How to Unlock a Locked Door

Locks are meant to protect and secure our belongings, giving us peace of mind. However, they can also be frustrating when they don’t work properly, or when you accidentally forget your key. Remember, before you start fiddling with lock-picking tools or breaking down the door, make sure there’s no other option left. Most solutions will require some time and learning, so keep this in mind.

Unlock a Lock by Knocking on the Doorknob. This simple and quick technique is especially useful if you need to open a door that has been locked for a long time (for example, opening a house that’s been unused on your family land), or if you need to check on an elderly relative.

• This knocking method requires some practice, especially with cheap locks, as it can break the lock, so don’t do it without a valid reason.

Find a Key to Bump the Lock. This key should fit into the lock you wish to bump, though it’s not the original key for that lock. As long as the key fits, it can be used to bump the lock by filing down the peaks to the minimum depth required.

• Most reputable locksmiths won’t make a bump key for you, but you might be able to buy one online. To make one yourself, you will need some metalworking tools and a bit of patience.

Insert the bump key into the lock until it reaches the last pin. The pins inside the lock are arranged around a cylinder, and the lock will turn when the pins line up and no longer block its movement. Each “click” you hear when inserting the key occurs when a pin is lifted by a tooth on the key and then falls into a notch. Continue inserting the key until only one pin remains unlifted.

Bump and Turn the Key. Use a small rubber mallet or a similar tool to strike the key firmly, and then turn it immediately. Since the pins in the key are divided into two sections, the impact will transfer force to the lower part (inside the doorknob), then transfer it to the upper part (which blocks the doorknob from turning). If all the upper pins are lifted evenly, the lock will turn.

• It may take a few tries to get the timing right, so be persistent until you succeed.

Unlock with a Lock Picking Set. This is a specialized skill that requires a lot of practice and is typically only taught to professional locksmiths. These tools are also sold in limited quantities to authorized individuals, but with some creativity, you can approximate and create your own set of tools.

Crafting the Tools. For weak locks, a paperclip can do the trick; for stronger locks, you’ll need tools like toothpicks, hairpins, wire cutters, and a pair of pliers. The key is to use metal that’s strong enough to create a lock-picking rod and capable of transmitting force—these are the two main components of a lock-picking tool.

• Spring steel is the best material for this, as it is difficult to break and can be easily shaped with a file. You can get spring steel from old saw blades. Be mindful of the thickness of the blade as it will determine the size of the pick you can make for the lock.
• The force wrench is made in an L-shape and is used to apply pressure to the bottom of the lock. You can make this tool by filing down a hexagonal L-shaped piece.
• The pick is made with a short end, resembling the letter “r”. It’s used to push the pins away from the doorknob so the doorknob can turn.

Insert the force wrench into the lock. Push it down to the bottom of the lock, and always apply rotational pressure while working with the pick. If you don’t do this, unlocking the lock will take much longer, and you might need to start over.

• If you're unsure which way to turn the force wrench, insert it into the lock and try turning it in one direction. Listen closely and quickly pull out the pick. If you turn it the right way, you’ll hear the sound of the pin falling into place.

Insert the pick above the force wrench. Use the pick's tip to find and push each pin up from its slot. Once all the pins are pushed out of place, the lock will open. As mentioned earlier, this skill requires plenty of practice, so it’s best to start with cheaper locks before moving on to more complex ones.

Unlock interior doors using a hex key. Most locks on interior doors produced in the past few decades feature a special doorknob design that allows you to open the door even when it’s locked. If your doorknob has a small circular hole in the center, you have the type of knob being described here.

Purchase a hex key set. Hex keys, also known as 'Allen wrenches', are typically sold at affordable prices in most hardware or home goods stores. These are small metal rods shaped like the letter L, with standard widths available in both metric and imperial systems.

Insert the long end of the hex key into the hole on the doorknob. You might need to try a couple of different sizes to find the one that fits the lock, but it’s usually easy to spot. The hex key should fit snugly into the hole without the need for any filing or forcing in a larger key. If you push the hex key straight in while wiggling it slightly, you’ll feel it latch onto something inside.

Turn the hex key to open the door. Once the hex key fits securely into the hole, a light twist should unlock the door. It doesn’t require much force.

Unlock a simple lock with an ATM card. This trick is quite popular, though it’s less effective on modern locks. However, it can still be quite useful for gaining access to an older door when you don’t have the key.

• Stiff plastic cards seem to work the best. You can use flexible cards (such as supermarket gift cards) as well—this way, you won’t risk damaging the card. This is important since you might scratch an ATM card to the point where it becomes unusable.

Insert the ATM card into the door’s edge. Slide the edge of the card between the door frame and the locking mechanism until it reaches the area above where the lock’s bolt meets the door frame.

• Turn the card’s end downward towards the back of the lock’s bolt. Be sure that the card is perpendicular to the door.

Slowly pull the card forward while turning the doorknob. If you're lucky, the ATM card will slip into the gap between the angled part of the lock bolt and the door frame, allowing you to pull the bolt out of place by drawing the card towards you. Once done, the door will open as long as you keep the card in place between the bolt and the hole.

• Obviously, this trick won’t work if the lock has a fixed bolt. This type of bolt lacks the angled section. Fortunately, such bolts can't be locked from the outside without a key.

Unlock a car door. Although possessing a car lockout tool (a special metal tool to unlock car doors) is usually illegal, you can create a similar tool using a sturdy metal coat hanger. If you’ve accidentally left your car keys inside, and you're near a grocery store or a friend’s house with a coat hanger handy, you can save time and avoid the hassle of calling a locksmith or roadside assistance.

Remove the twist and straighten the coat hanger. You can leave the bent part at the top as is, but remove it from the neck and straighten the remaining wire. You’ll now have a metal tool with a bent hook at the end.

Lift the plastic stopper at the base of the window glass on the driver's side door. Carefully guide the hook's head through the rubber lining and the edge of the glass panel. The hook should end up inside the door.

Rotate the hook to locate the latch. The latch is typically found about 10 cm from the window, near the interior door lock.

Insert the hook and pull the latch. Thread the hook through the latch and pull it toward the rear of the vehicle. This method can unlock most manual car locks.

• If your car has an electronic button to unlock the door, you can also slide the hook's end from above the door and use it like a finger to press the button inside.

Break the door open. In emergency situations, sometimes the only option is to force the door open. Understand that this method will damage the door frame, the lock, and possibly the entire door. It's a more dangerous approach than others, so only resort to it when there are no other choices left.

• Stand on a stable surface. Face the door, keeping your feet shoulder-width apart and slightly bending your knees. If possible, brace your hands or arms against the wall, furniture, or anything solid to prevent slipping when you push on the door.
• Lift your dominant leg to waist height. Raise your leg from the knee up, keeping your foot facing the door. Avoid twisting your body or making unnecessary movements.
• Kick the lock on the door with the heel of your foot. This type of kick is often referred to as a "thrust kick." Extend your leg straight forward, allowing the heel to hit the locking mechanism inside the door frame.
• Kicking the door is relatively safe. Our feet are built to absorb a significant amount of force, and shoes act as padding to support the impact. DO NOT attempt to shoulder-check the door; it’s more likely to cause injury than to open the door.
• Keep kicking until the lock is dislodged from the door frame. As long as you kick for long enough, this method works on almost any wooden door.
• If you don’t see results after a few minutes, the door or frame may be reinforced. Take a break and continue; this will ensure that your kicks don’t weaken over time.

Smash the door using a breaching tool. For any reason, if you'd prefer to use a breaching tool instead of calling a locksmith, a powerful option could be a manual pile driver, which is usually used for driving stakes into the ground.

• Purchase a manual pile driver. It’s typically around half a meter long with handles at both ends.
• Fill the pile driver with cement. Make sure the cement is fully dry before using it.
• Use a throwing motion to align the head of the pile driver with the lock mechanism on the door. Stand parallel to the door, pull it back with both hands, then swing and smash it into the door. Most doors will break after a few hits.
• Keep in mind that the door is likely to be completely destroyed and will need to be replaced afterward.

• Call a professional if possible. No one can replace a locksmith (or a homeowner with a spare key) when you’re locked out. The best and safest way to open a locked door is to pick up the phone and call someone who’s trained to open it.
• Always start with the least damaging method. If you can open a door with an ATM card, there’s no need to smash the lock or use a crowbar to break it open.
• Practice. If you want to learn how to break a lock with a smashing technique or a force-driven bar and rod, you’ll need to practice repeatedly to build the necessary skill. There’s no better teacher than experience.

• Don’t try to break a door with your shoulder. That’s only effective in movies.
• Don’t attempt to shoot the lock. It could cause the bullet to ricochet, injuring you rather than breaking the lock. Additionally, you may not be able to return the lock to its original condition due to the damage from the bullet.
• Breaking into any property that isn’t yours is trespassing and illegal. Don’t do it.
• In some places, carrying lock-breaking tools without being a certified locksmith is illegal. Depending on how the police feel about it, even homemade tools could be considered a crime. Don’t use them unless absolutely necessary.
• If you lose the keys to a rental property, contact the security, property manager, or landlord before attempting to break the lock. One of them might have a spare key to open the door for you. Remember: breaking into a rental property can be illegal, especially if you cause property damage.