Apartment Security for Renters: How to Secure Your Place Without Drilling

Renting changes the security problem. You cannot replace the door, rewire the hallway or drill holes for a professional alarm without risking your deposit. You also do not control who else has a key: previous tenants, maintenance staff and the landlord may all have one.

You can still make an apartment much harder to break into. Everything in this guide is either no-drill or removable, and every product pick is a strong current seller on Amazon. Start with the free steps; they cost nothing and fix the biggest risks.

Our picks at a glance

Step 1: Do the free things first

Ask for the locks to be rekeyed

Before you move in, ask the landlord or property manager whether the locks have been rekeyed since the last tenant. Rekeying is cheap for a landlord and removes every old key in circulation at once. Some states and cities require it between tenants; even where they do not, many landlords will do it if you ask. Get the answer in writing.

Test every lock and window

On move-in day, lock and unlock every door and window. Check that the deadbolt fully extends into the frame, that window latches catch, and that the sliding door, if you have one, cannot be lifted out of its track. Report anything broken in writing. A landlord who has to fix it will fix it faster when it is documented.

Know who has access

Read the entry clause in your lease. Most landlords must give notice before entering except in emergencies. Knowing the rule helps you spot unusual access quickly.

Step 2: Reinforce the front door without drilling

Apartment doors fail at the frame more often than at the lock. You cannot replace the strike plate without permission, but you can add a second line of defence on the inside.

• Door security bar. An adjustable bar braces from the doorknob to the floor. It is one of the strongest no-drill options for inward-opening doors.
• Portable door lock. A small metal plate that slips into the strike and blocks the door from opening. Originally sold for hotels, it works just as well at home when you are inside.
• Door stop alarm. A wedge with a siren. It slows a forced entry and wakes you up.

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Keep in mind these only work while you are home, because they lock from the inside. When you are out, your protection is the deadbolt plus detection.

Step 3: Cover windows and sliding doors

Ground-floor windows, fire-escape windows and balcony sliders are the usual way into apartments that are not entered through the front door. Stick-on window alarms are cheap enough to put on every one. For sliders, a bar in the track and an anti-lift fix make a big difference; see our sliding glass door security guide.

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Window locks that clamp onto the sash track are another no-drill option. They let you leave a window open a few inches for air without letting it open further.

Step 4: Add a renter-friendly alarm system

Modern DIY alarm kits use adhesive sensors and plug-in base stations, so they install in under an hour and leave nothing behind. They matter: in the UNC Charlotte survey of 422 incarcerated burglars, about 60% said an alarm would make them look for another target, and about 83% said they would try to find out whether an alarm was present before breaking in.

SimpliSafe and Ring Alarm kits are both best sellers. Both let you monitor alerts on your phone and add professional monitoring later if you want it. Our guide to home security systems with no monthly fee compares the options.

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Step 5: Add a camera you can take with you

An indoor camera pointed at your front door or main room tells you if anyone enters while you are out, and it records evidence if they do. Wyze and Tapo cameras are among the best-selling cameras on Amazon, cost little and record locally to a memory card. A battery doorbell camera can work too, but ask your landlord before mounting anything on the outside of the door.

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Check your lease and local law before pointing a camera at shared hallways. Recording inside your own unit is usually fine; recording common areas may not be.

Step 6: Protect valuables and documents

A small fireproof document box or a lockable safe keeps passports, spare cash and small valuables out of easy reach. Burglars head first for bedrooms and obvious hiding places; see where burglars look first for better ideas. Our home safe guide covers fire and burglary ratings.

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Step 7: Get renters insurance

Your landlord’s insurance covers the building, not your belongings. Renters insurance is usually inexpensive and covers theft, fire and some liability. Take a quick video of your belongings and save receipts for valuable items so a claim is easier.

Security by type of rental

Where you live changes where the risk is. Match your first purchases to your building:

Type of rental	Main risk	Start with
Ground-floor or garden apartment	Windows and patio doors at street level	Window alarms on every window, a bar for the slider, a camera facing the patio.
High-rise with a front desk	Doors opened by tailgaters and unknown visitors; package theft	Door stop alarm at night, a camera inside the door, deliveries to a locker or the front desk.
Walk-up building with a shared entrance	Shared main door propped open; weak unit doors	Ask for a deadbolt and strike plate upgrade, add a door security bar, add a DIY alarm.
Rented house or duplex	All the risks of a house, with little control over the hardware	A full DIY alarm kit, a video doorbell (with permission), motion lights and our sliding door fixes.
Room in a shared house	Other residents and their guests	A lockable door handle (ask first), a small safe or lockbox, and a portable door lock when you are inside.

If you move often, buy gear that moves with you. Adhesive sensors, plug-in base stations and shelf cameras are worth more to a renter than any hard-wired upgrade, because you keep them for the next place. Keep the original packaging so you can pack them safely, and use fresh adhesive strips at each new apartment.

Daily habits that matter more than gear

• Lock the deadbolt every time, even for a quick trip downstairs.
• Do not buzz in people you do not know, and do not hold the main entrance for strangers.
• Keep packages from sitting in the lobby; see our package theft guide.
• Do not post that you are away while you are away.
• Get to know at least one neighbour who will notice something odd.

What to ask your landlord

Request	Why it matters
Rekey the locks before move-in	Removes keys held by past tenants and contractors.
Install or repair a deadbolt	Some cities require deadbolts on rental units; it is the most important lock you have.
Upgrade the strike plate with longer screws	Most kicked-in doors fail at the frame.
Permission for a doorbell camera	Avoids a dispute when you move out.
Fix broken window latches	Ground-floor windows are a common way in.

Keep reading

• How to secure your home: the complete guide
• How to secure a sliding glass door
• Home security systems with no monthly fee
• Best personal safety devices

Sources

• UNC Charlotte — Through the eyes of a burglar (study of 422 incarcerated burglars)
• Blevins, Kuhns & Lee — Understanding Decisions to Burglarize from the Offender’s Perspective (UNC Charlotte, 2012)

Statistics verified against the original study in October 2026. Amazon sales signals checked October 2026.

How we choose and check gear: see our Editorial Policy.