We’ve all experienced the desperation—and panic—of walking up to a locked door, reaching into our pocket for the key, and finding only loose change and your phone. Is the key just temporarily misplaced or lost forever? Either way, it’s a “What now?” moment that leaves you shaken and on the outside looking in.
However, you don’t always need a key to open a locked door. When you’re locked out, just remember that a lock is a pretty simple mechanical device designed primarily to keep honest people honest. If you need to, you can find a way in, even without a key. Here’s how to unlock a door in seven different ways, in ascending order of destruction. (Of course, only try these with your own locked doors.)
No Damage at All
1 (Unlock it with a substitute key): Some people swear by the Spam Key, which is a key-shaped device used for twisting open metal food cans, including Spam, anchovies, and sardines. Such keys haven’t been used in many years, but if you happen to have one on hand, try unlocking the door with it.
Most interior door locksets, like those on bathroom and bedroom doors, lock for privacy, but aren’t really made to be totally impassable. The non-locking side of the door should have a small hole on the face of the knob. Hidden inside the hole is a small button that must be pushed to unlock the door. You simply need a straight, stiff tool to unlock it. Try using a straightened paperclip or a tiny eyeglass-repair screwdriver. (See the video below.)
The Tool: Eyeglass-repair screwdriver, paperclip, Spam key
In some cases, the lock will require you to insert the tool and twist. For that, you can use the tiny screwdriver or, in a pinch, make a tool by hammering flat the tip of the paperclip.
2 (Remove the doorknob): Another option for opening interior doors that are equipped with low-level-security doorknobs is to take off the doorknob and then disassemble the lock. If the mounting screws are exposed, simply back them out, and then dismantle the knob and lock.
The Tool: Screwdrivers
However, if the mounting screws aren’t visible, you’ll need to dismantle the doorknob piece by piece. Use a slotted screwdriver to pry off the round decorative plate (called the rose), knob, and shank. Once you expose the mounting screws, remove them to gain access to the locking mechanism. Slide the latch back away from the doorjamb to unlock the door.
Tools for Unlocking a Door
Possible Aesthetic Damage (Especially to the Jamb)
3 (Pull The Bolt): If the door’s locking mechanism has a latch bolt, meaning the kind of bolt that’s spring-loaded and has an angled end, look closely at the end of the bolt. If its angled end is facing away from you, try opening it with a length of wire cut from a clothing hanger. Bend a small hook onto one end of the straightened wire, feed it into the gap between the edge of the door and the jamb, and hook the wire around the latch bolt.
The Tool: Wire clothing hanger
Now, hold the wire with one hand and grab the doorknob with the other. Turn to open the knob, and at the same time, pull the wire toward you. Pressure on the latch will force it to retract, and the knob should turn and open the door.
4 (Push The Bolt): If the doorknob has a latch bolt, and its angled end faces toward you, try popping it open with a credit card. This principle is the same as the clothing hanger technique explained above, but here you’re using the credit card to push on the bolt’s angled end. Apply constant pressure until the card slides between the bolt and jamb, then twist the knob and open the door. One advantage of this technique is that the flexibility of the card allows you to bend and wiggle it into the tiniest, tightest gaps.
The Tool: Credit card
The Lock Will Be Fine. Probably
5 (Pick the lock): Yes, as odd as it may sound, you can actually unlock a door with wire bobby pins. You’ll need two bobby pins, and each must be bent into a specific shape for a particular job. The first bobby pin is essentially going to be a replacement for the original key. It provides a way to turn the lock cylinder. Bend the last centimeter or so of the closed, rounded end of the pin until it’s perpendicular to the two free ends. Stick this end deep into the key slot and use the protruding part of the bobby pin as a handle.
The Tool: Bobby pins
Then, unbend and flatten the second bobby pin to make one long, straight lock pick. Add a slight upward bend to one end. Slide the bent end into the top half of the keyhole, above the bobby-pin key inserted earlier.
When a door is locked, the lock’s cylinder is prevented from turning by a series of spring-loaded pins that protrude into holes in the cylinder. The uniquely shaped teeth on the original key push the pins up and out of the way, allowing the cylinder to turn. To pick the lock, use your bobby-pin pick to push up the pins, one at a time, until the cylinder is free to turn.
✅ You can purchase the clear, plastic training lock shown in the video above if you’d like to practice at home.
You’re Going to Need a New Door Lock
6 (Drill Out The Lock): This is pretty much what it sounds like: If you have access to one, drill a hole through the lock to destroy the pins, which allows the lock to turn freely. Because you’re aiming for the pins, position the drill bit just slightly above the top of the key slot and in line with the threshold between the cylinder and the pins’ position when they are pushed up. (This is called the shear line.)
The Tool: Drill
You’ll likely have to experiment with different drill bit sizes to find the right one. Start with a small bit and work your way up to larger bits. And a little lubricating oil goes a long way to help the bits cut through the metal. Still, expect the process to take some time. Once you’ve drilled all the way through the locking mechanism, force a slotted screwdriver into the key slot, and twist open the lock.
You’re Going to Need a New Door
7 (Newton’s Third Law): When you’re desperate enough to bust open the door, a good old-fashioned SWAT-style kick may do the trick. However, first check the hinges to confirm that the door swings open away from you. Obviously, if the door swings out toward you, don’t try kicking it open.
The Tool: Your foot
Okay, assuming the door swings away from you, prepare to kick with your dominant foot, meaning your right foot if you’re right handed. Aim for a spot just above the doorknob, which is the weakest point on the door. Try to contact the door with a flat foot, and hit it hard. If the door doesn’t swing open or at least start to splinter apart, then it’s probably not going to give way. Oh, don’t use your shoulder. It’s a good way to hurt yourself, and the first-aid kit might be on the other side of the locked door.
Kevin Dupzyk
Kevin is a writer and editor living in Brooklyn. In past lives he’s been an economist, computer salesman, mathematician, barista, and college football equipment manager.
Joseph Truini
Joe is a former carpenter and cabinetmaker who writes extensively about remodeling, woodworking, and tool techniques. He has written eight books and is a contributing editor to Popular Mechanics. He also appears on the Today’s Homeowner TV show, and co-hosts the weekly Today’s Homeowner Radio Show. Joe writes from his home in Roxbury, Connecticut.
FAQs
How do you open a door that is locked from the inside with no key hole? ›
Plastic Card Method
Find a rigid plastic card and slide it between the door and the door jamb. Gently wiggle the plastic card around the gap until it's level with the strike plate. Press the latch and continue pushing in the card to depress the latch and then push the door open.
You first will need to take the screw driver and push it under the two latches on the side of the door on the lock. Keep pulling back on the latches with the screwdriver until the door pops open, this can take a few minutes or a few seconds depending on the lock strength. This will work on most normal door locks.
How do you pick a lock? ›- Insert Tension Wrench into the Bottom of Key Hole and Apply Slight Pressure. ...
- Insert Pick at Top of Lock. ...
- While Applying Slight Torque to Your Wrench, Scrub Your Pick Back and Forth in the Key Hole. ...
- Repeat Until All the Pins Set.
One of the most common ways a locksmith will attempt to open your door is by picking the lock. Their lock picking kit will contain the tools needed to open your locks. Lock picking leaves your lock in good working order. Meaning that your key will continue wot work with the lock and it will not need to be replaced.
How do you unlock a door from the outside without a key with a bobby pin? ›Stick the flat end of the pin into the top of the lock and bend it. Stick the pin in about 1 centimetre (0.39 in), then fold the rest the bobby pin until it's flush against the face of the doorknob. This will bend the tip at an angle. You'll use the bent end of the pin to disengage the pins in the lock.
Can any door lock be picked? ›Essentially, every lock that has key cylinder is susceptible to lock picking. But the most common locks that you will find on domestic doors are a mortice and/or Yale (night latch) for a wooden door and a euro cylinder lock for a uPVC (plastic) door.
What household items can you pick a lock with? ›To pick the lock, choose an object that's small enough to fit into the hole, but sturdy enough to put pressure on the locking mechanism. Ideal choices include a small screwdriver or hex wrench, a hairpin, or a heavy-duty paper clip.
Can you pick a lock with a paperclip? ›Picking a lock with paper clips works pretty much the same way as picking a lock with a traditional tension wrench and rake. You just need to turn two paper clips into those two very same tools, and then pick the lock with them like you'd normally do.
How do you pick a lock with a knife? ›- Stick the blade into the lock as far as it will go. Put it in the bottom half of the keyhole. Apply pressure, first in one direction, and then in the other direction. ...
- You may hear a click. If you do, the lock should give a bit. That means you're in!
- Check Other Doors. The first thing to try is perhaps the most obvious. ...
- Check First-Floor Windows. If all the doors are locked, perhaps a window may be open on the first floor. ...
- Find Someone Who May Have a Key. ...
- Ask for Help. ...
- Use a Credit Card. ...
- Remove the Doorknob. ...
- Call a Locksmith.
How many types of door locks are there? ›
There are plenty of other door locks, and many fall within the seven categories of knob locks, deadbolt locks, cam locks, padlocks, mortise locks, smart locks and keypad locks.
What is the easiest lock to pick? ›One of the most common (and easiest to pick) locks is the pin-and-tumbler, which is a type of cylinder lock. Cylinder locks are used in most deadbolts. When picking a pin-and-tumbler lock, put the tension wrench in the keyhole and turn it as if it was a key.
How do you pop a deadbolt? ›Using a rubber mallet or the palm of your hand, strike the back of the key—abruptly forcing it into the lock. The teeth of the key will strike the pins and send them upward. If done with the right amount of force and with a little luck, the pins will completely leave the lock's plug, and the lock will open.
What do locksmiths use to open doors? ›Locksmiths carry a special set of tools that include lock picks, screwdrivers, and drills that they use depending on the type of door and the locks fitted inside them. There are two ways that locksmiths use to open doors: Destructive entry and. Non-destructive entry.
How do you open a door with a string? ›According to the video, you simply make a slipknot in a piece of string to create a loop, slide the string around the upper corner of the door and work it past the door seal, and, using both ends of the string, maneuver the loop over the push button.
How do you open a door with a wire? ›Related Story. Now, hold the wire with one hand and grab the doorknob with the other. Turn to open the knob, and at the same time, pull the wire toward you. Pressure on the latch will force it to retract, and the knob should turn and open the door.
What is the hardest lock to pick? ›Granit locks have a tensile resistance of over six tonnes, making it almost impossible for attackers to release the shackle from the lock body by force.
Can a magnet pick a lock? ›The magnet doesn't make the lock move: Every lock will work differently, but it's typically friction that causes this problem. If a piece of your lock is supposed to move, be sure it can move easily. If it's attached too tightly, your magnet may not be able to move it.
Can you smash a lock? ›Turns out, any Master Lock can easily be broken into with just a small hammer. As this video illustrates, all you need to do is tap the side of a Master Lock with a hammer to get it to open, no key, no combination required.
How do you open a lock without a key with a screwdriver? ›Jiggle the screwdriver while thrusting it in and out of the lock. Slide the blade of the screwdriver back and forth slowly. At the same time, work the handle of the around at different angles to engage as many pins as possible.
How do you open a door with a screwdriver in pry? ›
You first will need to take the screw driver and push it under the two latches on the side of the door on the lock. Keep pulling back on the latches with the screwdriver until the door pops open, this can take a few minutes or a few seconds depending on the lock strength. This will work on most normal door locks.
How do you pick a lock easily? ›- Insert Tension Wrench into the Bottom of Key Hole and Apply Slight Pressure. ...
- Insert Pick at Top of Lock. ...
- While Applying Slight Torque to Your Wrench, Scrub Your Pick Back and Forth in the Key Hole. ...
- Repeat Until All the Pins Set.