How KeyMe works

To help you find a nearby KeyMe kiosk, the company provides a locator tool. At a kiosk, the screen presents options for key types to copy, including standard house keys, special security keys, vehicle keys, and access cards and fobs. After selecting an option, insert a key into a slot and let the kiosk scan it; for access cards, tap the card on a scanner.

If you copy an ordinary house key, you can cut the key directly at the machine. For more specialized types, the machine will most likely say that the keys need to be programmed elsewhere and be mailed to you. Prices vary: A standard key costs about $3, an access card costs about $12.50, and a car key starts at $20.

After you make or order a copy, you can create an account and store the key data with the company. That requires registering a fingerprint.

To set up the mobile app, enter an email address and create a password. Inside the app, you can take a photo of a key by placing it on a white sheet of paper and taking a photo of each side of the key. Then it can determine whether the photo is good enough for you to cut a copy of the key at a kiosk or whether it has to be mailed to you.

Tough security, but with flaws

More important than how KeyMe works is how the company protects your data.

KeyMe says it retains as little identifiable data as possible. The company immediately purges a customer’s name and mailing address after it ships off a key order, it said. It does keep a customer’s email address and key data, and if someone registers a fingerprint, it keeps a mathematical representation of the fingerprint.

To defend against cyberattacks, KeyMe said, it divides up pieces of user data and stores them across three different places. That means hackers would have to break into all three systems to obtain the information.

Greg Marsh, KeyMe’s chief executive, said the company was able to hold criminals accountable. That’s because unlike traditional locksmith companies or key copiers at hardware stores, KeyMe has an information trail on what keys were produced and by whom. In the event of a crime, the police could check whether a key was duplicated with KeyMe and track down who had copied it.