How to Fix a Separated Zipper

Co-authored by Chloée Ohayon-Crosby

Last Updated: December 11, 2024 Fact Checked

It's frustrating when zippers break suddenly, such as when their teeth separate and the zipper slider won't open and close them anymore. This can be embarrassing if it's on your pants zipper or if it's on a backpack and all of your things fall out. However, there are several ways of fixing a separated zipper. You can either try to fix the slider itself or realign the zipper by taking it apart and putting it back together. One of these methods is likely to fix the majority of zippers that have separated.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Reducing the Opening On the Zipper Slider

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1
Inspect the slider on the zipper. Many times when the sides of a zipper separate and won't go back together as you pull the slider, it's because the slider itself is damaged. When you use a zipper often, the slider opening will begin to stretch open a bit. Inspect both ends of the zipper to determine if they have the same opening size. If one end looks wider than the other, then this may be why your zipper failed.^{[1]
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- As the opening increases in size, it puts less pressure on the tracts of the zipper, allowing them to stay separated.
Tip: This is a common problem on bags and purses, as their zippers get a lot of wear and tear.
2
Inspect the rest of the zipper and fix any problems that are apparent. For instance, straighten out any bent zipper teeth that you see. If there are tears in the fabric of the zipper, mend them.^{[2]
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- In some cases, bent teeth on a zipper will cause a zipper to separate. If the zipper teeth are metal, you can use a pair of pliers to straighten them out. If the teeth are plastic, gently try to straighten them with your fingers, as pliers could easily break them off.
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3
Squeeze the opening on the slider to reduce its size. Squeeze the slider on the top and bottom with your fingers or a pair of pliers. This will make the opening inside the slider the correct size once again.^{[3]
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- On one end of the slider there is a middle piece that won't let you squeeze it. On the other end there is no middle piece. That is the side that gets opened and needs to be squeezed back together.
- Don't squeeze the slider too strongly though, as you don't want to make the gap smaller than it should be. You will know the gap is too small if it becomes difficult to pull up and down the zipper slider along the tracks.
4
Check the zipper. Once you've reshaped the slider, move it up and down the zipper. If it is properly fixed, the slider should go back to opening and closing the zipper right away.^{[4]
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- If the zipper still doesn't work, either squeeze the slider more or try another solution.^{[5]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Removing and Reinserting the Slider

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1
Assess whether the slider needs to be realigned. If you have tried to move the zipper up and down, force the zipper sides together, and reduce the opening on the slider, the next thing to try is starting from scratch. If you can see the stops at the top of the zipper and they are metal, taking off the slider and realigning the zipper is possible.^{[6]
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- The stops at the top of the zipper are small pieces of metal that are shaped a bit differently from the teeth on the zipper. They are not big pieces and they look similar to teeth but they are slightly larger and are positioned at the very end of each side of teeth.
- If the stops are plastic, you won't be able to take them off and put them back off without breaking them, so you can't use this method.
2
Remove the top stops. Get a pair of small-tipped pliers and gently open up the stop. The stop it shaped like a "u," so you simply need to open up the side of the stop that is hooked onto the tape of the zipper. Once it is just slightly opened, you can wiggle it and unhook it from the tape.^{[7]
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- It's important to be gentle with the stop and don't cut it or bend it until it breaks. You need to keep it intact.
- Keep the top stops and put them somewhere safe, as you'll need to use them again.
Tip: A pair of small wire cutter with a pointed end work well for removing the top stops.
Once the tops stops are removed, you will be able to easily pull the slider off the end of the zipper. Taking it off will allow you fix the tracks and then get the slider back in line.^{[8]
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4
Push the teeth of the zipper together. Start at the bottom of the zipper, the opposite end from where you took off the slider. Push the teeth of the zipper together, making sure that the teeth from the left and right sides alternate.^{[9]
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Expert Source

Chloée Ohayon-Crosby
Costume Designer & Wardrobe Specialist

Expert Interview. 24 July 2020.}
- Put the zipper on top of a hard surface. As you work your way up the zipper, press down on the teeth to pop them into place.
- It is important that the teeth are perfectly lined up. Make sure that once you get to the top of the zipper that you don't have extra teeth on one side. This would mean that the teeth are not lined up.
5
Reinsert the slider onto the top of the zipper. Once you have realigned the teeth, stick the bottom of the slider back onto the top of the tracks. Insert one track into the bottom of the slider, which is the end without a piece of metal separating the two sides. Then insert the other track.^{[10]
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- You will know each side is inserted when several teeth have gone up into the slider and the track won't go any further.
- It's easiest to insert one side and then the other. Putting them both in at once doesn't typically work.
6
Run the slider up and down to check your work. Pull the slider down a few inches to make sure that it is on track. Move it up and down a bit to make sure it opens and closes the zipper correctly.^{[11]
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- Be sure not to pull the slider all the way back up to the top, as it will slide off of the tracks again without the top stops in place.
7
Reapply the top stops. Once the zipper is working once again, put the top stops back in place. Position them in the spots where they were originally installed. Squeeze the ends of the stops with your pliers until they grip the zipper tape once again.^{[12]
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- Wiggle each stop after you reinstall it to ensure that it is securely in place.

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Question

Can I fix an invisible zipper this way?

Chloée Ohayon-Crosby
Costume Designer & Wardrobe Specialist
Chloée Ohayon-Crosby is a Costume Designer and Wardrobe Specialist in Los Angeles, California. With over eight years of experience in fashion consulting, Chloée specializes in personal, film, theater, and commercial styling as well as image consulting and costume design. Chloée has worked as an assistant designer for the distinguished fashion house Chloée and as a freelance stylist with Glamour Italia. Chloée studied Fine/Studio Arts at the Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts and Fashion Design and Merchandising at the world renowned ESMOD École Supérieure des Arts in Paris, France.

Chloée Ohayon-Crosby

Costume Designer & Wardrobe Specialist

Expert Answer

Invisible zippers are made out of thin plastic and are usually harder to fix. While it's possible, I would recommend just replacing the zipper altogether.

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Question

How do you manually close a zipper?

Chloée Ohayon-Crosby
Costume Designer & Wardrobe Specialist
Chloée Ohayon-Crosby is a Costume Designer and Wardrobe Specialist in Los Angeles, California. With over eight years of experience in fashion consulting, Chloée specializes in personal, film, theater, and commercial styling as well as image consulting and costume design. Chloée has worked as an assistant designer for the distinguished fashion house Chloée and as a freelance stylist with Glamour Italia. Chloée studied Fine/Studio Arts at the Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts and Fashion Design and Merchandising at the world renowned ESMOD École Supérieure des Arts in Paris, France.

Chloée Ohayon-Crosby

Costume Designer & Wardrobe Specialist

Expert Answer

Start at the bottom of the zipper. One-by-one press the teeth of the zipper together, alternating the right and left sides until the zipper is closed.

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Does this work on a bag?

Community Answer

It doesn't matter what the zipper is on, it should work. The only way it might be different is if it's a two-way zipper.

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Tips

Invisible zippers and plastic zippers are harder to fix. If you have one of these, you may be better off replacing it.^{[13]
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Chloée Ohayon-Crosby
Costume Designer & Wardrobe Specialist

Expert Interview. 24 July 2020.}

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Sellotape is your friend, if a zip is broken always try sellotape or duct tape before trying any other solutions.

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Just because you have a broken zipper, that doesn't mean that your piece of clothing or bag is broken forever. If you can't get the sides back together, you can always replace the zipper altogether.

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