Last Updated on June 11, 2026
The best sliding glass door lock is a double bolt lock (such as the Cal Double Bolt), mounted above your existing lock. It secures the door at the top and bottom so it cannot be lifted off its track, resists up to 1,000 lbs of force, and adds a child safety mechanism. The one thing the double bolt cannot do is act as a keyed entry from outside.
When an old Arcadia or sliding glass door lock fails, replacing it with the same part adds no security. Upgrading the lock is cheaper than replacing the original lock and offers more security. Here are the best sliding glass door lock, and the one we install the most.
Best overall: a double bolt lock
Most older Arcadia doors can be lifted off their track and opened with a screwdriver. A double bolt lock secures the door from both the top and the bottom, using pins, so it cannot be lifted off the tracks. That single feature is what makes it the best sliding-door security lock available.
It mounts above the current hardware with a few screws, withstands up to 1,000 lbs of force, and offers an optional adapter to lock two sliding doors that meet together in the middle. Most people install it themselves, though any home locksmith can help.
Built-in child safety
Opening the lock takes two hands to lift both bolts at once, which little ones cannot manage. The newest model adds a small key to lock the bolts in place, so you can fully prevent a child from slipping out to the backyard, and it doubles as a sliding door lock with a key.
Other sliding glass door lock options
Beyond the double bolt, these locks add security at different price points:
- Charlie bar (security bar). A hinged bar that folds down and latches to the frame so the door cannot be shaken open. A big step up from a wood dowel in the track, but the door can still be lifted off its track and the bar is bulky.
- Foot bolt. A spring-loaded bolt mounted low on the active panel that drops into the track. Cheap and simple, good as a secondary lock.
- Loop or clamp lock. A keyed loop lock clamps onto the track and locks the door in place, including in a vented position, an easy keyed add-on.
- Keyed patio deadbolt. If you want a true sliding door lock with a key on both sides, a keyed patio mortise or surface deadbolt is the option, though it costs more and needs careful fitment.
- Track / pin lock. A pin or track stop that blocks the door from sliding. Lowest cost, lowest security, best as a backup.
When the double bolt lock will not fit
A few patio doors will not take this lock, mainly c-channel doors. C-channel doors have a raised protrusion down the middle instead of a flat face, which gets in the way of the frame-side mounting piece. You need about 1/2 inch of flat space to mount the bracket. Without it, you would have to cut the bracket down or choose a Charlie bar or loop lock instead.
Arcadia and patio door locks are the same fix
Arcadia door is just the Southwest name for a sliding glass patio door, so the same locks apply. If your Arcadia door lock is old or broken, upgrading to a double bolt is cheaper and more secure than replacing the factory latch.
Why not just use a wooden stick?
A dowel in the track is better than nothing, but it only solves one of the three ways a slider gets defeated, and not the most important one.
It stops the door from sliding open. It does nothing to stop the door from being lifted up and out of its track. Most sliding doors have enough play that someone can hoist the panel up and off the bottom rail, stick and all, then set it aside. That’s the move burglars actually use, and the stick is useless against it.
It’s also loose by design. Shake or rattle the door and a wood stick can walk forward, bounce out of the track, or snap. It doesn’t anchor the door to the frame, it just wedges in the channel.
Watch: a double bolt sliding door lock in action
Need a locksmith for a sliding or patio door?
We sell the double bolt lock on our website and install sliding and patio door locks across the Valley. For more home security, see how to secure home windows and our residential locksmith services, or book lock installation.
