How to Pick a Filing Cabinet Lock

Last Updated: February 4, 2023 References

If you’ve lost the key to your filing cabinet at work, don’t worry! You can use a nail file or a paperclip to get inside. With a little creativity and patience, you can easily pick the lock on your filing cabinet.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Picking the Lock with Paperclips

1
Straighten out a paperclip but leave one of the ends bent. You’ll use the bent end of the paper clip to pick the lock on your filing cabinet.
- If you’d like, you can use a pair of pliers to help you bend the paperclip.
2
Insert the curved end of the paperclip into the keyhole. The paperclip essentially acts as your key. Hold the paperclip vertically in the center between your index finger and thumb, and press the curved end into the slot.^{[1]
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- Make sure you hold the paperclip in the correct direction. If you hold it horizontally, the paperclip will not fit into the keyhole.
- As you do this, the paperclip pushes down on the pins of the lock.
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3
Turn the clip from left to right to find the correct unlock position. Each filing cabinet is different, so you must figure out which direction to turn your tool before you unlock the cabinet. To do this, move your paperclip to the left side, and then try the right side. You should easily feel the correct side when you move the paperclip. When the paperclip easily turns to the side, you found the correct unlocking position.^{[2]
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- While many cabinets are opened by turning the key clockwise, other cabinets require you to turn the key counter-clockwise.
4
Turn your paperclip the correct way to unlock the filing cabinet. To unlock the cabinet, move the keyhole into the unlocked position, based on your individual cabinet. To do this, either turn your paperclip clockwise or counter-clockwise. Once you move the keyhole to the correct position, remove your paperclip from the lock.^{[3]
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- For example, some keyholes are vertical when in the locked position. To unlock these cabinets, move the paperclip counter-clockwise to position the keyhole horizontally.
5
Pull on the handle to open your filing cabinet. Once the keyhole is moved to the correct position, the cabinet is unlocked. Simply slide open the cabinet by pulling on the handle to access the inside.^{[4]
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- The cabinet remains unlocked unless you use a key or tool to move the keyhole into the correct position.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Using a Nail Clipper File

1
Use a nail clipper file with a curved tip as your lock pick. To use the filing tool, locate a pair of nail clippers that has a tiny nail filing tool. Most of these tools have a curved tip at the top of the file. When you are ready to pick the lock, slide the file out from the base of the nail clippers. Move the file until it is straight, and hold the file where it meets the clippers.^{[5]
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- You can slide the nail file either clockwise or counter-clockwise.
2
Insert the filing tool into the bottom of the keyhole. Hold the tool up to the bottom of the keyhole so the curved tip faces downward, and push the tool into the keyhole as far as it can go. The tool should easily slip inside the hole, and most of the file should go inside.^{[6]
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- Since the nail file has a slightly curved tip, it works great to get inside the filing cabinet lock.
3
Turn the file back and forth to determine which way to unlock it. Move the file clockwise and then counter-clockwise so you can find the correct way to unlock the cabinet. When you find the correct position, the nail file easily slides that way. You'll feel the filing tool slide into place.^{[7]
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- This may take a bit of experimentation. With a little practice, you can get the hang of it.
- For many filing cabinets, you can turn the nail file clockwise, like you would your key.
4
Jiggle the nail file up and down gently to release the locking mechanism. The nail file fits almost perfectly into the keyhole. With a bit of pressure, you can easily unlock the filing cabinet. Move the filing tool up and down slightly 3-5 times. This moves the pins of the locks so you can easily open the cabinet.^{[8]
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- Most household locks have about 5 pins, and your key effortlessly moves these pins when you insert it into the lock. You must move these pins to unlock the cabinet.
5
Move the nail file the correct direction to unlock the keyhole. After you jiggle around the file to move the pins, gently spin your wrist in the direction you determined earlier. With this motion, the locking mechanism moves into the “unlocked” position.^{[9]
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- You may hear the locking mechanism collapse as you do this.
6
Remove your nail file and open the cabinet. After you move the keyhole into the unlocked position, take the nail file out of the lock. You can fold the file back inside of the clippers. Then, simply pull on the handle or door to open the cabinet.^{[10]
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- To lock the filing cabinet, move the nail file the opposite direction.

Community Q&A

Question

I have a table with a drawer I can't open.

Animers

Community Answer

If there is a large object jammed inside the drawer, use a long, thin dinner knife or other dull item, such as a metal ruler, to gently jiggle the item back into place so that the drawer can open freely. Open the drawer as far as it will go without harming the structure of the drawer and keep working on changing the position of the object.
Question

My file cabinet has a lock that you push in. How do I pick that lock?

Animers

Community Answer

Push-button locks generally present on the outside of the door as a small, round hole centered in the middle of the knob. To pick this kind of lock, select a bobby pin or straightened paperclip.
Question

Will this damage the filing cabinet's lock?

Upnorth Here

Top Answerer

Yes, picking any lock will leave microscopic scratches inside the mechanism. Also, using the wrong tool or technique may significantly damage the mechanism mechanically.

Things You'll Need

Picking the Lock with Paperclips

Locked filing cabinet
Paperclip
Pliers (optional)

Using Nail Clippers

Locked filing cabinet
Nail clippers with a small nail file

Warnings

Avoid shoving the tool into the lock with force and wiggling it around in a rough fashion. If you damage the inside of the lock, you may not be able to unlock the cabinet.

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If you pick locks other than your own, you can wind up in trouble.^{[12]
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