the day you move in	Only opens the door if you are free to answer the call and press the release key, usually 9
A permanent building door code	Opens the lobby directly, with no call to answer	Rarely changes, and everyone who was ever given it still has it, so it is a standing security gap
Be home to open the door yourself	No code or phone call needed	Only works when you are home and free to go down to the door
Lowkey	Gives you a 4-digit passcode you control per visitor, or buzzes them in automatically, and you can change or expire it anytime	Quick one-time setup with your building

If you only need to know what to tell a driver or a guest, give them your unit’s call code and stay reachable for the call. If you are tired of needing to answer at all, a code you control is the better fit.

Where Lowkey helps

If your buzzer dials out to a phone number, which covers most apartment and condo panels, Lowkey gives you a real buzz code instead of a borrowed one. You set a 4-digit passcode that a visitor types on the building keypad, and Lowkey opens the front door for them automatically, with no call to catch. You can hand a different code to a dog walker, a houseguest, or a delivery, schedule it to work only during the window you expect them, and change or expire it whenever you want.

It is software with nothing to install on the wall, so any resident on the account can manage codes from their phone. You get a push notification and an activity history every time a code is used, all on 99.99% uptime, and the 14-day free trial lets you confirm it works on your building’s panel first.