How to Fix the Alignment for Door Knob Latches

Open the door and use a Phillips screwdriver to tighten the hinges' screws on both the door edge and the jamb. Close the door and listen for the latch to enter the catch. If the latch doesn't catch, you'll need to adjust the strike plate.

Look over the strike plate on the door jamb for any rub marks. If you notice a rub mark on the strike plate's upper half, move the strike plate up slightly. If you notice a rub mark on the strike plate's lower half, move the strike plate down slightly. You should not need to move the strike plate more than 1/4 inch in either direction.

Back out the screws securing the strike plate to the door jamb. Move the strike plate either up or down, depending on where the rub mark is. Hold the strike plate against the jamb in its new position. Trace around the strike plate with a utility knife and set the strike plate aside.

Remove the portion of jamb inside the tracing you made in Step 3 with a 1/2-inch chisel and a hammer. Remove only enough for the strike plate to sit flush in the jamb. Use the strike plate's old location as a guide for how much wood to remove. Test the strike plate in its new location.

Trace around the strike plate's center hole with a utility knife. Set the strike plate aside. Use a 7/8-inch boring bit to remove the wood inside the tracing to match the depth of the strike plate's old hole. Use the 1/2-inch chisel and a hammer to square off the hole's corners.

Position the strike plate in its new location. Drive the screws you removed in Step 3 back through the strike plate's screw holes. Close the door and test whether the latch catches.