How to Lockpick in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered

Throughout The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered, you’ll encounter countless locked doors and chests hiding valuable gear, gold, and secrets. While these obstacles might seem daunting at first, the game offers multiple ways to bypass them, from traditional lockpicking to magical solutions.

Whether you prefer hands-on mechanics or alternative approaches, this guide will walk you through all the lockpicking techniques in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered.

How To Open Locks Using Lockpicks in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered

Lockpicking in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered is a minigame that requires precision and timing. When you attempt to pick a lock, you’re presented with a side-view of the mechanism, showing a lockpick inserted on the left and a series of small metal pins called tumblers on the right.

The number of tumblers varies depending on the lock’s difficulty—simple locks may have just one, while master-level locks can have up to five.

To interact with a tumbler, you’ll move your lockpick left or right. Once positioned, you need to push the tumbler upward. Then, at the right moment, you will need to try and lock it into place.

What Happens if the Lockpick Breaks?

A failed or successful lockpick attempt depends on timing. If you press too early or too late, the tumbler won’t stay, and your lockpick may break.

The real challenge comes from the tumblers’ movement. When you push one up, it rises quickly at first before slowing down as it reaches the top. The key is to wait until it’s moving at its slowest, right when it hits the peak of its motion, before attempting to set it.

If you try too soon, the tumbler will snap back down, potentially breaking your lockpick. Worse, a failed attempt can cause previously set tumblers to drop, forcing you to start the lockpick mini-game over.

How To Be Good at Lockpicking?

Some players rely on sound cues, listening for a subtle click when a tumbler is ready to be set. This method can be helpful, especially with headphones, but it requires a sharp ear. Others prefer to watch the tumblers closely, waiting for that perfect moment when the pin slows to a near-stop at the top of the lock.

We highly recommend you use headphones, especially while lockpicking, to have a better chance at picking the lock instead of breaking it.

Additionally, your character’s Security stat level also plays a role. Higher skill means fewer tumblers reset when you fail, making the process more forgiving.

How to Pick Locks Using Keyboard and Mouse on PC

If you’re playing The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered with a keyboard and mouse, lockpicking requires careful listening and precise timing. You’ll need to pay close attention to the sound of a tumbler clicking into place while using your keyboard and mouse to execute the correct button prompts.

To begin, scroll your mouse left or right to position the lockpick under the desired tumbler. Then, slide the mouse upward to push the lockpick against the tumbler and lift it.

Once you hear the distinct click of the tumbler locking into position, press the left mouse button or the spacebar to secure it.

For easier locks, successfully setting a single tumbler may be enough to open it. However, more complex locks will require you to repeat this process for each tumbler until the mechanism fully unlocks.

How to Pick Locks Using PlayStation/Xbox Controller

If you’re playing with a PlayStation or Xbox controller, the process is similar but uses different inputs.

Move the left thumbstick (LS) left or right to select the tumbler you want to target, then push the thumbstick up to lift the lockpick.

Listen for the audible click, then press X (PlayStation) or A (Xbox) to lock the tumbler in place. Continue this method until all necessary tumblers are set, successfully picking the lock.

How To Open Locks Without Lockpicks in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered

There are other ways to open locks without lockpicks (and playing the lockpicking minigame). However, you will first need to get the following items if you do not want to rely too much on the standard mechanics of lockpicking.

1. Using Console Commands

Picking locks is easy when you use Console Commands. While not intended by the developers, PC players can bypass locks in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered using console commands. Just press ~, select the locked object, type ‘unlock’, and hit Enter.

Be warned: If you care to unlock achievements for the game, then don’t use this method to pick locks, as this disables achievements.

2. Using Skeleton Key

If you’re looking for a foolproof way to breeze through lockpicking in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered, the Skeleton Key is your best bet. This unbreakable lockpick is a reward for completing Nocturnal’s quest, and it completely changes the game when it comes to cracking locks.

As long as you have at least one regular lockpick in your inventory, you can bypass the minigame entirely by spamming the “Auto Attempt” button until the lock opens. Since the Skeleton Key never breaks, you can keep trying this option without consequence.

While the “Auto Attempt” option is available even without the Skeleton Key, it’s far less reliable, especially early in the game when your Security skill is low. Attempting to force open anything harder than a “Very Easy” lock this way will usually fail.

But, as we mentioned above, this changes once you have the Skeleton Key. After that, brute-forcing locks becomes a viable (and often the fastest) strategy for any difficulty level. 

3. Using Lockpicking Spells

If you’d rather bypass lockpicking altogether, Oblivion Remastered offers a magical solution—the Open spell. Early in the game, you can acquire this useful spell for free by visiting a special location near the Imperial City.

Head northeast from the Lake Rumare bridge until you find a mysterious stone marker. Interacting with it grants you the Warden Key greater power.

The effectiveness of the Open spell depends on your Alteration skill level. The higher your skill, the harder the locks you can open. The beauty of this approach is that you can cast the spell repeatedly as long as you have enough Magicka, making it a reliable alternative to lockpicks.

While it won’t replace the Skeleton Key’s convenience, it’s a great option for magic-focused characters or players who prefer spellcasting over manual lockpicking.

That is pretty much everything you need to know about all the methods to pick locks in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered. For more tips about the game, we recommend you check out our Oblivion Remastered Save File Location on PC, and How To Skip the Oblivion Remastered Intro Videos guides.