For other uses, see Lockpicking.

"The art of Lockpicking is used to open locked doors and containers faster and with fewer broken lockpicks." ―In-game description

Lockpicking is a skill in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and is one of the six skills that falls under The Thief skill-set. The lockpicking mechanic is more similar to the Fallout 3 system than the Security skill from Oblivion, except that the Dragonborn can attempt to pick a lock of any difficulty regardless of their skill level. To open locks, the Dragonborn must feel for the correct tumbler position with a lockpick while turning a tension wrench in the lock. Caution should be used, as the lockpick will break if too much pressure is applied while it is in the wrong position. The higher the level of the lock, the less pressure allowed before the pick breaks. Taking certain perks in this skill will widen the correct tumbler position for picks, making locks easier to open.

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Leveling Edit

"Go fiddling with any locks around here and we're going to have a real problem." ―Hold Guard[src]

Unlike many other skills, failure grants advancement. In fact, each time a lockpick is broken, the skill goes up an amount smaller than successfully picking the lock. One way to level the skill is to obtain a large number of picks and deliberately break them in a master lock.

The Dwemer Museum in Understone Keep contains many locked display cases to unlock. A high sneak level is recommended to avoid the guards in the museum, since entering the area is considered trespassing. The Jarl chambers also contain cases, most of which offer hard-to-pick locks.

Books Edit

The following books provide a permanent one-time increase to the Dragonborn's Lockpicking skill. See each book's page for a list of possible locations.

Quests Edit

The following quests increase or help to increase the Lockpicking skill:

Trainers Edit

Perks Edit

The following perks become available as the skill levels up:

Perk (Ranks) Requirements Description AddPerk Code Novice Locks None Novice locks are much easier to pick F392A Apprentice Locks Lockpicking 25, Novice Locks Apprentice locks are much easier to pick BE125 Quick Hands Lockpicking 40, Apprentice Locks Able to pick locks without being noticed 106259 Wax Key Lockpicking 50, Quick Hands Automatically gives you a copy of a picked lock's key if it has one 107830 Adept Locks Lockpicking 50, Apprentice Locks Adept locks are much easier to pick C3680 Golden Touch Lockpicking 60, Adept Locks Find more gold in chests 5820A Treasure Hunter Lockpicking 70, Golden Touch 50% greater chance of finding special treasure 105F26 Expert Locks Lockpicking 75, Adept Locks Expert locks are much easier to pick C3681 Locksmith Lockpicking 80, Expert Locks Pick starts close to the lock opening position 58208 Unbreakable Lockpicking 100, Locksmith Lockpicks never break 58209 Master Locks Lockpicking 100, Expert Locks Master locks are much easier to pick C3682

Lockpicks Edit

The Thieves Guild fence Tonilia carries around thirty picks for sale.

The Khajiit Caravans usually have thirty or more picks for sale.

Babette in the Dark Brotherhood usually sells between fifteen and twenty picks.

General goods traders such as Belethor often carry five to ten picks.

Checking chests, bags and other storage units.

Killing or pickpocketing bandits or humanoid monsters.

The Skeleton Key. This lockpick is unique in that it will never break. The animation for the pick "breaking" will still occur if too much pressure is applied while in the wrong position, but the pick itself remains in the inventory, and can be used an infinite number of times. Unlike with ordinary lockpicks, "breaking" the Skeleton Key does not raise the lockpicking skill. This was removed in patch 1.4, and later added back in patch 1.9.

Lock difficulties Edit

Novice

Apprentice

Adept

Expert

Master

Console commands Edit

Lockpicks are easily obtained, as almost all merchants carry at least one of them. Some of the easier ways are:

Console commands only function on PC versions of the game.

Add code for lockpicks is " player.additem A amount ." Codes can be shortened by excluding the zeros. For example, to add 5 lockpicks, type player.additem a 5 .

." Codes can be shortened by excluding the zeros. For example, to add 5 lockpicks, type . Enter the console. Click on the chest/door to be unlocked, and type "unlock." The chest/door will unlock.

Conversely, to lock or re-lock any item, highlight it in console and type "lock x." Whatever number you substitute for x will decide the lock's level - 50 for adept, 100 for master, etc. A lock set to 101 or higher will turn into a 'requires key' lock. Note this command may sometimes not change the popup text to 'locked' on chests, while still applying the lock.

Trivia Edit

Followers can open any chests they come across, even locked chests with a master lock rating, if given a lockpick. Each time the companion opens the chest, a lockpick is destroyed.

The Skeleton Key acts as a lockpick that never breaks, and continues to raise the skill in lockpicking, making one of the most useful tools. At the end of the quest Thieves' Guild questline, the Dragonborn is asked to return it to the Twilight Sepulcher. However, it is beneficial to keep it, since it can be used to practice lockpicking.

Investing in certain points of the Lockpicking skill tree can vastly simplify several gaming aspects: The Wax Key perk will eliminate the need to pick locks that have an in-game key. Most story-related locks have a corresponding key, so this saves the Dragonborn of having to waste lockpicks or risk getting detected while picking. The Quick Hands perk will allow the Dragonborn to pick locks without having to conceal themselves. Some locks can even be picked in front of guards without being considered a crime. The Dragonborn might have to enter sneak mode for this to work, however. The Unbreakable perk will allow the Dragonborn to pick any lock without the fear of breaking the lockpick, though by the time this perk is unlocked, the Lockpicking tree has already been maxed out. Having this perk also renders the Skeleton Key redundant.

The perk Locksmith might not work with Master locks, the position of the lockpick might be significantly further away from the 'sweet spot.'

No matter what skill level the Dragonborn has, any lock may be picked. Essentially, even if no skill points are put into the tree for lock picking it is still possible to pick every master lock encountered. At lower lockpicking skill levels this can be difficult without booster items or perks.

Equipping items which fortify lockpicking will stack for a significant advantage, 100 in the skill and the maximum number of booster items removes all need for any perks in the skill tree as even "Master" locks become easy to open. If looking for locks to pick, it is possible to pick all the locks in a city, wait one in-game day, and then return to the city. All locks will have been relocked, and this process can be repeated indefinitely. "The Heist Job" from Vex is also good for leveling lockpicking. In every Heist mission, there is at least one (often high-level) lockbox and often a few high-level doors to be picked.

A good place to level up the lockpicking skill is in the training room of the Thieves Guild, there is one chest to each lock difficulty, Apprentice, Novice, Adept, Expert and Master. The locks re-lock after at least ten in-game days spent without entering the Ragged Flagon - Cistern.

Lockpick durability is reset, so a lockpick that has been almost broken in one lock, will not be broken more quickly if used again.

PS3 Decreasing "lock sensitivity" in the system settings can make lockpicking easier.

Decreasing "lock sensitivity" in the system settings can make lockpicking easier. The Treasure Hunter perk is useful in Dwemer ruins, that are filled with chests that will have more treasures like enchanted gear with this perk.

PS3 Lockpicking can be initiated on horseback if the situation arises. There will be no indication to pick the lock but pressing the action button will start the lockpicking process.

Lockpicking can be initiated on horseback if the situation arises. There will be no indication to pick the lock but pressing the action button will start the lockpicking process. At higher levels, breaking a lockpick may give a larger skill increase than opening a Novice lock.

Bugs Edit

This section contains bugs related to Lockpicking (Skyrim). Before adding a bug to this list, consider the following: Please reload an old save to confirm if the bug is still happening. If the bug is still occurring, please post the bug report with the appropriate system template 360 / XB1 , PS3 / PS4 , PC / MAC , NX , depending on which platform(s) the bug has been encountered on. Be descriptive when listing the bug and fixes, but avoid having conversations in the description and/or using first-person anecdotes: such discussions belong on the appropriate forum board.

PC PS3 The sound effects for the lock may become disabled. This can make picking locks by sound impossible.

The sound effects for the lock may become disabled. This can make picking locks by sound impossible. When one attempts to pick any lock while not sneaking and people are aware of them, they will comment as if they saw the Dragonborn pick the lock, but no bounty will be added.confirmation needed

Achievements Edit

Thief

Pick 50 locks and 50 pockets Points 30 Trophy