How to Stop Your Shoelaces Coming Undone
If your laces won't stay tied, the knot — not you — is usually the culprit. Here's why it happens, and six fixes from a better knot to laces that simply grip.
Shop waxed laces →Why shoelaces come undone
It feels random, but it isn't. Three things cause almost every loose lace. First, the knot: most people unknowingly tie a lopsided "granny knot," which sits crooked and works loose on its own. Second, the lace: smooth, round or worn laces have little grip, so the knot slides. Third, movement: every step whips the loose ends and tugs the knot a tiny bit looser, until it lets go — usually at the worst moment.
The good news is all three are easy to fix. Work down the list below and stop at the first one that solves it for you.
Fix 1 — Tie a balanced knot, not a granny knot
This is the single biggest fix, and it's free. A balanced "reef" knot sits straight across the shoe and holds; a granny knot sits at an angle and slips. The tell-tale sign of a granny knot is a bow that twists to sit vertically down the shoe rather than across it.
The fix: keep everything you do the same, but reverse the direction of your starting cross or the way you wrap the loop — one or the other. After one reversal your bow will sit square across the shoe and stay put. (Full step-by-step is in our main guide below.)
Fix 2 & 3 — The double knot and the surgeon's knot
Fix 4 — Add a heel lock
If your laces loosen because your foot moves inside the shoe, a heel lock helps the whole lacing stay under even tension. Lace up to the second eyelet from the top, feed each lace straight up into the top eyelet to make a small loop on each side, cross each end through the opposite loop, and pull down firmly before you tie. Common on runners — it cinches the ankle so nothing works loose.
Fix 5 — Use laces that actually grip
Sometimes the knot is fine and the lace is the problem. Smooth, round or synthetic laces slide against themselves. Waxed laces have a tacky coating that grips, so knots hold far longer — often the easiest fix of all. If you're using very slick round laces, even switching to a flat lace helps, as the wider surface holds a knot better.
Fix 6 — Skip knots altogether
If you're simply done with it, no-tie laces are the permanent answer. Elastic laces with a lock hold a set tension and never need retying, and they turn any shoe into a slip-on — ideal for kids, runners, and anyone tired of double-knotting every morning.