How to Remove Cellular Shades Step by Step

Cellular shades, also called honeycomb shades, are easy to live with, but sooner or later every pair of them has to come down. You might be painting the room, replacing the shades, cleaning the headrail, or moving to a new home. The good news is that most cellular shades come off in a few minutes once you know how the brackets work. This guide walks you through the whole job, from checking your shade type to storing the hardware so the shade goes back up without trouble.

Before you start

Take two minutes to set up. Removing a shade is much simpler when the window area is clear and you have the right tools within reach.

A stable step stool or small ladder, so you are not stretching over the headrail
A flat screwdriver, a Phillips screwdriver and a drill with a screwdriver bit if the brackets are screwed in
A pencil and a few strips of painter’s tape for labeling
A small bag or cup to keep screws and clips together
A soft sheet or towel to lay the shade on once it is down

If you have more than one shade in the room, work on one window at a time and label each shade and its hardware. Windows that look identical often have slightly different measurements, and mixing the shades up is the most common reason a shade does not fit when you hang it again.

Step 1: Identify your shade type

Look at how your shade is operated, because that tells you what to expect at the top and bottom of the shade.

Cordless shades lift when you push or pull the bottom rail. There are no cords to deal with, which makes removal the simplest.
Corded or cord loop shades have a cord on the side. The cord loop is often held by a small tension device or cleat on the wall or window frame, and you remove that first.
Top down bottom up shades have two rails and two sets of cords. Raise both rails to the top before you begin.
Motorized shades run on batteries or on a wired power supply. Turn off the power or remove the batteries before touching anything, and see the section on motorized shades below.

If you are not sure which type you have, our guide to what cellular shades are and how they are built explains the common variations.

Step 2: Check how the shade is mounted

An inside mount sits within the window frame, while an outside mount sits on the wall or trim above the window. Either way, the shade hangs from a metal or plastic headrail that clips into two or more brackets. Look for the brackets at the left and right ends of the headrail, and for any extra brackets in the middle on wider shades.

If your shade has a valance or a decorative headrail cover, take it off first. Most covers pop off by lifting the front edge slightly or pressing a small tab at each end. Do not force it. If it will not come off, look for a tiny screw on the underside of the headrail.

Step 3: Raise the shade fully

Pull the shade all the way to the top so the fabric is stacked tightly and cannot catch on the brackets. A shade that is only partly raised has loose fabric that can droop and make the shade harder to handle. For a top down bottom up shade, bring both rails to the top.

Step 4: Release the headrail from the brackets

This is the step that confuses most people, because brackets differ by brand. These are the three types you are most likely to find.

Clip or snap brackets. The front of the headrail snaps over a small lip on the bracket. Hold the headrail with one hand, tilt the front edge up and pull the shade forward and down. Some brackets also have a small spring tab on top that you press with a flat screwdriver as you lift.
Latch brackets. A small lever or tab locks the headrail in place. Push the tab toward the wall or slide it sideways, then lift the headrail out. You can usually see the tab from below with a flashlight.
Screwed headrails. On some shades the headrail itself is fixed with screws. Support the shade with one hand while you remove the screws, then lower it carefully.

On a wide shade, ask someone to hold the other end. Cellular shades are light, but a long headrail is awkward to hold at an angle, and it bends if you lift only one side.

Step 5: Take down the brackets

If you plan to replace the shade with a different brand or size, remove the brackets as well. Unscrew them and keep the screws with the shade. If you are going to hang the same shade again, you can leave the brackets in place and simply put the shade back into them later.

Drywall anchors and old holes are worth a quick look. If you are painting, fill any holes before you start and let the filler dry. Tape small notes on the wall near each bracket if you want the shade to go back in exactly the same spot.

How to remove top down bottom up cellular shades

A top down bottom up shade has two rails: a bottom rail that works like any cellular shade, and a middle rail that moves on its own set of cords. Removal follows the same steps as a standard cellular shade, with two differences. First, raise both rails all the way to the top so the whole shade is stacked at the headrail. Second, handle the cords gently and keep them from catching on a bracket while you work. Then release the headrail from the brackets as described in Step 4. If the shade resists, do not force it. Check that both rails are fully raised and that no cord is wrapped around a bracket, and look at the manufacturer’s instructions for the release tab on your brand.

Cellular blinds or cellular shades: is removal the same?

In most cases, yes. Cellular blinds, honeycomb blinds, accordion blinds, honeycomb shades and cellular shades are the same product, a pleated fabric with air pockets, and they come off their brackets the same way. To remove honeycomb blinds from a window frame, you release the headrail from the brackets that hold it, whether the shade sits inside the frame or outside it. The name is only a habit, so the steps in this guide apply whichever term you search for. What changes the process is the type of lift: a corded shade, a cordless shade, a top down bottom up shade or a motorized shade, which is covered in the next section.

Removing motorized cellular shades

Motorized shades need a little more care. For battery powered models, remove the batteries first. For wired models, switch off the circuit before disconnecting anything, and take a photo of the wiring so you can reconnect it later. Because connections and programming differ between systems, it is usually safer to have a professional handle wired motorized shades. You can read more about how they work on our motorized shades page.

What to do with the shade once it is down

Lay the shade flat on a clean sheet. This is the best moment to clean it, because the fabric is accessible and dust has probably built up on the headrail.

Vacuum the pleats gently with a brush attachment on a low setting.
Wipe the headrail with a soft, dry or slightly damp cloth.
Spot clean marks following the care instructions for your fabric, and never soak the shade, because water can get trapped in the cells.

If you are storing the shade, keep it in its original box or wrap it in a clean sheet, lay it flat and label it with the room and window. Put the brackets and screws in a bag and tape the bag to the headrail so it does not get lost.

Common problems and how to solve them

The headrail will not come out of the bracket. Check for a hidden latch or a small screw. Painted or dirty brackets can also stick, so wipe the bracket with a cloth before you try again.
The shade is stuck at the top or bottom. A cord may be caught. Raise or lower the shade slowly and look for a cord that is twisted around the bracket.
A bracket pulls out of the wall. The screw has lost its grip in the drywall. Use a larger anchor, or move the bracket slightly to solid material when you rehang the shade.
The shade is too wide to handle alone. Ask for a second pair of hands, or have a professional do the removal.

When it makes sense to replace the shade

If the fabric is faded, the cells are crushed or the lift no longer holds, removing the shade is a good moment to think about a replacement. Cellular shades come in light filtering and blackout fabrics, with options for top down bottom up and cordless operation. Browse the options on our cellular honeycomb shades page, and use our free measuring service if you want the new shade to fit exactly.

When to call a professional

Call a professional if the shade is motorized and wired, if the window is very large or hard to reach, or if you are not comfortable working on a ladder. Shade.Shop serves homes across Sonoma, Napa and Marin, and you can see our service areas or contact us to ask about removal and installation.

Frequently asked questions

Can I reuse the brackets?

Often yes, if you hang the same shade again. If you replace it with a different brand or size, the brackets may not match, so check before you throw them away.

Do I need to remove a cellular shade to clean it?

Not always. Light dusting works with the shade in place. A deeper cleaning of the headrail and fabric is easier when the shade is down.

How long does it take to remove a cellular shade?

Once you know your bracket type, most shades come down in a few minutes. The first one takes longer while you work out how the headrail releases.

Is it safe to remove corded shades around children and pets?

Yes, but keep cords out of reach while the shade is off the window and store them tied up. Cordless shades avoid the issue completely.

How do I remove top down bottom up shades from a window?

Raise both rails to the top, keep the cords from catching, release the headrail from the brackets and lift the shade away. The full steps are in the top down bottom up section above.

How do I remove honeycomb blinds from a window frame?

Raise the shade fully, find the release tab or clip on the headrail, push or lift it to free the headrail from the brackets and then lift the shade out of the frame. Step 4 above shows how this works for the most common bracket types.

Are cellular blinds and cellular shades removed the same way?

Yes. They are the same product under two names, and the headrail releases from the brackets in the same way.

Hanging the shade again, or installing a new one? Our guide on how to hang cellular shades covers the brackets and the headrail step by step.

Living in Santa Rosa? Shade.Shop offers free in home measuring and installation for window shades in Santa Rosa, and across Sonoma, Napa and Marin.

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