How to Rekey a Kwikset Lock Yourself: A Step-by-Step Guide

If you've got a Kwikset deadbolt or knob with the small key symbol stamped on the inside, you can rekey it yourself in about 10 minutes with a $10 rekey kit and your new key. No disassembly, no pins flying across the kitchen floor. Grab the SmartKey rekey tool that matches your key blank, follow the steps below, and test it three or four times before you call it done.

How do I know if my Kwikset lock can be rekeyed at home?

Look at the keyway on the inside of the lock, the side facing into your house. If you see a small key-shaped logo stamped into the metal, it's a SmartKey lock and you're good to go. Most Kwikset deadbolts and entry knobs made since around 2007 have this, including the common 780 and 985 series.

If there's no logo, you've got an older Kwikset or a different brand, and that needs a pin-tumbler rekey with real locksmith tools, not the SmartKey kit. Schlage locks use a similar keypad system but a different rekeying method, covered in our guide on resetting a Schlage keypad code if that's what you've actually got.

What tools and parts do you need?

• SmartKey rekey tool. Comes free with any new Kwikset lock, or buy one separately for around $8 to $12 at a hardware store or locksmith shop.
• A working key for the lock right now. You need a key that currently opens it to start the process.
• The new key you want it to work with. This has to be cut for a Kwikset KW1 keyway, which is the standard blank.
• A small flathead screwdriver. Only needed if your lock has an older style rekey hole with a cap over it.

That's the whole list. No pick set, no pin kit, no disassembly of the cylinder.

Step-by-step: rekeying the lock

Do this at the door, with the deadbolt in the unlocked position and the bolt retracted. Takes most people 5 to 10 minutes the first time, faster after that.

• Insert the current working key. Push it in fully and turn it a quarter turn clockwise. The key stays in this position for the next step.
• Insert the SmartKey tool into the small hole below the keyway. Push it straight in until it stops. You'll feel it seat.
• Remove the working key. Pull it straight out while the tool stays in place. Leave the tool in the hole.
• Insert the new key and turn it back to the original position. Turn it counter-clockwise, the same amount the old key turned, back to vertical.
• Remove the tool. Pull it straight out of the small hole.
• Remove the new key, then test it. Take the new key out, then reinsert it and turn the lock several times to confirm it works smoothly.

The old key will no longer open the lock once this is done. That's the entire point of rekeying: one lock, new key, old key dead.

What usually goes wrong

The most common mistake is not turning the key the full quarter turn before inserting the tool. If the tool won't go in, don't force it. Back the key off slightly and try again. Forcing the tool can snap it or jam the cylinder, and a snapped tool stuck inside the lock usually means the whole cylinder has to come out.

The second common issue is using a key cut on the wrong blank. Kwikset SmartKey locks need a KW1 blank specifically. A key cut on a similar-looking blank from a different brand may look right and still bind or refuse to turn fully, which makes it look like the rekey failed when it's actually a key problem.

If the lock is old, gritty with dried lubricant, or has a bent or worn cylinder, the tool can seat but the mechanism won't reset properly. A can of dry lock lubricant (not WD-40, which attracts grit) before you start helps a lock that's been sticking for a while.

Rekeying all the locks on one key

If you've got a Kwikset deadbolt and knob on the same door, or several Kwikset locks around the house, you can rekey all of them to the same new key. Just repeat the process on each lock using the same new key each time. This is the main reason people do this job themselves rather than replacing hardware: one trip to get a key cut, then every lock in the house matches it.

If any of your exterior locks are a different brand, like Schlage or Baldwin, those won't take a Kwikset key no matter how many times you try. Mixed brands on one property is common in older houses where locks were replaced piecemeal over the years, and it's worth knowing before you buy a stack of new keys expecting them all to work everywhere.

If the rekey tool won't seat, the key still doesn't turn after a few tries, or you're dealing with a lock that's been painted over, corroded, or forced in a break-in attempt, that's past the DIY point. Have the lock brand, the key blank if you've got one, and whether the bolt currently locks and unlocks by hand ready to describe. Safe & Secure Locksmith handles rekeys and full lock replacements through Residential locksmith Vancouver if you'd rather have it done properly the first time.

Frequently asked questions

Can I rekey a Kwikset lock without the original rekey tool?

No. The SmartKey system is built specifically around that small plastic tool, and there's no workaround using a screwdriver or paperclip. If you've lost it, a locksmith shop or hardware store sells them separately for a few dollars.

How many times can I rekey the same Kwikset lock?

There's no set limit, you can rekey the same SmartKey lock repeatedly over its life. The cylinder itself doesn't wear out from rekeying, only from years of regular key use.

Does rekeying a Kwikset lock reset it to factory settings?

No, rekeying only changes which key operates the lock, it doesn't affect anything else mechanically. If the bolt itself is sticking, loose, or not throwing properly, that's a separate hardware issue the rekey tool won't fix.