Unlock a wealth of benefits with HID mobile access solutions, compatible with most mobile devices.
What is a mobile credential or mobile ID access control system?
Unlike traditional access control systems, which use physical access devices such as cards, fobs and key tags, HID Global's mobile access system offers convenience and security enhancements by allowing users to access doors using their mobile smartphones or smartwatches. This reduces the number of touchpoints throughout your premises, with seamless movement available at pre-installed readers or gates.
Each person’s unique mobile credentials and ID information is stored on their phone. With the HID mobile phone access system, these credentials cannot be copied, so if a user replaces their smartphone or watch, they will need a new mobile ID distributed by the security administrator. This helps to ensure identity passes stay in the right hands.
Generating a new mobile ID for an access control system is a short, simple task that can be carried out in the corresponding HID Mobile Access Portal.
The benefits of adopting a smartphone contactless access control system with paired mobile devices are immense. For example:
- Hygiene and speed: Contactless smartwatch or phone-operated door locks eliminate touchpoints and delays.
- No plastic waste: This system generates no plastic waste (no physical employee badges, such as cards, fobs or lanyards, are needed).
- Real-time access management and highly automated admin: An access control management portal that enables permissions to be instantly revoked without having to physically retrieve a card, fob or key.
- Reduces the risk of loss: Users are highly unlikely to misplace their smartphone or smartwatch.
- Efficiency and first impressions: Contactless access control systems reduce delays at entry and exit points while providing an impressive user experience.
Is mobile credential access control futureproof?
In a mobile-first world, mobile credential access control systems are a wise and futureproof investment. In 2025 in the UK, approximately 98% of people of working age own a smartphone. Mobile phones and other devices are used to access bank accounts, SaaS and company networks, and to run video conferences. They have even replaced car keys.
Smartphone-operated access control systems can be used from much further away than fobs and cards, giving them a wider range of applications. For example, they offer a more efficient, user-friendly method of controlling gates to private car parks and unlock doors to secure buildings.
Because smartphone door access control systems can be managed remotely, credentials can be issued, changed or withdrawn from your organisation’s or your facilities maintenance company’s centralised management portal. This helps avoid awkward in-person scenarios when tricky circumstances arise.
HID enterprise mobile access control solutions
HID Mobile Access® is a market-leading enterprise-scale contactless access control system. It is easy to roll out to new users: invitations are sent out from the management portal, the user accepts, downloads the app and enrols, then it’s ready to use. The mobile access control app can be downloaded to a smartphone, tablet or smartwatch.
It includes a patented twist-and-go feature: users turn their mobile devices 90˚ as they approach doors and gateways, without having to stop. If this mode is unsuitable, HID Mobile Access® also has a close proximity option.
The HID Mobile Portal enables admin staff to set up HID mobile access, and grant and revoke credentials and door locks along with subscriptions. The HID mobile credential licence pricing is granular: you only pay for what you needed, and you can scale up at short notice.
It is used across virtually all sectors, including government, healthcare, retail, industrial and commercial organisations. HID Mobile Access® is a secure alternative to proximity key cards and passes.
HID Mobile Access® provides user-facing card credentials and wall proximity readers that are compatible with Apple and Android operating systems. The mobile credential, access control/door system and management system come from other providers. The card readers support the following products: SEOS credential technology, iCLASS SE®, standard iCLASS®, MIFARE®, MIFARE DESFire® and HID Prox®.
HID Mobile credential pricing
HID Mobile’s pricing is modular – there is a charge for each user on the system and for every new credential downloaded. Licensing is device-specific, so if a user changes phone or deletes the app they will have to purchase another licence.
Why should I look to upgrade my readers?
HID mobile access is compatible (backwards) with HID readers, so you can upgrade to the HID SE range now to futureproof your existing access control system, ensuring you can continue using your cards/fobs until you are ready to adopt a mobile credential solution. This means that if you are using legacy credentials using old 125kz technology, you could simply upgrade your readers and then seamlessly look to replace your cards or fobs with the latest technologies.
125khz cards are easily copied within 5 seconds using equipment that is readily available on the internet, so old technology poses a security risk to your site and organisation.
Contact us to arrange to discuss your site security with our independent specialist.
