Schlage Keypad Lock Not Locking from Outside? (Fixes to Try)

So your Schlage Keypad Lock is not locking from the outside, and you’re not sure how to go about this? We’re here to help.

In the following paragraphs, we explain why your Schlage Keypad Lock isn’t locking from the outside. We’ll also walk you through the steps to fix this problem yourself. Let’s get started.

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Why is my Schlage Keypad Lock Not Locking from Outside?

If your Schlage Keypad Lock isn’t locking from the outside, here are some reasons behind this:

The battery in your Schlage Keypad Lock is running low.
You have set the lock to ‘unlocked’ mode.
You are locking the lock incorrectly.
A bug is hindering the lock from working.
Your Schlage Keypad Lock wasn’t installed properly.

Next, we’ll walk you through the steps to fix the problem with your Schlage Lock. Let’s dive in!

Schlage Keypad Lock Locking from Outside: Try These Troubleshooting Steps

1. Replace the Battery in Your Schlage Lock

Schlage Keypad Locks are mainly battery-powered. So, your Schlage Keypad Lock performance may decrease if the batteries in the lock are running low.

If your lock won’t lock from outside after entering a valid User Code, low battery power may be the reason for this. So, the first step to resolving this issue with your Schlage Lock is to replace the batteries.

If you’re not sure how to replace the batteries in your Schlage Keypad Lock, see the guidelines below:

On the interior assembly of the lock, use a Phillips head screwdriver to remove the screws at the top and bottom of the Schlage Keypad Lock to take out the faceplate.
Now, you’ll see the battery in the lock.
Pull the battery connector to disconnect the old battery from the lock.
Next, insert the new batteries by popping the battery heads into the battery connector. Ensure you follow the correct battery polarity (+/-).
The next step is to replace the faceplate on the lock. Before replacing the faceplate, inspect your wires to ensure that nothing moved out of place while inserting the new battery.
Once you’ve confirmed that all the wires in your Schlage Keypad Lock are in place, replace the faceplate on the lock.
Fix back the screws.

So that’s how to replace the batteries in your Schlage Keypad Lock. However, note that the process may differ slightly depending on the model of your Schlage Lock. Also, ensure you get the correct batteries. See the recommended batteries for Schlage Keypad Locks.

Next, try to lock your door from the outside to see if the problem is fixed. If not, keep reading.

2. Check and Return Your Schlage Keypad Lock to Relock Mode

For the Schlage FE595 model (and other similar models), there’s a feature that allows users to set the lock to relock or unlocked mode.

In relock mode, the lock will function normally. That is, you can lock it from outside by entering a valid User Code. But when the unlocked mode is active, the lock will stay unlocked—meaning you can’t lock it even though you enter the correct User Code.

If you’re unable to lock your Schlage Keypad Lock from outside, chances are the unlocked mode is active in the lock. To fix this issue, you’ll need to switch the lock to relock mode.

But how do you know if the unlocked mode is enabled? Check the interior Thumb Turn of your lock; if it is in the vertical position, it means unlocked mode is in effect. You can switch it to relock mode by rotating the thumb turn to the horizontal position.

Now, try to lock the lock from the outside to see if it works. If not, continue to the next step.

3. Lock Your Schlage Keypad Lock Correctly

If your Schlage Keypad Lock is still not locking from outside, check if you’re locking it correctly.

For example, if you have the Schlage BE365 Keypad Lock, you can lock it from outside just by pressing the Schlage button and turning the Thumb Turn. But this only works when the Turn Lock/Lock and Leave feature is in effect.

If the Turn Lock feature is not active, the lock won’t lock from outside by merely pressing the Schlage button and turning the Thumb Turn. You’ll need to enter a valid User Code, press the Schlage button and rotate the Thumb Turn to lock your door.

Confirm that you’re following the correct procedures to lock your Schlage Keypad Lock from outside. If you’re not sure of what you’re doing, refer to your user manual or try googling your Schlage Keypad Lock model for guidelines—on how to lock it from outside.

4. Restore Factory Settings

If you can’t lock your Schlage Keypad Lock from outside after trying all the tips above, chances are a bug is hindering the locking process. And you may need to factory reset the lock—as it helps fix internal glitches and incorrect settings.

If you’re not sure how to reset your lock, see how to perform a factory reset on a Schlage Keypad Lock.

Note that after restoring factory settings, you’ll have to reprogram your Schlage Keypad Lock. This is because a factory reset erases all the previous custom programming.

See how to change User Codes and Programming Code after resetting your Schlage keypad Lock.

Final Thoughts

Your Schlage Keypad Lock may not lock from outside after you’ve exhausted all the tips in this article. If so, you can try locking the lock with a physical key to see if that would fix the issue.

If the physical key locks the door, unlock it with the key and try to lock it via the keypad. If it doesn’t work via the keypad, contact Schlage Support and report your issue.

But if the physical key doesn’t lock the door, chances are the lock wasn’t installed correctly or the latch/internal mechanism is faulty.

That said, you may need to reinstall your Schlage Keypad Lock to get the lock to lock from outside.

If you’re not sure how to reinstall your Schlage keypad lock, go here for instructions or get an expert to help you with the reinstallation.