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A close view of an open dryer door in a US home laundry room, showing the plastic door catch on the cabinet frame and the small switch opening beside it.

Dryer
Door Won't Latch

The door swings back open, will not stay shut, or closes but the dryer acts as if it is open.

(844) 314-5837

Mon–Sat, 8am–8pm

  • 5 checks before you book
  • 5 questions that narrow it
  • 5 causes, cheapest first

Book a visit

Three short steps, about a minute.

or call (844) 314-5837

What it
usually means.

A dryer door is held shut by a simple catch, a magnet or a spring detent, and a separate switch behind the door frame tells the control that it is closed. So there are two different problems that look alike: the door physically does not stay shut, or it stays shut and the switch does not know. The first is usually a worn catch, a bent strike or a sagging hinge. The second is a broken switch actuator or a switch that has failed inside. On a stackable or compact dryer, a door that has been reversed is a common place for either to start.

A front-loading dryer door stands open in a US home laundry room, with a technician's finger pressing the small door switch plunger in the door frame. The 5 causes, cheapest first

Answer these first

01

Does the door fail to stay shut, or does it stay shut while the dryer still will not start?
02

Do you hear a click from the frame when the door closes?
03

Is the door sagging on its hinges, or rubbing on the frame?
04

Was the door recently reversed to open the other way?
05

Is the plastic catch or strike cracked or missing?

Check these
before you book.

Dryer door won't latch: 5 checks, and none of them costs anything.

01

Close the door firmly and listen for the switch click inside the frame.

02

Look at the catch and strike for cracks, missing pieces or packed lint.

03

Lift the door slightly by its edge; play or a wobble points at the hinge.

Also worth checking

  • Check the door seal for a sock or fabric caught in it.
  • If the door was recently reversed, confirm every part of the kit was moved.

How soon does it need a visit?

Not urgent. A dryer with an open door switch will not run, which is the switch working as intended. Do not tape or wedge the door or bypass the switch to keep using it.

The causes,
cheapest first.

5 things dryer door won't latch turns out to be, from lint or a fabric scrap in the latch to sagging hinge.

The cost guide
  1. 01 no repair

    Lint or a fabric scrap in the latch

    Lint packed around the strike or a scrap caught in the door seal holds the door off the catch. Cleaning it is enough.

    No repair: check it yourself
  2. 02 lowest

    Door reversed incorrectly

    Reversing the door means moving the catch and strike as well. A mismatched set leaves the door unable to latch.

    Fixed by door switch and latch repair On a stackable dryer
  3. 03 low

    Worn door catch

    The spring catch or magnet that holds the door weakens over years of use and lets the door drift open during a tumble.

    Fixed by door switch and latch repair
  4. 04 low

    Broken door switch or actuator

    The small lever that presses the switch breaks off, or the switch itself fails. The door closes but the dryer never sees it.

    Fixed by door switch and latch repair
  5. 05 low

    Sagging hinge

    A hinge with loose screws or a cracked mount lets the door drop so it misses the catch and the switch.

    Fixed by door switch and latch repair
  6. What it costs

    Every repair on the site's cost scale, side by side

    Open the cost guide

The makes
it happens on.

14 makes on this site; dryer door won't latch can show up on any of them. Each mark opens that make's own page.

All 14 brands

Dryer Door Won't Latch,
where we come out.

9 metros, each with its own page.

All service areas

Tampa BayFL · 31 areas

OrlandoFL · 30 areas

Miami / South FloridaFL · 47 areas

New York MetroNY · 75 areas

HoustonTX · 36 areas

ChicagoIL · 50 areas

Los AngelesCA · 95 areas

San DiegoCA · 31 areas

San Francisco Bay AreaCA · 74 areas

A parent and a child folding warm towels together on top of a front-load dryer in a bright laundry room
For the heart of your home.

Questions about
dryer door won't latch.

Can I press the door switch with tape to run the dryer?
No. The switch stops the drum and the heat when the door opens, which protects hands and keeps hot clothes from tumbling out. Bypassing it removes that protection.
The door latches but the dryer stops when the load shifts. Why?
A worn switch or a door that springs slightly open under vibration can break contact for an instant, which the control treats as an open door.
Is the door catch a standard part?
Catches and switches are specific to the model. The model number from the label inside the door frame is what the right part is ordered by.
Does a stacked dryer door use a different latch?
Often the same kind, but a stacked dryer's door is at eye level and gets more leverage when leaned on, so hinges and catches wear sooner.

Back to your everyday

Still seeing dryer door won't latch?

Book with what you checked above — 5 answers save the technician the first part of the visit.

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