What to Do if You Get Locked Out of Your Apartment

It’s an unfortunate accident that happens to everyone at least once: You ran out of the house for just a moment, only to return and realize that the door was locked behind you. You can picture exactly where your keys are inside, sitting on an entry table right by the door.

If you’ve found yourself in this situation for the first time, it’s important not to panic. Don’t worry, you will get back into your apartment eventually. In this guide, we offer a few possible solutions as well as some suggestions that may help you avoid getting locked out again in the future.

There are a few ways you can try to get into your apartment if you don’t have your keys. Spoiler: None of them involve a break in with bobby pins, screwdriver, or credit card.

While this isn’t always the most practical solution — and not feasible if you live in a large managed building or apartment complex — it’s always worth a shot. Check to see if the front door or back door is unlocked, then look around the perimeter of the ground floor for open windows. If you find an unlocked window or door, you may be able to get into your apartment without keys. However, you’ll also want to make sure you remember to lock all entrances into your apartment in the future.

Do you live with anyone? They may be able to help get you out of this jam. If you knocked on the doors and no one was home, it’s worth giving your roommates a call to see if they’ll come home to let you in.

One best practice if you live in an apartment is to give a trusted family member, close friend, or neighbor a spare key — exactly for situations like this. If you had the foresight to give someone a copy of your key and you have your cell phone on you, now’s the time to call in that favor and ask to be let in. 

If there’s no way for you to resolve the issue on your own, then it’s time to call your landlord, property manager, or your apartment building’s leasing office. They will have a spare key and will be able to let you in, though this may not be a quick solution depending on how far away they are from your apartment or if it’s after hours. Some lease agreements also stipulate that there is a fee for calling your landlord to unlock the door, so beware that you may incur some costs. 

If your landlord is not nearby and cannot open the door for you, they may ask that you call a professional locksmith to let you in as a last resort. It’s important to reach out to your landlord first before you call anyone just in case they have a preferred partner that they work with who will give you a fair rate. 

Once you’ve gotten back into your apartment, it’s time to take a few precautions to avoid getting locked out again. After all, you don’t want to become the renter who is always calling their landlord to say “I’m locked out of my apartment.”

Step one to never getting locked out is never forgetting your keys in the first place. Write up a DIY reminder sign that says something along the lines of “Do you have your keys?” and tape it up either on your front door or next to it. Put it in a highly visible place, so you never leave your apartment without laying eyes on it and double-checking that you have your house keys.

Having someone who lives near you with a spare set of your keys can be a lifesaver when y ou are locked out. Find someone who you can trust with your keys, and ask them to keep them in a safe place for you just in case. Some people also choose to leave spare keys somewhere hidden (like under a welcome mat or on top of their apartment door frame), though this can be less secure than leaving your extra keys with a person.

Another option, if you don’t feel comfortable giving your keys to another person, is to purchase a lockbox. This is a not very expensive way of making sure that you always have accessible keys at your apartment. Hang the lockbox somewhere safe near your front door, set up a code that no one else knows, and put your spare keys in it.

Some landlords may be willing to switch the lock on their rental property to a keyless entry if you ask them. This would make it so that you never need keys to get back home, as long as you remember the code for the smart lock.

Getting locked out is never fun, but it’s something you’ll probably have to deal with eventually. If you find yourself on the wrong side of your locked front door with no apartment keys in hand, you have a few options for trying to get in, like contacting someone who has a spare or calling your landlord.