Before performing any other repair step to fix your door that won't latch, check all hinge screws to ensure they're tight. If your latch is only slightly missing the strike plate, which is often the case when a door won't latch, you can simply file away some of the metal to correct the issue.

An exterior door that won’t latch can also drive up energy costs for heating or cooling due to the weather stripping on the door not being able to form a tight seal with the door. In this guide, you will learn how to fix a door that won’t latch in just a few minutes using relatively inexpensive tools.

A door that won't latch is sure to become a major annoyance. While you may have assumed that your only repair option is to swap the door, the jamb, the hinges and hardware or all of the above, we're here to say that it's likely not that complicated. In fact, you can probably remedy the issue in as little as five minutes.