Why Won't My Key Turn in the Lock?

Short answer: most of the time the key is worn or the wrong copy, the lock is dirty or dry inside, or the deadbolt is rubbing against the door frame. Try your other key, give the lock a little dry lubricant, and push or pull the door while you turn. If none of that works, or the key only turns part way, stop forcing it and have the lock looked at.

What is going on inside the lock

A key turns a lock only when its cuts lift every small pin inside the cylinder to exactly the right height. Anything that stops a pin from reaching that height stops the key from turning. That includes a worn or badly cut key, dirt, a dried-out cylinder, or a part that has broken. Sometimes the cylinder is fine and the problem is the bolt: if the door has shifted, the bolt presses against the strike plate in the frame and won't slide.

Safe checks you can do yourself

1. Try the other key. A copy of a copy is often slightly off. If the original or a spare works, the problem is the key, not the lock. Have a new key cut from the best working one.
2. Look closely at the key. A bent, cracked or very worn key can stop working without warning. Don't try to straighten a bent key in the lock; it can snap.
3. Clean and lubricate the lock. Use a dry lubricant made for locks, such as graphite powder or a PTFE lock spray. Put a small amount into the keyway, then slide the key in and out a few times. Avoid heavy oil or grease: they catch dust and can make the problem worse over time.
4. Take the pressure off the bolt. Pull the door toward you, or push it in, while you turn the key gently. If the key turns easily when you do this, the bolt is binding on the door frame.
5. Test the lock with the door open. Turn the deadbolt with the door open. If it works smoothly open but sticks when the door is closed, the lock is probably fine and the door or strike plate needs adjusting.
6. Check the door itself. Look for a gap that is wider at the top than the bottom, or a door that drags or has to be slammed. Loose hinge screws can let a door sag just enough to pinch the bolt.

What not to do

• Never force the key with pliers or a lot of twisting. A snapped key stuck in the cylinder is a much harder job than a key that won't turn.
• Don't spray heavy oil or general-purpose grease into the keyway.
• Don't take the lock apart unless you know how it goes back together. A misassembled lock can leave the door unsecured.
• Only work on locks you own or are allowed to service.

When to call a locksmith

Call for a lock repair when:

• the key turns only part way and stops, or the cylinder turns but the bolt doesn't move;
• the key is stuck or has broken off inside the lock;
• your spare key fails the same way, so the cylinder itself is likely worn or damaged;
• the lock was damaged in a break-in attempt;
• you're locked out because of it.

A locksmith can clean or repair the cylinder, cut a correct key, adjust the strike so the bolt slides freely, or replace the lock if it is worn out. See our lock repair service for what that involves.

If your key won't turn and you'd rather not wait for the problem to get worse, contact us and tell us what the lock is doing.