Broken Key Stuck in the Lock — Can a Locksmith Help?

Almost always, yes. A locksmith uses a thin extractor tool — basically a hooked wire — to grip the broken end of the key and pull it back out the keyway. Most extractions take under 10 minutes.

Do not try to glue the two halves together to fish it out. The glue almost always seizes inside the cylinder and turns a 10-minute extraction into a full lock replacement.

While the locksmith is on-site, ask for a fresh key cut from the lock itself — not from the broken half. That way the new key matches the lock's actual cuts and is less likely to snap again from the same wear pattern.