How to Lockpick in 7 Days to Die

Lockpicking is an essential skill for accessing high-value loot in 7 Days to Die. Whether you’re raiding the Dempsey Clinic or other challenging locations, knowing how to successfully pick locks will help you obtain valuable items and resources. This guide walks you through the lockpicking mechanics and what you can expect to find in locked chests.

Getting Started with Lockpicking

To begin lockpicking, you first need to have lock picks in your inventory. Once you’ve located a locked chest or container, approach it and hold the E key. A menu will appear with a “Pick Lock” option. Select it to initiate the lockpicking process.

Understanding the Lockpicking Mechanic

The lockpicking process in 7 Days to Die is largely based on luck rather than skill. Once you select “Pick Lock,” a timer will begin counting down. During this time, your lock picks may break at various intervals, requiring you to use additional lock picks to continue the process.

There is no active skill component involved—you simply wait for the timer to complete. In some fortunate cases, you might open a lock with just one pick. In other instances, you may need to use multiple lock picks as they break throughout the attempt. The key is patience and having enough lock picks on hand.

What to Expect from Locked Chests

Locked chests, particularly hardened chests found in challenging locations like the five-star Dempsey Clinic, tend to contain some of the best loot in the game. Once you successfully open a locked chest, you can expect to find valuable items such as:

Treasure maps

Weapon mods (such as cripple mods for disabling zombie movement)

Silver nuggets (useful for selling and earning gold)

Additional lock picks (to replace the ones you’ve used)

Various types of ammunition

Medicine and healing items

Summary

Lockpicking in 7 Days to Die is a straightforward process: gather lock picks, approach a locked container, hold E, select “Pick Lock,” and wait for the timer to complete. While you may lose some lock picks in the process, the valuable loot inside—especially from hardened chests in high-difficulty locations—makes it well worth the effort. Always keep a supply of lock picks in your inventory when exploring dangerous areas.

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