Quck answer
To unlock a bedroom door, follow these simple steps:
1. Check for a key: Look for a keyhole on the doorknob. If there is one, use a key to unlock the door.
2. Use a screwdriver: If there is no keyhole, remove the doorknob by unscrewing it. Use a flathead screwdriver to turn the screws counterclockwise.
3. Remove the latch: Once the doorknob is off, locate the latch plate on the side of the door frame. Use a screwdriver to push the latch back into the door.
4. Open the door: With the latch retracted, the door should open easily.
Remember to be cautious and gentle when attempting to unlock a bedroom door to avoid damaging it.
A locking doorknob, known as a privacy lockset, is installed on bedroom doors. This type of lockset allows you to lock the door from inside the room but cannot be unlocked with a key from the other side, unlike an entry lockset. So what should you do if you accidentally lock yourself out of your bedroom or if your child locks the door on purpose? Fortunately, there are simple solutions depending on the type of lockset you have.
Privacy locksets cannot be unlocked with a key.
Image Credit:
Kameleon007/iStock/GettyImages
Opening a Bedroom Door with a Push-Button Lock
Privacy locksets with push-button locks have a small pinhole in the center of the knob on the non-locking side of the door. Inside the knob, directly behind the pinhole, there is a release button. To unlock the door, you can insert a straightened paper clip, wire of similar size, or a small screwdriver into the hole and push the release button. This will pop out the lock button and unlock the door. Some doorknobs with push-button locks come with a pin-like key specifically for this purpose (if you can find it).
The key to this method is to push the wire straight back (horizontally) from the pinhole. The release button is small and located in the exact center of the doorknob. If the wire is angled in any way, you may miss the button. If you are not successful on your first attempt, keep trying.
Lever-handle locksets may have a pinhole on the escutcheon plate.
Image Credit:
Kwikset/Home Depot
Opening a Bedroom Door with a Turn-Button Lock
Turn-button locks are the type that you turn with your thumb and forefinger. Like push-button locksets, they have a pinhole on the non-locking side of the door. However, turn-button locks usually have a larger hole to accommodate an emergency key that comes with the doorknob. The first thing to look for is the emergency key. Check along the door trim above the bedroom door. Alternatively, if there is a picture on the wall near the outside of the door, you can hide the key behind it.
Interior and exterior knobs of a turn-button lockset.
Image Credit:
Kwikset/Lowe’s
Emergency keys have a flat tip similar to a flat-head screwdriver. If you cannot find the official key for your door, you can use a very slim screwdriver that fits through the pinhole in the doorknob. A “tech” or “precision” flat-head screwdriver usually works, as well as a long eyeglass screwdriver. If those are not available, a stiff, flat wire can also be used.
To unlock the door, insert the key or tool into the pinhole in the doorknob and push it straight in until you reach the release button. Rotate the key until it fits into the slot in the button, then turn it as if you were turning a screw. Usually, turning clockwise unlocks the lock, but if that does not work, try turning counterclockwise.
Emergency key for a turn-button lock.
Image Credit:
Kwikset/Amazon
How to Unlock a Bedroom Door by Removing the Doorknob
If your locked doorknob does not have a pinhole to release the lock, you may need to take more drastic measures: removing the outer knob, and possibly both knobs. If there are screws on the decorative ring on the outer side of the door, remove them and slide the outer knob away from the door. Use a flat-head screwdriver to explore inside the lockset and see if you can release the lock or retract the door latch. Another option is to push the inner doorknob out of the door to get better access to the latch.
If the outer knob does not have screws, look for a small metal tab on the post of the doorknob, along the edge of the decorative ring. Press down on the tab (it is spring-loaded) with a small flat-head screwdriver to release the doorknob, then remove the knob. Use the screwdriver to pry off the decorative ring and gain entry to the interior of the lockset.
