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DIY · Windows & Doors

How to Adjust a Door Strike Plate & Latch

When a door won't catch, or you have to lean on it to lock it, the latch and the strike plate aren't lining up. It's a quick, precise little fix.

Home › DIY › Strike Plate & Latch

The strike plate is the metal plate on the door jamb that the latch snaps into. When a door won't latch, rattles, or needs to be lifted or pushed to lock, the latch and the strike hole have drifted out of alignment. Getting them to meet again is a satisfying, precise fix.

Find out where the latch is hitting

  1. Watch the latch meet the strike. Close the door slowly and see whether the latch bolt hits above, below, or to the side of the strike plate opening. That tells you which way to adjust.
  2. The lipstick trick. Rub a little lipstick, chalk, or a marker on the end of the latch bolt, close the door, and open it. The mark on the strike plate shows you exactly where the latch is landing versus where the hole is.

The fixes, from easiest up

  1. Tighten hinges first. A door that's sagged from loose hinges drops the latch below the strike. Snug the hinges (and try the long top-hinge screw) before touching the strike — that alone often realigns it.
  2. File the strike opening. If the latch is missing the hole by a small amount, remove the strike plate and file the opening a little larger in the direction you need with a metal file. This is the most common cure for a latch that's close but not quite catching.
  3. Move the strike plate. If it's off by more than a small amount, unscrew the strike, reposition it up, down, or over as needed, drill new pilot holes, and screw it back. Fill the old holes with toothpicks and glue so the new screws bite.
  4. Deepen the mortise if needed. If the plate needs to sit a hair deeper so the door closes flush, chisel the recess a touch deeper before refastening.

Security bonus: while you're at the strike on an exterior door, swap the short screws for 3-inch screws that reach the framing. It makes the door far harder to kick in and costs nothing extra. One of the best small security upgrades there is.

Know when to call a pro

Strike and latch adjustments are solid DIY. Call for help when the misalignment comes from a door or frame that's badly out of square (a settling sign), when the jamb is split or rotted around the strike, or when it's an exterior door or deadbolt and you want the lock to seat securely for real security. If the door has shifted a lot in a short time, that's worth a broader look.

Jamb split, or the door's way out of square?

A split jamb or a door that's shifted a lot can be more than a strike-plate tweak. Let us set it right and secure.

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Related DIY guides

How to Fix a Sticking or Rubbing Door → Fix Squeaky, Loose & Sagging Hinges → How to Stop Drafts: Weatherstripping & Seals → ← Back to all DIY guides

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The Blue Collar Crew, LLC provides home-improvement and repair services in Southern Indiana. The do-it-yourself guidance on this page is general homeowner information for common, non-hazardous tasks — it is not professional advice and is not a substitute for a licensed trade where one is required. Do not attempt electrical wiring, gas, structural, or in-wall plumbing work yourself. Indiana does not issue a statewide general contractor license; licensed-trade work is performed by Indiana state-licensed plumbers (IC 25-28.5) and locally licensed electricians. For homes built before 1978, work that disturbs paint follows EPA's lead-safe RRP Rule (40 CFR Part 745). Work at your own risk and follow all product and tool safety instructions. A quote request is not a contract; no work is authorized until a separate written agreement complying with IC 24-5-11 is signed. Insured.