Learn How To Open A Schlage Lock With Dead Batteries (Without The Key)

Imagine coming back to your home after a long day of work to find that your deadbolt batteries are dead! You might immediately look for the physical key to the lock but let’s face it, how many of us stack them with us these days? As a result, you are locked out of your home until you find a way to open the lock with dead batteries and no key. Isn’t that a bad scenario to envision oneself in?

Though the Schlage lock very well indicates the low battery status on the lock status light through a red light that turns green every time you enter the user code to unlock it. In fact, a Schlage lock flashes a red light when the battery is critically low. But in case you have been away for months or have been ignoring the warnings, you may land yourself in a situation like this.

If you are here reading this article, you are definitely looking for how to open a Schlage lock with dead batteries. In this article, you will learn how to accomplish the task using a 9V alkaline battery in less than a few minutes.

How Long Do Batteries Last In Schlage Lock?

An AA battery in a Schlage lock has an average lifespan of 1500-1700 hours. However, the longevity of the batteries in your Schlage lock is determined by a variety of circumstances. For instance, how frequently the door lock is used, the type of batteries used, the climate of the location where the lock is situated, etc.

Schlage typically advises changing the batteries in its locks at least once a year. However, this may vary because the more you use your door lock, the faster the batteries will expire.

How Do I Know My Schlage Lock Batteries are Dead?

A Schlage lock contains a Schlage button on the keypad that acts as a status light, notifying the user of a low battery, as well as a few other things.

If your Schlage lock blinks red, then green, it implies that your Schlage lock’s batteries are low and must be changed soon. A flashing red status indicator, on the other hand, shows that the Schlage lock batteries are severely low or dead.

How To Open A Schlage Lock With A Dead Battery

If you have been overlooking your Schlage lock’s status light warnings, you are at risk of being locked out of your house. In that scenario, you may unlock your deadbolt using a physical key. However, in the absence of a key, try jump-starting your deadbolt using a 9V battery to open your door lock or pick your lock using a lock-picking kit, bobby pin, or a paperclip.

Here’s how it works:

• Step 1: Locate the contact points on your Schlage lock. The points can be found below the touchscreen in most Schlage lock models.
• Step 2: Take a good quality 9V battery and match it with the contact points correctly until the lock beeps thrice and you see the indicator light flash red and green. 
  
  It is noteworthy that a normal 1.5V battery will not jumpstart your lock, so ensure to use a 9V battery only.
• Step 3: Once you hear the sound and see the light, the Schlage lock will jumpstart. Now, enter the user code (primary or guest) to unlock your Schlage lock to gain access to your place.

You must note that you can unlock the lock using the jumpstart method, but the Schlage lock cannot be locked again for regular use until the lock batteries are replaced.

The jump start troubleshoot works great to unlock a Schlage lock with dead batteries and has been tried and tested by me a number of times. The alternative could be picking your lock using a bobby pin, paperclip, or lock-picking kit. You may read the detailed steps for the same in one of my past articles.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. Are Schlage deadbolt locks difficult to pick?

Answer –  Schlage deadbolts are ANSI Grade 1 locks which means these locks are more challenging to pick than any other deadbolts. Some advanced Schlage deadbolts have anti-tampering protection that may be even more difficult to break into. 

Q2. Each time I enter the code to unlock my Schlage lock, it blinks red and then green. Why so?

Answer – A red status light on the Schlage lock followed by a green light indicates that the batteries of the deadbolt are low and must be replaced soon. In case of failing to replace the batteries in time, the Schlage lock will begin flashing red light to indicate critically low or dead batteries. 

Q3. Does a Schlage smart lock work in case of a power outage? 

Answer – The Schlage smart locks work perfectly well in case of a power outage, as all Schlage smart locks are battery-operated.

Conclusion

Coming home to discover your Schlage lock batteries dead might be inconvenient if you do not have the physical key on hand. However, if you understand the fundamentals of lock functionality, you can tackle the problem effectively. A 9V battery may jumpstart your lock, allowing you to get a one-time entry to your house by entering the primary or guest user code.

The post must have assisted you in finding clear instructions for how to open a Schlage lock with dead batteries. Write to me in the comments area if you need any further help with Schlage locks or home security in general. I’d be delighted to assist!