How to Replace a Doorknob or Deadbolt

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A detailed guide on swapping out your door locks

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Replacing a Doorknob & Lock

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Changing a Deadbolt Door Lock

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Rekeying a Door Lock

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Expert Q&A

Changing a door lock is often necessary if you buy a new home, get a new roommate, or experience a burglary. It can also be a quick, easy way to switch up your door’s look. With the help of professional locksmith Trevor Maclise, we'll walk you through how to replace a doorknob lock as well as a deadbolt. If you love your existing knobs and don’t want to replace the entire set, you can rekey the lock—and we'll show you how, below.

How to Change a Door Lock

Remove the existing lock by unscrewing the fasteners on the inside of the door.
Gently pull out the faceplate and turn the knob to unlock the door plate.
Install your new doorknob and lock in reverse order using the new hardware.
Tighten the new screws on the faceplate to secure the lock.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Replacing a Doorknob & Lock

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1
Remove the screws from the old lock on the inside of the door. Maclise explains that if you don’t see any screws, they’re probably covered. “Sometimes, they put these little caps over the screws, so it looks like it has no screws. But really, it's just these little metal caps. Sometimes you can get them off with your finger, but you may need to use screwdriver.” Remove all of the screws on the inside knob plate.
- If the screws are rusted because the door hasn’t been replaced in forever, Maclise suggests drilling the screws out with a screw extractor drill bit.
2
Acquire a lock of the same brand and size as your old lock. After removing the knobs, measure the opening for the lock and the size of the metal cover (called a faceplate) to find your lock’s dimensions. Then, purchase a lock that’s the same brand and matches the size of those dimensions. This way, your new lock will perfectly fits the hole’s dimensions.^{[1]XResearch source}
- This used to be much more difficult, but door locks these days are usually standardized. The standard bore (the circular opening for the lock) is 2 ¹⁄₈ inches (5.4 cm), while the standard faceplate width is 1 in (2.5 cm).
- If you buy the same brand, your new lock will 100% match your other locks, and you will most likely be able to install it using the existing holes. You should still be able to reuse the holes even if you get a different brand so long as the dimensions are identical, though.
- If you’re also replacing the deadbolt, buy a door knob and deadbolt set so you can use the same key.
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The latch is the actual part of the lock that retracts when you turn the knob. Maclise points out that you can remove all of the remaining screws on the side latch. Once the screws are out, slide out the latch from the opening in the side of the door.
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Slide the new latch into place. Push the new latch into the opening on the edge of the door. Drive the new screws through the holes in the latch plate and into the door edge to secure the latch.^{[2]XResearch source}
- It’s best not to reuse your old screws, since they might be old and weaker than the new screws.
5
Put the door lock together. Maclise explains that everything slots together like puzzle pieces: “Put the new knob together in the reverse order you disassembled the old one. Put the latch in place, then put the knob in. Turn it 90-degrees to slide the knob over the pins and then it'll snap on.” With the knob in place, use the screws that came with the lock to secure everything in place.
- Drive screws into the holes on the inside door knob plate to finish putting the lock back together.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Changing a Deadbolt Door Lock

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1
Remove the old deadbolt faceplates. Remove the screws on the inside of the faceplate with a screwdriver. Either pull the interior faceplate straight out or rotate it counterclockwise to remove it. Then pull out or twist and remove the exterior plate.^{[3]XResearch source}
- If you are also replacing the doorknob, buy a replacement set that contains both a doorknob and a deadbolt.
- It’s a little tough to manage, but try to keep a hand on the exterior faceplate when you remove the interior portion. On some models, the exterior faceplate doesn't screw into place, so it can fall to the floor when you pull out the interior plate.
2
Remove the strike plate and bolt. The strike plate and bolt are the final components of the lock, and they’re fastened to the edge of the door with screws. Remove the screws, then pull out the strike plate and bolt to finish uninstalling the old deadbolt.^{[4]XResearch source}
- Sometimes the strike plate and bolt are attached but on some models they're separate components.
3
Get a new deadbolt set of the same dimensions or rekey the old one. Once you’ve removed the deadbolt, either pop out the cylinder housing from the exterior faceplate and rekey it as you would a knob lock. If you’ve lost the key, take the components to a locksmith to have a new key made.^{[5]XResearch source}
- Replace the entire deadbolt with a new one for an easier solution, if the lock is worn, or if you want a new look.
4
Install the new deadbolt’s strike plate and bolt. If you’re replacing the entire lock, insert the bolt through the hole in the edge of the door where the old bolt fit. If your brand’s plate and bolt are separate components, place the new strike plate over the indentation on the side of the door where the old plate fit.^{[6]XResearch source}
- Drive the new screws through the strike plate and into the door to secure the new lock.
- Deadbolts only have 2 screws, so they're a lot easier to line up and install properly.
Line up the new exterior and interior faceplates on their respective sides of the hole in the door. Thread the new screws through the screw holes in the interior plate, through the screw holes in the bolt, and into the exterior plate. Drive the screws until they’re tight to complete installation.^{[7]XResearch source}

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Rekeying a Door Lock

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1
Purchase a rekeying kit labeled for your lock’s brand. Get a rekeying kit designed specifically for your door lock’s brand (i.e. if you have a Kwikset lock, get a Kwikset kit). One brand’s kit usually doesn’t work for others, so check your lock’s brand and purchase a kit that matches it.^{[8]XResearch source}
- Read your kit’s instructions carefully, in case there are any minor differences specific to your brand.
- Pro Tip: It’s usually easier to just replace the entire door lock assembly than to rekey an existing lock. However, if you have a custom door lock or a non-standard door, rekeying the existing lock may be your only option.
2
Remove the exterior door knob. Use the kit’s long, thin, wire-like tool to remove the knobs. If you prefer, Maclise recommends “putting a little pin or a straightened-out paper clip into the hole. And with the key turned 90 degrees, you just push it in there and the knob will pop right off.”
- Key Variation: If your lock doesn’t have a side poke hole, you’re better off replacing the whole lock. Your lock is probably complicated enough that it requires a locksmith to rekey.
3
Pop the cylinder out of the back of the knob. Once you’ve removed the exterior lock face, look inside the knob and check for any sheets of plastic or metal that hold the lock cylinder in place. Slide them out if any are present, then put pressure on the key or pin. Pop out the lock cylinder from the back of the knob.^{[9]XResearch source}
- If you see rust or other signs of wear and tear inside the lock, replace the entire lock.^{[10]XResearch source}
Use the wrench-like tool to remove the retainer ring that secures the cylinder housing. Slide the tool around the horseshoe-shaped ring, then turn the tool to pop off the ring.^{[11]XResearch source}
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Slide the cylinder plug out of the cylinder housing. Your kit will come with a cylinder follower, or a tube-shaped tool, that you can use to slide the plug out of the housing. Push it through the cylinder housing from the side opposite the keyhole to pop out the plug.^{[12]XResearch source}
- Keep constant pressure on the plug and follower, and make sure they’re always in contact as you slide the plug out so that the lock pins and springs don’t pop out and fly everywhere.
On some locks, you can just turn the plug over to empty out the old pins. Other locks might require you to pluck them out with a set of tiny tweezers supplied in the kit. Check your kit’s instructions to find out exactly how you should remove your plug’s old pins.^{[13]XResearch source}
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Insert the new pins to match the code in the instructions. Once you’ve removed the old lock pins, slide the new key (provided in the kit) into the keyhole. The new kit will come with colored or numbered pins, and its instructions will include a code. Use the kit’s tweezers to insert the pins into the plug’s slots so they match the code.^{[14]XResearch source}
- For example, the code might list the correct order as blue, red, red, blue, and yellow, starting from the side opposite the keyhole. Correctly installed pins will sit flush with the surface of the plug. They won’t stick out over their slots.
Once the pins are installed, push the plug back into the cylinder housing (where the key goes). Slide the metal retainer ring back in place to cover the opening in the door, pop the doorknob back into the slot, and replace any plastic or metal sheets that secured the door. Rotate the key until it the knob pops and locks into place.^{[15]XResearch source}

Expert Q&A

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Question
How do I change the code on my door keypad?
Trevor Maclise
Locksmith
Trevor Maclise is a Locksmith and the Owner of Infinity Key Locksmith in San Diego, California. Trevor has over five years of experience in the industry. He specializes in working with residential doors, including door and frame replacements, door hardware installation, multi-point locks, and mortise locks.
Trevor Maclise
Locksmith
Expert Answer
The process depends on the brand! For Quickset keypads, you typically take the battery cover off the back and press a reset button that allows you to type in a new code. For Schlage keypads, you need to punch in the master "programming" code followed by the Schlage button and the "1" button. From there, you can punch in your new code twice.
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Question
Can you change just the lock on a door?
Trevor Maclise
Locksmith
Trevor Maclise is a Locksmith and the Owner of Infinity Key Locksmith in San Diego, California. Trevor has over five years of experience in the industry. He specializes in working with residential doors, including door and frame replacements, door hardware installation, multi-point locks, and mortise locks.
Trevor Maclise
Locksmith
Expert Answer
Sometimes you can—a lot of commercial-grade hardware just has a cylinder inside. Basically, you put the key in the cylinder and turn it 90 degrees. On the side of the knob, there's a little space for you to stick a pin or paper clip; with the key turned 90 degrees, the knob will pop off once you insert the pin. At that point, you can either rekey the cylinder or replace it with a new one before sliding the knob back where it's supposed to go. All you have to do is turn the key back 90 degrees, and the knob will snap on and be there permanently.
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Question
How can I open a locked door if I've lost the key?
Community Answer
You can try picking the lock. Watch tutorial videos on YouTube.
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