How To Change Door Locks To Fit One Key

I am a locksmith with 35 years experience.

How to change door locks to fit one key.

In apartment complexes this is now the most common way of changing locks on a door. Use wire to secure this knob s key to the knob. This is a high tech solution for your home to allow you to use a keypad at the lock or use your alarm system or wifi to open and close the lock. Using a template that should be in the box with the lock you tape it to the door and drill the hole.

In some cases door latch plate mortises might need to be cut or enlarged. Rekeying involves realigning the pins and springs in the inner workings of the lock in. Prop the door slightly open. Take the lock locking knob or deadbolt to the locksmith local lumberyard or hardware store.

Begin by removing the screws from the door knob on the interior side of your door. Once the new pins are in reverse the steps to reassemble the lock. Having the combination changed is more affordable. Remove the two screws on the inside of the doorknob.

Remove the two screws from the latch plate on the edge of the door and remove the latch from the opening. When drilling you want to drill half way through from one side and half way through from the other side. Wifi locks or keypad locks. Normally how they work is you open the door and insert the new key and then insert a setting pin to reset the lock and the combination pins will use the new setting.

You ll have to remove the lock from the door for this option and bring the key that currently opens. I don t recommend the you change it locks too many ways to screw them up. If you are adding something like a deadbolt you will need to cut a hole with a hole saw which is a large drill bit. Slide the exterior half of the doorknob off while leaving the interior half of the doorknob in place.