logo

What to Do if You Get Locked Out of Your Apartment

Lilly Milman

By Lilly Milman

Sep 27, 2024


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.

How can I get into my apartment if I’m locked out? 

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.

Try all the doors and windows.

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.

Call your roommates.

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.

Call anyone who has a spare key.

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. 

Call your super, property manager, or landlord. 

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. 

Call local locksmith services.

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. 

How to Avoid Getting Locked Out of Your Apartment 

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.”

Hang up a reminder sign near your front door.

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.

Give a spare key to a trusted friend, family member, or neighbor.

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.

Put spare keys in a lockbox.

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.

Ask your landlord about keyless entry. 

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.

The Bottom Line

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.

We rate and sort every listing based on fair market rent.

Start your search

Top metro areas

Atlanta Metro Apartments

4,177 apartments starting at $404/month

Austin Metro Apartments

5,948 apartments starting at $493/month

Baltimore Metro Apartments

1,586 apartments starting at $450/month

Boston Metro Apartments

5,676 apartments starting at $1,000/month

Charlotte Metro Apartments

2,696 apartments starting at $449/month

Chicago Metro Apartments

4,442 apartments starting at $475/month

Dallas Fort Worth Metro Apartments

12,330 apartments starting at $400/month

Houston Metro Apartments

4,551 apartments starting at $450/month

Las Vegas Metro Apartments

2,950 apartments starting at $500/month

Los Angeles Metro Apartments

13,209 apartments starting at $450/month

Miami Metro Apartments

1,349 apartments starting at $850/month

Milwaukee Metro Apartments

1,400 apartments starting at $495/month

New York Metro Apartments

7,219 apartments starting at $400/month

Orlando Metro Apartments

2,849 apartments starting at $650/month

Philadelphia Metro Apartments

2,658 apartments starting at $500/month

Phoenix Metro Apartments

4,558 apartments starting at $625/month

Pittsburgh Metro Apartments

1,290 apartments starting at $449/month

Portland Metro Apartments

4,079 apartments starting at $495/month

Raleigh Metro Apartments

1,894 apartments starting at $600/month

Riverside Metro Apartments

1,092 apartments starting at $850/month

San Antonio Metro Apartments

3,050 apartments starting at $404/month

San Diego Metro Apartments

3,276 apartments starting at $615/month

San Francisco Metro Apartments

3,024 apartments starting at $595/month

San Jose Metro Apartments

1,248 apartments starting at $750/month

Seattle Metro Apartments

4,661 apartments starting at $650/month

Tampa Metro Apartments

1,988 apartments starting at $500/month

Washington Metro Apartments

2,629 apartments starting at $700/month