To fix a door that won’t latch, realign the hinges or strike plate, then test the latch until it clicks cleanly into the frame.
A door that won’t latch wastes energy, hurts privacy, and invites drafts. The cause is usually simple: the latch bolt and the strike plate no longer meet. Houses settle, screws loosen, paint builds up, and hardware wears. With a few checks and light carpentry, you can restore a crisp click and a smooth close.
This guide starts with fast diagnosis, then walks through the exact steps that solve nine out of ten cases. You’ll see how to tighten the door on its hinges, match the latch to the strike, and tune the hardware so the handle returns the latch every time.
Quick Causes And Fixes
| Symptom | Likely Cause | Fast Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Latch hits above or below strike | Hinge sag or frame shift | Tighten hinge screws; shim or adjust hinges |
| Latch hits front edge of strike | Door sits too far out | Reset hinges; pull jamb tight with long screws |
| Latch hits back edge of strike | Door sits too deep | Add hinge shims; move strike slightly |
| Latch enters hole but won’t hold | Strike hole too small or shallow | File strike; deepen hole; reposition plate |
| Handle turns, latch sluggish | Dirty latch or wrong lube | Clean; apply a dry lock lube |
| Latch won’t retract | Broken spring or latch | Replace the latch set |
How To Fix A Door That Won’t Latch: Step-By-Step
1) Confirm The Problem
Close the door slowly and watch where the latch bolt hits the strike plate. A quick trick is the lipstick test. Rub a light mark on the angled face of the latch, shut the door, and reopen to see where the color transfers on the strike. That mark tells you how far the parts are off and which direction to move.
2) Tighten And Reset Hinges
Loose hinge screws cause most misalignment. Open the door and drive each screw snug by hand. If a screw spins, remove it and insert a longer #9 or #10 wood screw that reaches the framing. Start with the top hinge; it carries the load. Small changes at the hinges shift the latch a lot.
If the door rubs the head jamb or the latch sits low, add thin hinge shims behind the lower leaf of the top hinge. If the latch sits high, shim the bottom hinge instead. You can buy plastic shims or cut card stock. Shims move the door edge without moving the frame, which often brings the latch into line with the strike.
3) Realign The Strike Plate
When the misalignment is minor, filing the strike’s opening is quick and tidy. Back out the screws and pull the plate, hold it in a vise, and file the lip that blocks the latch. Reinstall and test. A few strokes usually give the latch the clearance it needs. For slightly larger moves, set the plate back on the jamb and chisel the mortise so the plate slides up, down, or sideways a millimeter or two.
If the strike sits far off, you’ll need to move it. Remove the screws, pack the old holes with wood glue and toothpicks, set the plate in the new spot, pre-drill, and drive the screws. For a door that sits proud of the jamb, use one long screw in the top hinge leaf to pull the frame toward the studs and even the reveal before moving the strike. A deeper hole behind the strike also helps the latch extend fully.
For a quick method on light misalignment, you can file the strike plate so the latch clicks into place; this is a common fix in older houses.
4) Deepen The Latch Pocket
Some doors close fully but the latch bumps the back of the pocket and springs back. Pull the strike and check the depth of the hole in the jamb. Drill straight in with a spade or auger bit to extend the pocket cleanly. Many makers call for a hole at least one inch deep behind the strike; see this note on minimum strike depth.
5) Tune The Latch And Handle
Sticky movement often comes from grime. Spray a dry PTFE lock lube or puff a tiny amount of graphite into the keyway and the latch. Work the handle and latch to spread the lube, then wipe off the face so it doesn’t mark the paint. Avoid heavy oils that collect dust. If the latch still drags, remove it, clean old paint from the mortise, and reinstall with the plate flush to the edge.
6) Check Door And Frame
Warp and weather can bend a slab out of plane. Sight the door edge. If one corner lifts, a gentle plane of the binding edge can help, but only after hinge and strike tweaks. Check the stop molding around the frame; if it was set too tight during painting, the stop can block the latch from finding the hole. Pry and reset the stop a hair to give the latch a clear path.
Calibration Tricks That Save Time
Use The Marker Test
No lipstick handy? A dry-erase marker or painters tape on the strike shows contact points clearly. Color the latch face, close the door, then read the mark. If the mark sits high, tighten lower hinge screws; if low, tighten screws at the top hinge. Move in small steps and retest often.
Swap One Screw For A Stud Grab
On many frames, the short hinge screws only bite the jamb. Swapping one screw for a 2-1/2 inch screw grabs the wall stud and pulls a sagging jamb back in plane. This trick helps when the gap is wide at the top on the latch side. One turn can change the strike alignment by a couple millimeters.
Reset Paint-Bound Hardware
Thick paint can hold a latch short or keep a strike from sitting flat. Score the edges with a sharp knife, back out the screws, clean the mortise, and reinstall the plate flush. The face of the plate should sit level with the wood, not proud or recessed.
When Repair Beats Replacement
Most latch issues come from alignment, not failure. That’s good news, since alignment work is cheap and quick. Replace parts only when you see cracks in the latch body, a broken return spring, a bent strike, or a wobbly spindle that won’t hold tension even after you tighten set screws. If you do swap parts, match the backset on the latch (2-3/8 in. or 2-3/4 in.), the bore size, and the corner style on the faceplate so it seats without gaps.
Safety Notes
Wear eye and hearing protection while drilling or chiseling. If you work on an exterior door, keep the deadbolt aligned and fully functional. A door that locks firmly keeps weather and pests out. Where fire-rated hardware is in play, stick with listed parts and don’t modify tags or labels.
Tools And Materials You’ll Need
| Tool Or Part | Purpose | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Screwdrivers (#2 Phillips, flat) | Tighten or swap screws | Hand-tight avoids stripped heads |
| Drill with bits | Drill pilot holes; deepen pocket | Use a sharp 1 in. spade for the pocket |
| 2-1/2 in. wood screws | Pull hinge side to the stud | Swap one screw per hinge |
| Hinge shims | Shift door position | Plastic or card stock shims work |
| File and sharp chisel | Shape strike and mortise | Work slowly; test fit often |
| Dry lock lubricant | Smooth latch and keyway | Graphite or PTFE style |
| Painter’s tape or marker | Mark contact points | Avoid residue on finishes |
| Wood glue and toothpicks | Fill old screw holes | Let set before re-drilling |
Door Won’t Latch After New Hardware?
New knobs and levers can shift the latch position a hair. Before you move the strike, check the latch orientation. Many latches have a rounded face with a small tab that flips for left or right swing. If the angled face points the wrong way, the latch can snag the strike lip. Pull the latch, rotate the face, and reinstall.
Next, check handle return. Hold the handle down, then release. The latch should spring back briskly. If it sticks, the spindle may be pinched. Loosen the through-bolts a quarter turn. If the latch still drags, remove the set, clean the mortise, and reseat the faceplate level with the edge.
Sticking Latch In Cold Or Humid Weather
Moisture swells wood and can push the latch off line. A small shim change often restores the gap around the slab. If the latch binds inside the strike on wet days only, a light file on the strike lip may be all you need. Keep a dry lube handy for the latch and keyway so moving parts stay smooth without attracting dust.
Maintenance That Prevents Future Slips
Seasonal Tightening
Run a driver over every hinge screw at the start of hot and cool seasons. Those tiny turns keep the slab square in the frame. Check the long screws that tie hinges to studs; they can sink as wood dries.
Clean, Then Lube
Wipe grime from the latch face and the strike with a damp cloth. Blow out dust from the keyway, then apply a small dose of dry lock lube. Work the handle ten times to spread it evenly. Skip heavy oils on locks; dust sticks to oil and turns into sludge.
Watch For Early Signs
A door that needs a hip check today will miss the strike tomorrow. Fix the play while it’s small: one shim, one screw swap, or a few file strokes beats a big mortise shift later.
Quick Troubleshooting Flow
Step 1: Identify Contact
Mark the latch, close the door, and read the transfer on the strike. High mark? Tighten lower screws or shim the bottom hinge. Low mark? Tighten top screws or shim the top hinge. Center but no hold? The hole is too tight or too shallow.
Step 2: Make The Smallest Change
Try hinge screws first. Then add or remove a thin shim. Still off? File the strike opening. Only move the strike after small moves fail.
Step 3: Confirm The Click
Close the door softly. You should hear a clean click as the latch passes the strike lip and seats in the pocket. Turn the handle and release; the latch should pop back fully. If the click fades, repeat the test marks and adjust again.
Why Doors Go Out Of Alignment
Time and use loosen screws. A heavy slab can slowly bend hinges. Summer heat swells wood; winter dries it. Floor movement tweaks the frame. Each change is tiny by itself, but they stack up. The latch misses by a few millimeters and the door no longer holds. The cure is the same: put hinges back under load, give the latch a path, and keep moving parts clean.