Door or Deadbolt Won’t Latch? How to Line It Up

Most doors that won’t latch have a line-up problem, not a broken lock. The latch or bolt is hitting above, below or beside the hole in the strike plate, or the latch length is wrong for the door. Check the line-up first, then the latch setting, then the hinges.

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Why a door stops latching

A latch only works when it can slide straight into the opening in the strike plate on the frame. Houses move, doors sag a little on their hinges, and weatherstripping or paint can change how the door sits. A small shift is enough to make the latch or deadbolt miss.

• The door was latching fine and slowly got worse: usually sag or a loose hinge screw.
• A new lock never latched: often the latch length or the strike position.
• It latches only when you push or lift the door: the line-up is off by a little.
• It latches but rattles: the strike opening is a bit far from the door stop.

Find where it’s hitting

1. With the door open, turn the deadbolt out and back. If it moves smoothly with the door open but drags with it closed, the lock is fine and the line-up is the problem.
2. Rub a little lipstick, chalk or a dry-erase marker on the end of the latch or bolt.
3. Close the door gently and turn the bolt (or let the latch touch the strike).
4. Open the door and look at the mark on the strike plate. It shows you whether you are high, low or off to one side.

Fix the line-up

• Tighten the hinges first. Loose hinge screws let the door drop. Snug every screw on the hinge side. If a top screw just spins, a longer screw that reaches the framing is a common repair.
• Small miss (about the width of a pencil line): carefully file the inside edge of the strike opening so the latch can enter.
• Bigger miss: move the strike plate up or down. This usually means enlarging the pocket in the frame so the bolt can travel all the way in.
• Deadbolt hits the back of the hole: the hole in the frame may not be deep enough. A deadbolt should be able to throw fully. A bolt that cannot extend all the way is easier to push back.

For how the bolt and strike work together, see how a deadbolt works. If the key is hard to turn even with the door open, go to deadbolt hard to turn.

Adjustable latch length

Many residential latches and deadbolt bolts can be set for the two common backset sizes (the distance from the door edge to the center of the lock hole). If the latch is set to the wrong length, the lock may feel stiff, not retract all the way or sit crooked in the door. Bill’s video above shows why a latch doesn’t line up and how the adjustable latch fits in. Check your lock’s instructions for how your brand adjusts it. If you are putting a new lock in, our deadbolt install guide covers backset and bolt direction.

Quick checklist before you call

• Hinge screws tight
• Mark test shows where the bolt hits
• Latch or bolt set to the right length for your door
• Strike hole deep and clean enough for the bolt to throw fully
• Weatherstrip not pushing the door away from the stop