How to Set the Number Lock on a Trolley Bag

How to Set the Number Lock on a Trolley Bag

To set the number lock on a trolley bag: open the lock with its current code (0-0-0 on most new bags), press and hold the reset button with a pen, turn the dials to your new code, then release the button or slide the lever to save. Test the new code before you lock your bag.

Step by step

  1. Open the lock with the current code. On a new bag this is usually 0-0-0; check the tag or manual. The lock must be open before you can change the code.

  2. Find the reset control. It is usually a small button beside the dials, a pinhole, or a switch on the inside of the lock housing.

  3. Press and hold the reset button with a ballpoint pen, or move the switch to its "set" position. You may hear a click.

  4. Turn the dials to your new code while the button is held or the switch is set.

  5. Save the code. Release the button, slide the lock lever, or move the switch back, depending on the lock.

  6. Test it. With the bag still open, clip the zips into the lock, scramble the dials, then open it with your new code. Repeat once.

[Embed the 30-second WNTR lock video here.]

Which lock do you have?

Lock type

Where the reset is

How you save the code

Built-in TSA lock with reset button

Small button on the side or front of the lock

Release the button or slide the lock lever

Built-in lock with an internal switch

Switch inside the bag, behind the lock

Move the switch back to its original position

Separate padlock or strap lock

Button or lever on the lock body, sometimes needing the shackle pushed down

Release, then test before clipping it on

If yours doesn't match any of these, follow the instructions that came with the bag. Locks differ slightly between makers.

Forgot your code?

  • Don't force the lock or use the keyhole. On a TSA lock, the keyhole is for airport security's master key only. There is no spare key for travellers.

  • Try every code. A 3-dial lock has 1,000 combinations (000 to 999). Work through them in order while gently pulling the lock button or shackle. This usually takes 15 to 30 minutes.

  • Reset immediately once it opens, and store the new code somewhere safe.

  • Still stuck? Contact the bag's maker or a luggage repair shop. WNTR customers can contact our concierge team.

Tips for choosing and keeping your code

  • Avoid 0-0-0, 1-2-3 or your birth year; those are the first codes anyone tries.

  • Save the code in your phone's notes or password manager.

  • Test the lock before every trip, not at the airport.

  • If the whole family travels with matching bags, give each bag its own code.

Why there's a keyhole: TSA locks

Most trolley locks today are TSA-approved. US airport security can open them with a master key to inspect your bag and lock it again, without cutting the lock. You need one for flights to and through the US; elsewhere it does no harm. More in TSA Locks Explained and the TSA lock entry.

The lock on your WNTR bag

Dawn X bags have a built-in, TSA-certified combination lock. [Product team to confirm: Strunk lock type, the exact reset method (button or switch), and the factory code. Then replace this paragraph with WNTR-specific steps.] If you are locked out, our concierge team can help.

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