An electric strike is one of the most cost-effective ways to add credential-based access to an opening you already have. It replaces the fixed strike plate with a release mechanism, so the door or gate opens on command while your existing lock keeps working. The trick is that four things have to match: the strike type to your lock, the release behavior to your safety needs, the voltage to your power supply, and the faceplate to your frame. This guide covers each one so you can order once with confidence.
What an Electric Strike Does
A standard strike plate is a fixed pocket that catches the latch bolt. An electric strike replaces it with a hinged keeper that pivots out of the way on command: locked, it holds the bolt like a normal strike; triggered, it releases the bolt and the opening swings free, with no key needed from outside.
Two things matter. The strike controls entry, not exit, since people inside always leave by operating the lever or push bar. The mechanical lock is untouched, so your key still works and the door latches every time it closes.
Fail-Safe vs Fail-Secure: Your First Decision
Before you look at any product, decide how the strike should behave when power is lost. This is the choice people most often get wrong.
Fail-secure (or fail-locked) stays locked with no power and releases only when it receives a burst of electricity. It suits most entries, since an outage should not leave your property open, and draws power only when it releases.
Fail-safe does the opposite: it needs continuous power to stay locked and releases the instant power is removed. Use it where an opening must allow free entry during a power loss.
Because occupants exit mechanically, a fail-secure strike never traps anyone inside, and fire-rated openings generally require it so the door stays positively latched during a fire. For a fire door or required exit, confirm the rule with your local authority before ordering.
The Main Types of Electric Strikes
Electric strikes are grouped by the lock they work with and how they mount.
Cylindrical strikes are the most common, pairing with the round latch bolt of a standard cylindrical lockset and recessing into the frame. Mortise strikes work with mortise locksets, where the lock body is built into the door; the keeper geometry differs and the two are not interchangeable. Rim strikes pair with rim-type exit devices, the panic bars you push to exit, and usually surface-mount to avoid cutting the frame.
Mullion and narrow-stile strikes fit the slim aluminum framing of glass storefront doors. No-cut and mini strikes retrofit an existing frame with little or no cutting. Weatherproof strikes use corrosion-resistant, sealed components with an ingress protection rating for pedestrian gates and exposed openings.
Adjustable models fine-tune the keeper position, a real advantage on gates and older frames where alignment is rarely perfect.
When an Electric Deadbolt Makes More Sense
If an opening has no usable latch, or you want a dedicated electronic lock instead of a released latch, an electric deadbolt is the companion choice. Rather than freeing an existing bolt, it throws its own stainless steel bolt into the frame, so it does not depend on the door's lockset. These units are usually fail-safe, run on 12-volt DC, mortise into single doors, and re-lock automatically a few seconds after the door closes. Some add lock or door sensors that report status back to your access system.
Matching the Strike to Your Door or Gate
Fit comes down to four things: the lock, the material, the faceplate, and alignment.
Start with the lock, because it dictates the strike. A cylindrical lever needs a cylindrical strike, a mortise lock a mortise strike, a panic bar a rim strike, and a deadbolt a strike rated for its longer throw.
Then the opening material. Hollow metal and wood frames are the most forgiving. Aluminum storefront usually calls for a narrow-stile strike, and frameless glass often needs purpose-built hardware.
Match the faceplate to your existing cutout to avoid gaps and chiseling. Many strikes ship with interchangeable plates so one unit fits a range of frames.
Plan for alignment. The keeper must line up with the latch bolt, and since doors settle and gates sag, an adjustable keeper or shims separate a clean release from a binding latch.
Powering the Strike the Right Way
Strikes are low-voltage devices, usually 12 or 24 volts, with some accepting AC or DC. Sizing it correctly is where installs go sideways.
Choose AC or DC deliberately. An AC-powered strike always buzzes, because its current reverses sixty times a second; a DC strike runs silently. Most installs choose DC for quiet operation.
Mind the distance. Voltage drops over long runs, and gates are often far from the equipment, so step up to 24 volts or heavier gauge wire on runs beyond roughly a hundred feet.
Match duty to fail mode. Fail-secure energizes only briefly; fail-safe runs continuously, so plan for constant draw and add battery backup for outages.
Connecting the Strike to Your Access Control
On its own, a strike is just a controllable lock. It becomes access control when something decides who gets in and triggers the release.
On the entry side, a keypad grants access with a PIN, a card reader uses proximity cards, fobs, or phone credentials, and an intercom lets a visitor call a resident or office to release the strike remotely. Telephone entry, video, and multi-unit intercoms suit apartment and community entries, and remotes give regular users one-touch entry.
A multi-door access controller ties it together, managing credentials, schedules, and logs, then driving the strike through a relay that briefly releases the keeper.
On the exit side, a push-to-exit button or request-to-exit sensor lets people leave without a credential, and timers can keep an opening unlocked during business hours. Most strikes release on a simple switched output or dry contact, so they pair with almost anything.
Get the Right Strike the First Time
An electric strike is a small part with a big effect on how secure and convenient an opening feels. The sequence is simple: identify your lock, choose fail-secure or fail-safe, match the environment, size the power, and plan how people enter and exit. Get those right and it will serve quietly for years. If you want a second set of eyes before you order, call us at (800) 555-6017, Monday through Friday, 8AM to 4PM PST, and we will help you match a strike to your exact door or gate.