Resident's Guide
Two ways to manage your visitors, household and estate notices — the GateControlX mobile app, or directly inside WhatsApp.
Pick what suits you
Every registered resident can use both options interchangeably. The mobile app gives you the richest experience (photos, household members, panic alerts, history). WhatsApp is the quickest way to issue a visitor PIN — no app to open, just a chat.
GateControlX App
Available free on iPhone and Android. Install once, log in with your phone number + OTP, set a PIN or use Face ID / fingerprint for quick reopen.
What you can do:
- Create visitor invites — quick (6h), full day, or custom dates. Get an instant QR code + PIN.
- See and revoke active invites — pull-to-refresh shows what's live; tap revoke to instantly cut off access.
- Manage household members — add residents and domestic staff, upload a photo, and the readers learn their face automatically.
- Estate announcements — read notices from your estate admin.
- Contacts — quick-dial security, management and emergency numbers stored by your estate.
- Panic button — sends your live location and identity to estate management and emergency contacts.
- Push notifications — alerts when invites are used, when announcements arrive, etc.
- PIN / biometric lock on every open — your account stays protected even if your phone is unlocked.
No install needed. Save our business number and chat with it like a friend. Your registered phone number is your identity.
What you can do:
- Get the menu — send
HIfor tappable buttons. - Create invites —
INVITE John 2horINVITE Plumber 1d. The bot replies with a QR code image and a numeric PIN, and pushes the invite to your estate's readers. - Quick presets — tap "Visitor (12h)" or "Visitor (1 day)" from the menu.
- List your household — send
HOUSEHOLD. - Receive estate announcements — gate maintenance, water cuts, security notices arrive in the same WhatsApp thread.
- Help — send
HELPfor the full command list.
Duration formats: 30m, 2h, 1d. Max 7 days. Defaults to 12h if you don't specify.
No smartphone or data?
You can also create invites via plain SMS. Text 17788 with INVITE John 2h and you'll receive a PIN by SMS. Share the PIN with your visitor — they enter it on the gate keypad.
How a visit works
You create the invite
Via the app or WhatsApp. The system generates a unique PIN and pushes it to every reader at your estate within seconds.
You share the PIN with the visitor
Forward the PIN or QR by WhatsApp, SMS, or however you like. They don't need to install anything.
Visitor enters
They punch the PIN on the gate keypad or scan the QR. After the validity window expires, the PIN stops working automatically.
Security best practices
- Set a strong PIN in the app — required on every open.
- Enable Face ID / fingerprint for quick unlock without re-typing.
- Only share invite PINs with the actual visitor.
- Revoke an invite the moment it's no longer needed — the keypad stops accepting it within seconds.
- Treat the GateControlX WhatsApp number as a contact you actually trust — save it in your phonebook to spot lookalikes.
Frequently asked questions
My phone isn't registered. How do I sign up?
Contact your estate admin — they need to add your phone number to your residence. Once added, log in via the app (phone + OTP) or just text the GateControlX WhatsApp number.
I revoked an invite by mistake — can I undo it?
No — revokes are immediate and final. Create a new invite instead; takes about 5 seconds.
Why don't I see old invites in the app?
The "Invites" screen shows only active invites. Revoked and expired ones drop off automatically to keep the list focused on what matters.
Does my visitor need internet at the gate?
No. The reader at your gate already has the PIN. The visitor just punches it on the keypad — no app, no data, no signal needed.
Is my data safe?
Yes. Faces and access logs stay within your estate. Your phone number and household details are not shared with third parties and are never used for advertising.
Need help? Contact your estate admin or email support@gatecontrolx.com.