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How to fit an ABUS window lock

Updated: October 2026

How to fit an ABUS window lock depends on which box you opened. A lockable handle is two screws in holes that already exist, if the pin and the 43 mm centres match. A hinge-side lock or an opening-side bolt is a measured drill that can come out through the frame. This page is that sequence and the points where you stop. It does not rank the products. The cards are on the [ABUS window lock comparison](/hub/door-and-window-security/abus-window-lock). Peter F. followed ABUS fitting warnings and the review notes in this set, updated 19 October 2026. These locks were not fitted in a lab. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

How to fit an ABUS window lock depends on which box you opened. A lockable handle is two screws in holes that already exist, if the pin and the 43 mm centres match.

Our top picks

ABUS ABUS FG200 keyed-alike handles, set of 5

Best overall

ABUS ABUS FG200 keyed-alike handles, set of 5
8.6/10about £27.19
View offer
ABUS ABUS FG110 lockable window handle, white

Best value

ABUS ABUS FG110 lockable window handle, white
8.2/10about £13.71
View offer
ABUS ABUS FTS3003 bolt lock, white, AL0125

Rank 3

ABUS ABUS FTS3003 bolt lock, white, AL0125
7.8/10about £28.81
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.Swap a lockable handle
  2. 2.Before you drill FAS97 or FTS3003
  3. 3.When to stop
  4. 4.After it is on

Swap a lockable handle

Open the window before you take the old lever off. Lift the cover and undo the two screws. UK handle guides treat 7 mm and 43 mm as the usual uPVC size, and they still tell you to measure. The FG110 states a fixed 7 mm pin and 43 mm centres. The FG200 states 43 mm centres and an adjustable pin of 28–44 mm. The listing does not print 7 mm for the FG200. A short spindle will not drive the gearbox. Reviewers of the FG110 describe a pin that is fixed and too short for some locks. If the centres miss the old holes, stop. With the window still open, turn the new handle and watch the cams. Both lock without the key and open with the key. A new handle does not repair a worn gearbox. Which box to open is the ABUS window lock buying guide.

Before you drill FAS97 or FTS3003

Drill only if the window opens inward. FAS97 goes on the hinge side. FTS3003 goes on the opening side, lock case on the sash and strike on the frame. A UK outward-opening casement is not that drawing. The sash has to close properly before you mark it. A bolt will not square a window that already misses its keep. FAS97 reviews mention long screws, no drill template, and a drill that goes through the frame. FTS3003 reviews mention screws that are too long, loose covers, and a miss of about 0.2 mm. One reviewer needed a 3.5 mm drill. Use a drill stop. ABUS recommends one additional device per metre of height, with a nod to DIN 18104-1 on the FAS97 sheet. That is not a UK legal count. Follow the sheet in the box, or stop.
ABUS ABUS FG200 keyed-alike handles, set of 5

Testsieger

ABUS ABUS FG200 keyed-alike handles, set of 5
8.6/10about £27.19
View offer

When to stop

Stop when the frame is aluminium and you cannot see a solid section for the screw. Stop when the uPVC reinforcement is missing, or the bit would meet the glass or the seal. Stop when the sash does not close before you drill, and when that window is the only way out. A locksmith or the fabricator is the right call, including when a survey has asked for PAS 24. These add-on locks do not confer that standard. Stop if you bought FAS97 or FTS3003 for an outward-opening window. The sheets do not describe that casement. A bolt on the opening edge is not the device that holds a 100 mm gap.

After it is on

Keep the key where you can reach it at night and where a passer-by cannot see it when you leave. AXA Connect’s wording, where that endorsement applies, allows keys in escape-route locks at night and wants them out of view when the house is empty. FG110 reviews say the box holds one key. The FG200 is keyed alike on AB208. The FTS3003 is keyed alike on AL0125. Those are not the same key. FAS97 has no key. Open, tilt if it tilts, close, and lock. FAS97 reviewers say the tilt can stop holding itself, so you support the sash by hand. If the FTS3003 bolt meets the strike only when you lift the sash, the position is wrong. Poor fixing, in ABUS’s own words, needs a BA fixing anchor or IM100 composite mortar.

Common questions

Can I swap an ABUS handle with a screwdriver only?
Yes, when the new handle uses the old 43 mm holes and the spindle reaches the gearbox. You lift the cover, remove two screws, fit the new handle, and test with the window open. You do not drill. If the centres or the pin do not match, a screwdriver will not make them match.
What if the spindle is too long or too short?
A short pin, which reviewers report on the fixed FG110, will not throw the lock. A long pin can be shortened on the FG200’s adjustable 28–44 mm range, and some people still cut it. Measure the length that protrudes into the gearbox before you cut, and keep the square section the gearbox already uses. The FG200 listing does not print a 7 mm section size.
Where does FAS97 go?
On the hinge side of an inward-opening window or French door, left or right. It is not a handle, and it is not for an outward-opening casement. Reviews mention long screws, no drill template, and a bit that can exit the frame. Use a drill stop so the bit cannot leave the far face.
What do I check before drilling FTS3003?
That the window opens inward, that it already shuts, and that you can see where the drill will stop. The bolt has to meet the strike. A small miss is enough for it not to. Plastic French doors, on the listing, need fixing anchors or injection mortar. One reviewer needed a 3.5 mm drill. Do not invent the hole size from memory.
Where does the key live after fitting?
Within reach at night, and out of sight when you leave. Keep it away from a child’s hands if the handle is there as a child lock, and remember that the FG110 locks without the key, so a child can lock you out. The FG200 key and the FTS3003 key are different codes, AB208 and AL0125. FAS97 has no key in the box.

Related pages

ABUS window lock on uPVC

Window lock vs window restrictor

ABUS window lock

Best ABUS window lock: which listing fits the sash

ABUS window lock buying guide: three different jobs

Sources

Public UK and manufacturer sources from the research digest. Prices, stars and review counts are the amazon.co.uk figures in this comparison, not a live check on 19 October 2026. ABUS security levels were not treated as PAS 24.

  1. ABUS FTS3003 window security lock (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  2. ABUS FAS97 security hinge lock (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  3. Approved Document Q: security in dwellings (2015) (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  4. Secured by Design: windows and glazing (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  5. Metropolitan Police: window security (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  6. ABI guide to home security (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  7. AXA Connect LC01 locks requirement (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  8. RoSPA Keep Me Safe (retrieved 19 October 2026)