An electronic lock (or electric lock) is a locking device that operates by means of electric current. The electric locks are sometimes independent with an electronic control assembly mounted directly on the lock. The electric locks can be connected to an access control system, whose advantages include: key control, where keys can be added and removed without reinserting the locking cylinder; fine access control, where time and place are factors; and the transaction log, where the activity is logged. Electronic locks can also be monitored and controlled remotely, both to lock and unlock.
Electric locks use magnets, solenoids or motors to operate the lock either by supplying or removing power. The lock operation can be as simple as using a switch, such as a door intercom from an apartment, or as complex as a biometric based access control system.