Push Button Lock Not Popping Out Anymore? It May Just Be in the Wrong Setting

A push button lock on a knobset or leverset is one of those simple, convenient things most people do not think about until it starts behaving differently.

Normally, you press the button on the inside, close the door behind you, and head off. You do not need to use a key just to lock the door. From the inside, you can always turn the knob or pull down the lever and get out.

But sometimes the inside button stops popping back out.

That is when people start thinking the lock is broken.

Sometimes it is. But a lot of the time, it is actually something much simpler.

On many push button locks, the button can be turned into a different setting. When that happens, the button stays in and the lock starts behaving differently. From inside, everything still feels normal. But from outside, the door may now be locked every time it closes.

That is how people get accidentally locked out.

What is actually happening?

With a normal entrance set, you push the inside button to lock the outside. When the lock is unlocked again, the button pops back out and the outside stays unlocked until you lock it again.

That is what most people expect.

But on some knobsets and leversets, once the button is pushed in, it can also be twisted. That changes the function of the lock. Instead of acting like a normal entrance set, it may now be acting more like a storeroom function.

That means the outside stays locked, while the inside still always lets you out.

So if the button is not popping out anymore, the lock may not actually be faulty at all. It may simply be set to stay that way.

Why this becomes a problem

The reason this catches people out is because the inside still works normally.

You can still open the door from the inside, so it does not feel like anything is seriously wrong. But once the door closes, the outside may now be locked every time.

Before, you had to push the button in to lock it.

Now, it may already be set to remain locked.

If you step outside without your key, shut the door, and then realise the outside is locked, you have a problem.

A simple thing to try first

If the inside button is pushed in and not popping out anymore, there is a simple thing worth trying before assuming the lock is broken.

With the button pushed in, place your thumb on the button and try twisting it.

Different brands and different locks turn to slightly different positions, so there is no single direction or exact angle that applies to every lock. The point is to see whether the button has been turned into the setting where it stays in.

After twisting it, try the inside knob or lever again.

Sometimes that is enough to return it to the normal entrance function, and the button will start popping out again.

In other words, the lock was not stuck. It was just set in the position where the button is meant to stay in.

Be careful when testing it

If you are checking this yourself, make sure you have your key with you before shutting the door.

That part matters.

A lot of people test the lock, pull the door shut, and then realise too late that the outside is still locked. If you are going to try changing the setting, do it carefully and keep your key in your hand while you test it.

When it really is a lock problem

Of course, not every case is just the button being turned.

If the button feels loose, jams, does not turn properly, only works sometimes, or the lock behaves inconsistently, then there may be something actually wrong with the lock.

Locks wear out. Internal parts can get sticky or fail. Sometimes the issue is the function. Sometimes the issue is the lock itself.

But because this particular problem is often just a setting change, it is worth checking that first.

The difference between entrance and storeroom function

This is the basic idea.

A normal entrance function lock can be locked by the inside button, then unlocked again so the outside stays free until you lock it again.

A storeroom function lock is different. The outside stays locked and you need a key to get in. The inside always lets you out.

So if your push button lock is no longer popping out, it may simply be acting like the second type instead of the first.

That is why the problem feels strange. Inside still works. Outside is the part that catches you out.

Final thought

If your push button lock is not popping out anymore, do not panic straight away and do not assume the lock is definitely broken.

First, check whether the button has been turned into the position where it is meant to stay in. A small twist and another try of the inside handle may be all it needs.

But test it carefully, and keep your key with you.

If it is still not working properly after that, then it may be time to get it looked at properly.

If you are in Geelong, the Bellarine or the Surf Coast and want help with a lock problem, feel free to get in touch.