How to Take Pictures of Your Key

In many cases, we need to have clear photos of your key before we can make copies. Here is a guide to show you how best to take photos of keys.

Here is the long and the short of it. Lower down, you can also find some more specific instructions for certain types of key.

• Make sure your photo is clear and not blurry
• Your key should be laying on a flat surface
• We need photos of both sides of your key
• Make sure the whole of the key is visible in the photo

Click the links below to get more info on each type of key.

• Flat, Yale-style keys
• ABUS Plus and X-Plus keys
• Mortice keys
• AVA keys
• Tubular keys
• Dimple keys

Flat, Yale-style keys

When taking photos of flat, standard keys, it’s important to lay the key onto a flat surface, as shown below.

ABUS Plus and X-Plus keys

In order to decode ABUS Plus and ABUS X-Plus keys, we need photos of the key when it’s lying flat, and of the key at 90° to the surface, as shown below.

Mortice keys

When taking pictures of mortice keys, it’s important that the blade is parallel to the surface below, not hanging down a little.

To get it parallel, it’s sometimes helpful to put a coin underneath the blade, to raise it slightly. The photos below show what we’re looking for.

AVA keys

For Chubb AVA keys, we need clear photos of both sides of the key.

Tubular keys

Of all keys, tubular keys (also known as radial pin keys) are the hardest to take photos of. We usually need three photos at least, to show all cuts around the edge of the key. Lay the key flat on one side and take a photo. Then flip the key onto the other side, and take another.

Then, the final photo: prop the key up so that the pin on the tip of the key is pointing down. Then take a photo.

Some sample photos are below.

Dimple keys

For dimple keys, the best thing is to take a photo from directly overhead, and another from a slight angle, as shown below.