How to Lock Your Credit on Experian and TransUnion

People search how to lock credit on Experian or TransUnion lock credit when they want a fast app toggle that blocks new lenders from opening accounts in their name. That is a reasonable goal. The catch: a credit lock is usually a paid product (or a discontinued one), while a credit freeze is a free legal right that does the same core job at both bureaus.

This guide walks through Experian and TransUnion step by step—lock paths, freeze paths, costs, unlock timing, and the CFPB’s plain advice that locks are no more effective than freezes. It is education, not a claim that either tool stops every kind of identity theft.

What searchers usually need answered first#

Does locking credit hurt my score? No. The CFPB states that security freezes do not impact credit scores in any way. Credit locks at the bureaus are designed to restrict new-credit access, not to change how existing accounts report. See what is a credit freeze.

Is a credit lock the same as a credit freeze? No. A freeze is a legal right, free at all three nationwide bureaus, with federal timing rules for placing and lifting. A lock is typically a commercial feature, often bundled with identity monitoring. The CFPB’s tip: locks are no more effective than freezes, which you have a right to by law. Prefer the freeze unless you already pay for a bundle you will use.

Do I need to lock Experian and TransUnion separately? Yes. Neither a lock nor a freeze at one bureau applies to the others. Lenders pick a bureau. Two locked files and one open file is a half-closed door. For the full three-bureau picture, see how to freeze your credit.

Credit lock vs credit freeze (Experian and TransUnion)#

Both tools aim to block new credit applications at the bureau where they are active. Neither stops someone from using a card you already own. Neither replaces pulling your reports at AnnualCreditReport.com.

How to lock your credit on Experian#

Experian’s lock product is Experian CreditLock, marketed inside a paid premium identity membership (Experian’s IdentityWorks-style plans; the public price page has listed around $24.99/month with a short trial—confirm live pricing before you enroll).

If you already pay for Experian CreditLock#

1. Sign in to your Experian account

   Use Experian.com or the Experian mobile app with the email tied to your paid membership.

2. Open the Credit section

   From the dashboard, go to Credit (wording may vary slightly by app version).

3. Find Quick Actions → Experian CreditLock

   Scroll to Quick Actions. Next to Experian CreditLock, the status shows Locked or Unlocked.

4. Toggle the lock on

   Switch to Locked. Experian states this blocks credit inquiries for new applications on your Experian file while locked.

5. Save credentials and set a thaw reminder

   When you apply for credit, unlock temporarily (Experian allows scheduled unlock windows in the paid product), complete the application, then lock again—or cancel the membership if you no longer want the bundle.

What CreditLock adds beyond a freeze: mainly convenience (instant toggle) and inquiry alerts when someone tries to pull your locked Experian file while monitoring is active. It does not lock Equifax or TransUnion. You still need separate protection at those bureaus.

If you do not want a paid subscription (recommended for most households)#

Skip CreditLock and use Experian’s free security freeze:

1. Go to the Experian freeze center (or Experian Help → Manage security freeze).
2. Create a free Experian account if you do not have one. Experian no longer requires a PIN for online freeze management; your account credentials control access.
3. Choose Add freeze (wording may show as “Freeze my credit file”).
4. Confirm the freeze is active on your Experian report.

To temporarily lift for a loan: log in → Manage security freeze → lift for a date range or remove, apply for credit, then freeze again. Phone: 888-397-3742. Mail: Experian Security Freeze, P.O. Box 9554, Allen, TX 75013.

Federal timing (CFPB): a lift requested online or by phone must happen within one hour; by mail, within three business days.

How to lock your credit on TransUnion#

Here is the update most search results bury: TransUnion credit lock has been deactivated in legacy products including TrueIdentity, TransUnion Credit Monitoring, and zendough. TransUnion’s help center states the lock feature is gone and points consumers to a free credit freeze instead.

If you searched “TransUnion lock credit” in 2026, you likely want one of these outcomes:

Option A — You had TrueIdentity or old TransUnion monitoring#

1. Log in at the TransUnion Service Center with your existing username (legacy accounts were migrated).
2. Open Credit Freeze.
3. If a legacy lock still shows, choose Replace lock with freeze (TransUnion’s FAQ describes this path).
4. Confirm the freeze is active. That is the tool TransUnion now recommends.

Option B — You never had a TransUnion account#

1. Create a free TransUnion Service Center account

   Visit TransUnion’s credit freeze page. Account creation is free.

2. Add a credit freeze

   After login, go to Credit Freeze → Add freeze. This blocks most new-credit pulls on your TransUnion file.

3. Freeze Experian and Equifax the same day

   TransUnion’s freeze does not notify the other bureaus. Finish Experian’s freeze center and Equifax’s freeze page in the same session.

4. Store login credentials in a password manager

   You will need them the morning you apply for a card or loan.

Phone: 800-916-8800. Mail: use the address on TransUnion’s freeze-by-mail instructions (P.O. Box 160, Woodlyn, PA 19094 appears on bureau materials—confirm on the live page before mailing).

Option C — You pay for TransUnion Credit Essentials or Credit Premium#

Paid members can reach the Service Center from the member homepage (web). TransUnion notes freeze management through that path is web-only for some membership tiers. The underlying protection is still a freeze, not the discontinued lock toggle.

Side-by-side: Experian vs TransUnion in 2026#

For completeness: Equifax offers a free Lock & Alert product separate from its freeze page. That is still bureau-specific. The habit that works is freeze (or lock) all three, not just the bureau you remembered.

When to unlock (and how not to sabotage yourself)#

You will need to unlock or lift a freeze when you are the applicant—not when a scammer is.

1. Ask the lender which bureau they will pull and which day.
2. Experian paid lock: toggle unlock in the app, or schedule a temporary unlock window.
3. Experian or TransUnion freeze: log into the freeze center or Service Center the morning of the pull; lift that bureau only.
4. Complete the application.
5. Lock or freeze again the same day.

If you shop a mortgage or auto loan, you may need multiple pulls in a short window. Leave the relevant bureau open for that shopping period, then close it. Do not leave all three open for six months because thawing felt annoying.

A lock or freeze does not replace lowering credit utilization or a 90-day score cleanup. It makes the next account harder to open without your participation.

Common mistakes#

• Paying for Experian CreditLock without realizing the freeze is free. Read Experian’s own comparison table on its credit freeze help page before you subscribe.
• Searching for TrueIdentity in 2026. That product shut down. Use the TransUnion Service Center.
• Locking or freezing only one bureau. Thieves need one open file.
• Confusing “lock” landing pages with the freeze center. Use official URLs: Experian /freeze/center.html, TransUnion /credit-freeze.
• Leaving all bureaus unlocked after one approved card. Re-freeze the same day.
• Expecting a lock to stop account takeover on an existing card. Watch statements on open accounts; that is a different risk.

The habit: closed by default#

Whether you use a paid lock (Experian) or a free freeze (both bureaus), the system is the same: closed until you open it for a known application, then closed again.

That is why this article is tagged Habits as well as Credit. Identity theft is a default-settings problem. The CFPB, FTC, and both bureaus steer consumers toward free freezes first. Use a paid lock only when you already value the bundled monitoring and will cancel if the price stops making sense.

If identity theft is already happening, start at IdentityTheft.gov, then freeze all three bureaus. See the full walkthrough in how to freeze your credit.

Sources and notes#

• CFPB, What is a credit freeze or security freeze? — locks vs freezes, statutory timing.
• FTC, Credit Freezes and Fraud Alerts.
• Experian, Credit freeze help and Freeze center.
• Experian, CreditLock product page — paid membership details; confirm live pricing.
• TransUnion, Credit freeze and Credit freeze FAQ — lock deactivation and “replace lock with freeze.”
• TransUnion, Member help center — TrueIdentity shutdown and Service Center migration.
• IdentityTheft.gov — active identity-theft recovery.
• AnnualCreditReport.com — official reports.
• Experian pricing and product names change; verify on the bureau’s site before enrolling in a paid plan.
• This article does not promise that a lock or freeze prevents every form of identity theft.