How To Open A Jammed Door Handle From The Outside

A credit card between the door and the frame where the latch is located.

How to open a jammed door handle from the outside.

The knob will not turn to retract the stuck door latch. Make sure you are pulling in the right direction in the direction that the shootbolts move to open. Open up the bobby pin so it bends at a 90 angle and shave off the rubber tip on the straight end with a knife or razor. Take the handles knobs off of the door.

The handle or knob must be jiggled to unstick the latch. Slide in the card forcefully and play with it a bit while shaking the door a bit too at the same time. Both shootbolts can get stuck so you may need to release both sides. Use a tool a flathead screwdriver will work to twist within the gap the thru spindle inserts into.

Don t forget to make sure the handle is in the open position when trying to open the window that is jammed. Disclaimer this video was crea. This is a short video to demonstrate how easy it is to remove a door handle view what s inside and repair the failed latch. Use the screwdriver to push the opposite side of the doorknob from the door and latch.

This will hopefully force back the latch and the door will open. The first thing you can try for opening a jammed latch is to slide a plastic card e g. Make a hook at the end of a second pin to create a tension lever. Once the door is open try to actuate the door latch with the handle.

More force is needed to turn the knob and unstick the latch. The door latch is not extended before rotating the knob. Thread the screwdriver through the large spindle. Pull the spindle from the center of the latch if applicable.