Keyed Alike Locks – A Simple Guide (Pros & Cons)

Are you thinking of having your locks keyed alike? We will cover the benefits of keying alike and what door locks can and cannot be keyed alike.

What does Keyed Alike Mean?

Keyed alike means one key fits all locks, for example your front and back door locks can both use the same key or every lock in an office can use the same key.  Having your locks keyed alike is very beneficial if you want to open & close all your door locks with one key.

Want to know if keying alike is a good idea or not? Next up will cover the pros and cons.

Advantages: 

The main advantages for having multiple door locks with one key (keying alike) are:

1. Time Saver – Saves time without having to carry a set of keys around for every lock in the house or building.
2. Save Money – You will only need to buy one key, even if you have 5 locks.
3. All your house locks on 1 key – no need to have multiple keys for your home.
4. Losing you keys – If you lose your keys you will only need to get one replacement key ( note most locksmiths recommend replacing the lock if you lose a key ).

This is why most businesses, offices and residential homes will use Keyed alike locks as it means having one key for two locks, or even one key for five locks.

Disadvantages:

Some are concerned keying alike your door locks may reduce the security of your property but this is simply not the case.

1. What type of locks can be Keyed Alike?

The most popular request for locks to be keyed alike are euro lock cylinders commonly found on your front and back door in your home.

Locks that can be changed and keyed alike are:

• Euro Cylinder locks ( including Thumbturn + Double Euro )
• Mortice locks
• Morticle Sashlocks – 3 lever / 5 lever
• Mortice Deadlocks – 3 lever / 5 lever
• Night Latches – Read our Nightlatch guide here
• BS3621 approved locks – Read our BS3621 guide here
• Furniture locks
• House Locks such as Bathroom & Bedroom locks
• Padlocks

One Key to fit all locks

If you don’t know what type of lock you have fitted see our door lock guide here which covers the pros and cons of each lock.

2. What Locks CANNOT be Keyed Alike?

You are not able to key alike a Euro Cylinder lock with a lever operated (mortice) lock.

3. Can I have every lock in my home Keyed Alike?

As long every lock in your home is the same type then yes. If your locks are different, they will have to be changed in order to use the same keys for all of them.

4. Can Padlocks be Keyed Alike?

Padlocks can be keyed alike, in some instances padlocks can also be keyed alike to other locks so you could use your padlock key to open the front door lock.

Padlocks can be purchased Keyed Alike – Image by Mul-T-Lock

Can My Existing Padlocks be Keyed Alike?

It depends on the type of padlocks you have. Some locks are designed to be keyed alike whilst other are not.

You can either:

1. Buy padlocks in sets that are already keyed alike
2. Buy locks that have been pinned to a pre-made code that you can buy more of at anytime or
3. Make sure your padlocks have removable cores so you can change the key code.

What is the Cost of Keyed Alike Padlocks?

Keyed Alike padlocks are usually bought together when you need them, so the price will be included in the cost of the locks.

The price of having existing padlocks keyed alike may be more expensive than just purchasing already keyed alike padlock.

We recommend speaking to an MLA locksmith in your area for exact pricing.

5. Can I Key Alike Euro Lock Cylinders?

This is a very common question, the answer is euro lock cylinders ( euro cylinder/oval cylinder/rim cylinder ) can only be keyed alike if they are same brand and key profile.

6. When I should get my locks Keyed Alike?

If you have just moved in a new home, changing your locks to keyed alike could be a smart thing to do.

The best time to have your locks keyed alike could be as follows:

• Moved into a new house  – looking to change all the locks
• Have lost your keys – locksmiths always recommend to change the locks when losing keys – so having your locks keyed alike at the time is a good idea )
• Upgrading your existing locks – if your upgrading multiple locks to British Standard, Keying alike again can save you time in the future.

7. How much does it cost to Key Alike?

The cost all depends on the locks you have, if you cannot key alike your current locks then new locks may be required.

The best thing to do is to speak to your local MLA Licensed locksmith for them to check what can be done and what the price will be.

Related Reading

• Locksmith Price List – guide to prices and costs
• Key Cutting Prices – how much to cut keys