How to Open a TSA Lock if Forgot the Combination

How to Open a TSA Lock When I Forgot the Combination

If you've forgotten your TSA lock combination, a maker of TSA-approved locks, Travel Sentry, suggests trying every possible combination, beginning with 000 and ending with 999 (000, 001, 002 through 999). This sounds long and tedious, but Travel Sentry states that only 30 minutes is required, especially if one of the numbers is already known, or the first number is a 0, 1 or 2.

According to Samsonite and Tosca, built-in TSA compliant locks require a call to the company for reset instructions.

Some travelers have had luck with the following process for finding a lost combination:

Push the button or pull on the lock, to put pressure on the locking mechanism.

Turn the first dial slowly, listening until there is an audible click. That should be the correct number.

Leaving the first dial on the number that clicked, repeat the process with the other two dials.

When all three numbers have clicked, the lock should open.

If the lock is unlocked at the time the combination is forgotten, it's much simpler. Just reset the combination:

Set the dial to 000.

Turn the shackle at a 90 degree angle from the lock position.

Push the shackle down (outside of the lock).

Set the desired code. Pull the shackle up.

Turn it back to the lock position.

Tips:

Once the combination is reset, email it to yourself to avoid forgetting it in the future.