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Window lock vs window restrictor

Updated: October 2026

A child can reach the window, and the results mixed a lock that stops the handle with a device that holds the sash a few centimetres open. A window lock vs window restrictor choice is that split. An ABUS lockable handle keeps the lever from turning once it is locked. A safety restrictor keeps a clear opening to about 100 mm and still lets an adult release it. This set only sells the lock. The cards are on the [ABUS window lock comparison](/hub/door-and-window-security/abus-window-lock). Peter F. used nidirect, RoSPA, the Child Accident Prevention Trust, and these listings, updated 19 October 2026. A restrictor was not tested. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

A child can reach the window, and the results mixed a lock that stops the handle with a device that holds the sash a few centimetres open. A window lock vs window restrictor choice is that split.

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
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ABUS ABUS FG110 lockable window handle, white

Best value

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

Rank 3

ABUS ABUS FTS3003 bolt lock, white, AL0125
7.8/10about £28.81
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On this page
  1. 1.Two failures
  2. 2.What the ABUS handles do
  3. 3.What a restrictor is for
  4. 4.When you may want both

Two failures

One failure is a child turning a handle and opening the window fully. The other is a child going out through a sash that was already ajar. The Child Accident Prevention Trust says 13 children under 11 died in the last six years after a fall from a window where a lock or restrictor was missing, broken, or disabled. That figure is not a test of these ABUS products. A lockable handle answers the first failure only while it is locked and the key is out of reach. It answers the second only if the window is fully closed. A sash left on tilt is not held at a measured gap. A restrictor limits travel. It does nothing about a burglar levering a closed window. For a private householder, Approved Document K requirement K5.3 does not apply to dwellings.

What the ABUS handles do

The FG110 is the best value for one lever: a 7 mm pin and 43 mm centres. The listing says the handle cannot be moved when it is locked. You press to lock and need the key to open. The FG200 is the top pick when several windows share one AB208 key, with an adjustable pin of 28–44 mm. Both lock without the key, which is a trap if an adult cannot find that key. One FG110 review describes a child locking an adult on the balcony. nidirect says keys up high, and still reachable in an emergency. Reviews say the box contains one key. The listing does not describe a 100 mm vent. A tilt mentioned in one review is not the specification. FAS97 and FTS3003 do not hold a sash at a fall-safe gap.
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

What a restrictor is for

nidirect describes restrictors that limit the opening to under 10 cm, with an adult able to release them. BS 8213-1, as summarised for buyers, keeps the clear opening to not more than 100 mm. Ten centimetres and 100 mm are the same gap. None of the five ASINs here is that device. An FG110 titled as a child lock does not put a 100 mm stop on the sash. If the sash was already open, the handle lock does not pull it back. These handles are not claimed to meet BS 8213-1. Use a restrictor for the fall, and a keyed lock for the night you are out. The buying order is the ABUS window lock buying guide.

When you may want both

An upper window you ventilate by day and lock at night needs both. The restrictor limits the open sash to about 100 mm. The FG110 or the FG200, if the spindle and the centres match, holds the window shut. A hinge lock or a bolt does not take the restrictor’s place, and on an outward-opening casement those two ABUS locks are the wrong pattern. You may want only the restrictor when the fear is a fall through a window you leave ajar. You may want only the lockable handle when the window stays closed around a child. If a stay is already defeated with a peg or a missing screw, replace that stay. A new FG200 in a drawer does not restore it.

Common questions

Will an ABUS handle stop a child opening the window?
It will stop the child moving the lever if the handle is locked and the child does not have the key. The FG110 listing says the handle cannot be moved when it is locked. It will not help if the key is on the sill, and it locks without the key, so a child can also lock you out.
Will it stop a child falling out if the window is already ajar?
Not as a 100 mm restrictor. A locked handle holds the position the window is already in. If that position is wide open, the child is not limited to about 10 cm. You need a restrictor for that gap, and these five listings are not restrictors. A tilt mentioned in one review is not the FG110 specification, and it is not a safety restrictor.
What opening does a safety restrictor limit?
UK fall guidance uses about 10 cm, and the BS 8213-1 safety-restrictor idea is a clear opening of not more than 100 mm. An adult has to be able to release it. That is a different product from a lockable ABUS handle. nidirect and RoSPA describe that limited opening. None of the ASINs on the comparison is that stay.
Where do keys go?
Up and nearby for an adult, including at night if that window is an escape route, and out of a child’s reach. Out of sight from the street when you leave. FG110 reviews say there is one key in the box, so copy it before you rely on it. nidirect says the key stays reachable in an emergency.
Do I need both?
You need a restrictor if the sash must stay slightly open around children. You need a lockable handle if the lever must not turn when the window is shut. On an upper window you use for ventilation, that is often both, bought as two products. On a ground-floor window you keep shut, the handle or a keyed bolt may be the only piece you need from this set.

Related pages

How to fit an ABUS window lock

Best ABUS window lock

ABUS window lock

ABUS window lock buying guide: three different jobs

ABUS window lock on uPVC: the screw must find steel

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)