If you've recently purchased your first biometric safe, you're probably excited about the many possibilities available to you. Whether you're interested in using your safe to store firearms, jewelry, coins, or vital paperwork, you'll be able to rest easy knowing that only those whose fingerprints are on file will be able to access your safe.

However, malfunctions can happen and you may find yourself needing to engage the services of a professional to gain access to (or track down) your personal items. Read on to learn more about what you can do to ensure the security of your new safe and the items held inside.

What should you do immediately after purchasing your safe?

After you've purchased your biometric safe, the first step is to program in your fingerprints as well as the fingerprints of anyone else you'd like to have access to the safe—such as your spouse or adult child. One key advantage of most biometric safes is the ability to store and recognize multiple fingerprints, as well as change levels of access easily. This allows you to grant temporary access to someone for a specific purpose, and then delete or inactivate this person's fingerprints once you want to revoke their ability to open your safe. 

You'll want to carefully follow the manufacturer's instructions for adding in fingerprints, and test your ability to open and close your safe several times before placing any items inside. If you're used to opening a combination or key-locked safe, a biometric safe may take a bit of getting used to, so ensuring that you're fully comfortable unlocking your safe before filling it can help you avoid any panicked moments.

Finally, you'll want to take down any identifying information located on the safe, like the serial number. You'll also want to keep your proof of purchase in a secure location (but don't put it inside the safe!) If your safe is stolen, having the serial number and proof of purchase readily accessible can help the police recover your items. 

What happens if your safe malfunctions and won't recognize your fingerprint?

Although biometric safes have a very low failure or "false read" rate, as with all newer technologies, mistakes can happen. There are two primary types of access errors with biometric safes: false acceptance and false rejection.

The false acceptance rates (FARs) and false rejection rates (FRRs) for most biometric safes are around 2 percent. A sizable proportion of false rejections are due to cold hands, sticky or oily fingers, or other potential contaminants that don't necessarily reflect on your safe's ability to recognize a valid fingerprint. 

If your safe won't open, first ensure that the operating conditions are ideal for fingerprint recognition. Wipe the input sensor with a soft, microfiber cloth to ensure that all points of contact are available, and wash your hands to remove any potential contaminants. These are both good general practices for biometric safe access.

If your safe remains locked, you'll then want to evaluate whether someone else who has access to the safe may have eliminated your fingerprint from the access list -- either accidentally or purposely. You should then be able to use the backup key or combination lock to open your safe. If the biometric feature seems to be malfunctioning, you'll want to contact a locksmith to see if this can be repaired or if you'll need to replace your safe. 

What should you do if your safe is stolen?

Although a biometric safe is one of the best ways to keep your items secure (yet quickly accessible), some would-be thieves may simply remove this safe from your home during a burglary, hoping to break into it later. Fortunately, they'll likely be stymied from opening your safe unless they are skilled enough to break a combination lock or happen to have the emergency backup key.

In addition to contacting the police following a theft, you'll want to provide the serial number of your safe as previously mentioned. You should also provide a description of the safe and all contents to local pawn shops, including those in neighboring towns. Unless the items within the safe can be easily sold on the black market (like guns) or don't need to be liquidated at all (like money), it's likely that the safe and its contents will soon find their way to a pawn shop near you. Learn more about this topic by contacting locksmiths near you.