Sep 26, 2026Access Control Guides
Function Selectors Explained: Lock, Half-Open, Normally Open and More
Automatic doors have working modes — automatic, one-way, half-open, locked, fully open. How function selectors work, who uses them, and how to choose between key, LCD and remote versions.
Every automatic door has more than one way to behave. During shop hours it opens for customers; at night it must stay shut; a cleaner needs it held open; a security guard needs to let a delivery in without handing over a key. The device that switches between these behaviours is the function selector — one of the least glamorous parts of a door system and one of the most used.
The five working modes
Most door systems support five functions, and a selector makes them one-touch:
Automatic — the standard mode: the door opens for the activation sensor and closes after hold time.
Unidirectional — exit or entry only, useful at closing time when only leaving traffic should open the door.
Half-open — the door opens to a reduced width, limiting exposure in bad weather or for a queue-control entrance.
Locked — the operator ignores activation entirely and the door stays closed; combined with the door's electric lock this is the night mode.
Normally open — the door is held fully open, for deliveries, events or ventilation.
Key, LCD, touch or remote
Key selectors are the simplest: a keyed switch per mode position, robust and familiar to guards. LCD selectors add a display showing the current mode in real time — a five-key TFT unit shows the active function at a glance, which matters where several staff operate the door. Keyled versions combine key security with indicator lights. Remote-control versions pair with an autodoor remote so a guard can change modes from across the lobby, and five-range programmed switches put the same modes on a wall unit.
Touch variants replace keys with a touch panel — convenient where several people share the door and key copies are a nuisance, though keys remain the right answer where mode changes must be restricted.
Who actually uses these modes
Security staff locking down at night and opening in the morning; cleaning crews holding doors open while they work; shop managers switching to half-open in winter; building managers setting normally-open for a delivery window. A selector turns all of these from "call a technician" into a button press.
Selection and installation notes
Match the selector to the operator's mode inputs (most support the standard five-function set). Decide who may change modes — keys for restricted control, indicator or touch for shared control. For night modes that must actually secure the door, pair the locked mode with the electric lock circuit, and check that the selector's output wiring matches the operator's documented inputs. Panel styling is a minor decision: 86-type wall boxes fit most selectors beside the door.
Frequently asked questions
Is a function selector the same as an access controller?
No. The selector changes the door's working mode; the access controller decides who may enter. Secure entrances typically use both — a selector for the door's behaviour and access control for the people.
Can the door still open in an emergency if the selector is on locked?
Yes, when the system is designed correctly: fire-alarm interfaces and escape-route requirements override the locked mode. This is why the locked mode must be wired to the lock and alarm circuits per the door system's documentation, not just to the operator input.
AURWEN supplies key LCD selectors, keyled selectors, five-function touch switches and autodoor remote controllers for all common automatic door systems. Contact AURWEN and tell us who operates your doors — we will suggest the right control set.
