Short answer: stop turning, don’t push the piece deeper, and don’t use glue. If part of the key sticks out, pull it straight out with needle-nose pliers. If it broke off flush, a thin broken key extractor usually gets it. If it won’t budge, a locksmith can pull it or take the cylinder apart. HomeGuide lists that at about $50 to $200.
Step by step: getting a broken key out
- Stop and look. Don’t try another key or the other half of the broken one. That only pushes the piece deeper.
- Turn the lock back to where the key went in. A key can only come out when the lock is back in its starting position, with the slot straight up and down on most house locks. If the piece is stuck partway turned, gently turn it back with pliers first.
- If a piece sticks out, grip it with needle-nose pliers or tweezers and pull straight out. Don’t bend it side to side.
- If it broke off flush, slide a broken key extractor (a thin hooked blade, sold cheaply at hardware stores and online) in along the cut edge of the key, hook one of the cuts, and pull out slowly. A little lock lubricant sprayed in the keyway can help the piece slide.
- If it still won’t come, call a locksmith. Often the cylinder can come off the door and be taken apart so the piece pushes out from the back.
- Keep both pieces. They can often be used to cut a new key.
What not to do
- Don’t use super glue on a stick or the key. It can glue the lock shut for good.
- Don’t jam a screwdriver or a nail in the keyway. You’ll scratch the plug and push the piece deeper.
- Don’t keep forcing the door. If it’s locked and you need in, treat it as a lockout. See what a lockout costs.
- Don’t leave the door unsecured overnight if the lock won’t lock. Use another locked door or get it fixed the same day.
Typical cost if you call a locksmith
| What | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Broken key extraction / lock repair | About $50 – $200 per lock |
| Yelp estimate from 581 U.S. quotes | Most about $65 – $144 |
| Locksmith service call fee | About $60 – $140 |
| Rekey the lock afterwards (per lock) | About $50 – $130 |
| New deadbolt if the cylinder is ruined (installed) | About $80 – $225 |
Key stuck, not broken?
A key that won’t come out is a different problem, and often an easy fix. On many deadbolts the cause is a loose cap on the back of the cylinder, so the inside parts no longer line up. Bill shows the usual cause and fix here. Our key stuck in the lock guide covers the rest.
Locksmith explains · 3 min
Key goes in, works, then won’t come out? Here’s the most common reason, and the simple fix.
Want more full-length jobs? Open Bill’s Video Library · Watch on YouTube
Why keys break, and how to stop the next one
- Worn keys: old keys get thin and crack. Copy from a good key, not a copy of a copy. See why keys wear out.
- Stiff locks: if you have to force the key, the lock needs cleaning and lubricating, or it’s worn.
- Door out of line: if you have to push or pull the door to turn the key, the bolt is rubbing the strike. See door or deadbolt won’t latch and why a deadbolt is hard to turn.
- Using the key as a handle: pulling a heavy door by the key bends it a little every time.
Sometimes it isn’t the key at all. Parts inside the lock come loose and jam. Here’s Bill working a twisted cylinder out of a door knob, then rekeying it:
Real repair · 5 min
The cylinder was twisted inside this door knob. Watch how it comes out without wrecking the knob, then gets rekeyed.
Want more full-length jobs? Open Bill’s Video Library · Watch on YouTube
Common questions
Can I use super glue to pull out a broken key?
Don’t. Glue can run into the lock and bond the pins or the plug, and then the cylinder has to be replaced. Use pliers if a piece sticks out, or a broken key extractor if it’s flush.
How much does a locksmith charge to remove a broken key?
HomeGuide lists lock repair and key extraction at about $50 to $200 per lock. Yelp’s estimate from 581 U.S. quotes centers around $95, with most between about $65 and $144. After-hours calls cost more.
Can a locksmith make a new key from the broken pieces?
Usually, yes. Keep both pieces. A locksmith can often line them up and cut a new key from them, or read the lock to make one.
Do I need a new lock after a key breaks off?
Usually not. If the piece comes out cleanly and the lock turns normally with a new key, the lock is fine. If the pins or plug got damaged, the cylinder can often be repinned or replaced without changing the whole lock.
Why did my key break in the lock?
Most of the time it’s a worn or cheap copied key, or a lock that has gotten stiff so the key gets forced. If you have to muscle the key, the lock or the door alignment needs attention before the next key snaps.