Locking clips are designed to hold the connector in place prior to soldering and assure proper seating during reflow operations. This feature is especially useful when simultaneously soldering components to both sides of the board or for operations requiring multiple reflow cycles. Locking clips should be designed for minimum insertion force and maximum retention force. Generally accepted specifications are ten pounds maximum insertion force and five pounds minimum retention force per connector.

With smaller connectors, or connectors that are expected to experience a large number of mating cycles, the effect of the cycle stresses on the solder joints can become a concern. Since locking clips are metal, they offer the potential for additional strength by acting as a retention clip when they are soldered in plated through-holes. For particularly severe applications, mechanical fasteners or solderable tabs can be used to secure the connector to the board and reduce stress on the solder joints.