# Sliding Door Latch - Link: https://selectslidingdoors.com/glossary/sliding-door-latch/ - Published: 2024-08-17T15:50:48+00:00 - Author: Rowdy [Home](https://selectslidingdoors.com/)/[Glossary](https://selectslidingdoors.com/glossary/)/ Sliding door latch Locks and security # Sliding door latch Also called: hook latch, patio door catch **Quick answer:** a sliding door latch is the metal hook in the edge of the sliding panel. When you flip the lever, the hook swings out and grabs a keeper (also called a strike) on the door frame. If the hook and keeper no longer line up, the door will not latch. Why it stops catching Worn rollers let the panel drop, or the keeper works loose, so the hook meets metal instead of the slot. It does not set itself On most patio doors the hook only moves when you flip the lever. Closing the door alone does not latch it. Never force the lever A hook that keeps hitting the keeper can bend, or break the small parts inside the lock body. How the hook meets the keeper 1. **Thumb turn**, the lever on the inside handle 2. **Lock body**, hidden inside the panel edge 3. **Hook**, which swings out and curls behind the keeper 4. **Keeper**, the slotted plate screwed to the frame Seen from inside the room. The hook tip sitting behind the keeper is what holds the door shut. ## How to check why it won’t catch Work through these in order. Most of the time the fix is a screwdriver, not a new lock. 1. Test it with the door open 2. Flip the lever. If the hook swings out smoothly, the lock itself works. 3. Safe to do yourself 4. Mark where the hook lands 5. Rub marker on the hook tip, close the door gently, flip the lever, then look at the keeper. 6. Safe to do yourself 7. Move the keeper or raise the door 8. Loosen the keeper screws and slide it to the mark, or raise the rollers a quarter turn at a time. 9. Take care: keep the panel in its track 10. The hook will not come out 11. Parts inside the lock body have broken, so the lock body needs replacing. 12. Call a pro ## Fix it yourself or call a pro * **Safe yourself**Vacuum the track and the hook slot, tighten the keeper screws, and test the hook with the door open. * **Take care**Raising the rollers or moving the keeper. Make small turns and keep the panel in its track the whole time. * **Call a pro**A broken lock body, a bent hook or keeper, pry marks, or any fix that means taking the glass panel out: two people at least. Step by step: [sliding door won’t lock or latch? What to check](https://selectslidingdoors.com/sliding-door-wont-lock/). ![Technician working on the edge of a glass door, beside its handle and lock](https:// selectslidingdoors.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/installation-door-lock-2023-11- 27-05-06-09-utc-768x512.jpg) Latch hardware is fitted into the edge of the door, beside the handle. ## Door won’t latch? Select Sliding Doors handles [sliding door repair](https://selectslidingdoors.com/sliding-door-repair/), including latches, keepers and lock bodies, across Dallas-Fort Worth. Mon to Sat, 7am to 10pm. [Call 469-915-5230](https://selectslidingdoors.com/glossary/sliding-door-latch/4699155230) [Sliding door repair](https://selectslidingdoors.com/sliding-door-repair/) ## Questions people ask Why won’t my sliding door latch catch? Usually the door has dropped a little, or the keeper has moved. The hook still swings out, but it lands above, below or short of the slot. Moving the keeper or raising the rollers fixes most cases. Is the latch the same as the lock? On most sliding patio doors, yes. The same hook latches and locks the door. A key cylinder outside, if your door has one, moves that same hook. Can I replace just the keeper? Yes. Keepers are sold on their own, but the shape must suit your hook. Take the old one with you, or have a technician match it. ## Related terms [Mortise lock](https://selectslidingdoors.com/glossary/mortise-lock/)[Sliding door alignment](https://selectslidingdoors.com/glossary/sliding-door-alignment/) [Patio door rollers](https://selectslidingdoors.com/glossary/patio-door-rollers/) [High-security locks](https://selectslidingdoors.com/glossary/high-security-locks/) Photo: own media library. Diagram: Select Sliding Doors.