How to Lockpick in ESO

In The Elder Scrolls Online, items are sometimes locked away. Those items could be treasure, weapons, or just someone’s prize bogey collection. And naturally, it’s your duty to take all of it. So if you want to know how to lockpick in The Elder Scrolls Online (ESO), here’s the answer.

The Best Way to Lockpick in The Elder Scrolls Online (ESO)

ESO may have come out after The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, but its lockpicking system is based on The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. However, it’s a bit trickier than in Oblivion. There are a few steps to take into consideration.

Step one is to buy some lockpicks. You can find them poking around ruins and in some containers, but I’ve always just purchased them from general traders. You should be able to spot a trader or traders on your map, either solo or with other traders in a market area.

Step two is to make sure you’re unseen. If you’re picking a chest down in a dungeon you should be okay. But if you’re about to break into someone else’s house, play it safe. If there’s an entrance that’s not facing the screen, so much the better.

Go into stealth mode (crouch) and wait till the eye, your stealth meter, is completely closed. Even if you don’t think anyone is about, this is a smart move. But be warned, as you can be spotted while you’re lockpicking, even if you’re on the main lockpicking screen.

Step three is to pick the lock. There’s a time limit, though. The simpler the lock, the longer you have, but it’s still no cakewalk. You have to move the lockpick left and right and hold the mouse button / RT / R2 down to depress each tumbler. If you’re too rough, your lockpick will break.

At some point the tumbler will vibrate / make a noise. If your reflexes are fast enough, you may be able to release the button at the right moment, locking the tumbler.

However, the method I’ve used is to note where the tumbler vibrates, then let go. Then press it down again but let go just before that vibrate point. Repeat this for all the tumblers (the order doesn’t matter) and you’ll have picked the lock.

That’s everything you need to know about lockpicking in ESO. Next up, check out how big the map in ESO really is.