The shortest route to a missing Ikea screw is not the hardware aisle. It is the assembly manual.
If an Ikea bed, bookcase or dresser is missing a cam lock, wooden dowel, bracket or other small fitting, Ikea U.S. says customers can order many small spare parts online and have them shipped free of charge. The catch is simple: you need the 6- or 8-digit part number from the assembly instructions.
That makes this one of the most useful Ikea habits to learn before the next flat-pack build: keep the manual until the furniture is standing, stable and anchored where required.
Start with the six digits
As of June 12, 2026, Ikea’s U.S. customer-service guidance says small spare parts can be ordered through its online spare-parts tool, through the Purchases page of an Ikea Family account, or at Customer Service desks in Ikea stores. Ikea says the online tool requires the 6- to 8-digit identification number for the spare part.
Those numbers appear in the assembly guide next to the hardware drawings. They are not the same as the product article number, which identifies the whole item, such as a BILLY bookcase or MALM chest.
If you threw away the booklet, do not guess. Search the product on Ikea.com, open the product page, then look under Product details, Assembly and documents, and Assembly instructions. Ikea says that is where customers can find the guide when the paper copy is gone.
Free shipping is available for many small parts
Ikea’s missing-parts page says that when a missing part has a 6- or 8-digit code, customers can order it through an online form and have it posted directly to them free of charge within 14 working days. That is the best option if the project can wait.
If the piece is needed sooner, the store may be faster. Ikea says most stores, except Plan & Order Points, keep a small spare-parts selection at Customer Service desks, usually near the entrance or exit. If the part is in stock, a co-worker may be able to send you home with it immediately.
There is one important limit for planners: Ikea says it cannot check store stock for spare parts. If you are driving a long distance for one hinge or bolt, bring the part number and the product name, but understand that the trip is not guaranteed.
When there is no number, bring the receipt
Some pieces do not have a spare-part code in the instructions. For those, Ikea directs customers to the Recovery department at a local store or to Customer Service online or by phone.
For a recently purchased product with a missing part and no code, Ikea tells customers visiting a store to bring the purchase invoice or receipt. If the purchase was tied to an Ikea Family account, the receipt should also be available in Purchase History.
For online help, Ikea’s U.S. guidance says customers can type “I want to talk to a human” in chat or call 1-888-888-4532. Have the order number or receipt nearby.
Bigger parts are a different case
A missing screw is one thing. A cracked side panel, a damaged drawer front or a replacement shelf is another.
Ikea says customers who need a bigger spare part, or cannot identify the spare-part number, should contact Customer Service online or in stores. Prices vary by part, so do not assume a large replacement component will be free just because small hardware often is.
This is also where timing matters. If the furniture was damaged in delivery or arrived with a manufacturing problem, start the claim quickly and keep packaging, photos, order confirmations and receipts until the issue is resolved.
Do not overlook the anchor kit
For chests and dressers, the most important missing part may be the wall anchor.
Ikea U.S. continues to offer free wall-anchoring kits for Ikea chests and dressers. The company’s wall-anchoring kit page says the kits are for U.S. residents and for Ikea chests and dressers only, not other Ikea products.
The safety history here is serious. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced in 2016 that Ikea was recalling 29 million MALM and other chests and dressers because of a tip-over hazard, urging consumers to anchor affected furniture or return it for a refund. CPSC’s recall notice remains an essential reference for older pieces.
Ikea’s current recall information says the June 2016 recall covers children’s chests and dressers taller than 23.5 inches and adult chests and dressers taller than 29.5 inches that do not comply with the cited voluntary industry standard. If you bought a used dresser, inherited one, or moved with one and lost the hardware, check the recall page and request the proper kit.
When a return is the better answer
If the missing or damaged part makes the product unusable and a replacement is not practical, the return policy may matter more than the parts drawer.
Ikea U.S. says unopened products can be returned within 365 days with proof of purchase, and open products can be returned within 180 days with proof of purchase. Ikea’s return policy lists exceptions, including plants, cut fabric, custom countertops and as-is products.
The cleanest fix is still prevention. Open every box before assembly, especially for multi-box items. Match the hardware bags against the instruction drawings. Save the manual or download the PDF. Link purchases to Ikea Family when possible.
That small routine can turn a stalled Saturday build into a simple parts request — and keep a missing wooden dowel from becoming a second trip through the showroom.