How to pick door locks using Alohomora in Hogwarts Legacy

You need to make it through a chunk of the game

Very early into Hogwarts Legacy, you’ll see a ton  of little “level X” locks lying around Hogwarts, Hogsmeade, and the rest of the Wizarding World. Annoyingly, you need to make a dent in the main story to actually open these with the Alohomora spell. Here’s how to earn it, and how to finish the door lock minigame.

How to unlock the Alohomora spell in Hogwarts Legacy

To avoid any spoilers, note that you’ll be able to earn Alohomora to unlock locks following the “Percival Rackham’s Trial” story mission. From there, the main story will split off into multiple quests, and you can immediately select “The Caretaker’s Lunar Lament” to start the process of learning Alohomora.

All you need to do is talk to the Hogwarts caretaker, Gladwin Moon (who you briefly met earlier in the game), and they’ll teach you the spell. That’s it! It’s a hard progress cap, but it’s worth trying to earn early, if you can.

Where to find Gladwin Moon in Hogwarts Legacy

To find Gladwin Moon, you’ll want to head to the Faculty Tower Floo Flame location (found in The South Wing heading).

When you spawn into the Faculty Tower, turn around and head down the hall opposite the giant grand staircase. Gladwin Moon will be standing next to the locked door that leads to the Hospital Wing until you finish his questline.

How to pick door locks in Hogwarts Legacy

Ah the unlocking minigame! I knew we weren’t safe (that must be why the development team buried it so late).

In Hogwarts Legacy, you’ll solve each lock test by moving two lights (red and green) through a contraption. Rotate the green ring until you see the lower right hand gear light up and start turning, then stop, and hold that position. Rotate the red ring until the red gear rotates. Hold everything, and the lock will unlock.

How to unlock higher level locks (level II and level III) in Hogwarts Legacy

You probably know the drill by now, but professors and major NPCs at Hogwarts or Hogsmeade can sometimes unlock upgrade missions for various aspects of your character. Gladwin Moon is the source of your locking upgrades, so long as you locate and turn in Demiguise Statues (which you’ll get a feel for as part of the unlock tutorial), that only appear at night.

Remember to shift the time of day if you find one and need to collect it!

Related: Where to find all Landing Platforms in Hogwarts Legacy on Dot Esports