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Window Blinds Won’t Go Up? Try These Fixes

Meagan Graham

One common complaint we hear from customers is that their blinds won’t go up. In this blog, Graham’s will review some tricks you can try to fix different types of blinds. Find the following guides below:

  1. What To Do When Cordless Blinds Won’t Go Up
  2. What To Do When Cordless Cellular Blinds Won’t Go Up
  3. What To Do When Cordless Roman Shades Won’t Go Up
  4. What To Do When Roller Blinds Won’t Go Up

We hope these guides help you fix your blinds. If you need more help or want to pick out new window treatments, contact Graham’s & Son Interiors for help selecting the right blinds, product ordering and installation.

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Frustrated by blinds or shades that won’t retract? Try these fixes. (Image Source: Noelle Otto)

When Blinds Won't Go Up

1. What To Do When Cordless Blinds Won't Go Up

Understanding the Problem

When cordless blinds don’t go up, it is often due to these issues:

  • Heat and Humidity: Sometimes this will cause blinds to warp and affect their ability to smoothly retract
  • A Manufacturing Error: This might be the case if you purchased lower-quality blinds and you notice immediately that you have a problem. Try returning the blinds if you experience problems right away.
  • Problems With Internal Motor Spring: This spring is meant to retract upon lifting your blinds and will hold them in position when you stop. Sometimes you need to reset this motor, often after inactivity (leaving your blinds in one position for too long).
  • Tangled Ribbons:  While called cordless, your cordless blinds actually have internal ribbons or strings that may become tangled and cause problems.

Before you try fixing your blinds as outlined below, check to see if you actually need to replace your blinds due to a manufacturing error or extreme heat and humidity.

How to Fix  

If you do not think your blinds need to be replaced (or you want to give this a shot before giving up on your blinds), try the following steps to help your blinds go up again (You can also watch the video to see how this is done):

  1. Use your hands to pull your blind down all the way. 
  2. Placing your hands on either side of your blinds, gently and slowly rock your blinds left and right as you lift them up slowly. 
  3. Try pulling them down again and see if you can lift them again properly. If so, you have reset the internal mechanisms. 
Remember, you may have to try this trick a couple of times before it works. Watch the video below to see this trick for fixing cordless horizontal blinds.

Check out this simple trick to try when cordless blinds aren’t going up.

2. What To Do When Cordless Cellular Blinds Won't Go Up

Understanding the Problem

Cellular shades, also known as honeycomb shades, can become stuck too. Sometimes the cords in your cellular blinds need to be stretched out again or sometimes they become knotted. Here is a quick way to fix this issue.

How to Fix

Try this trick to fix cellular blinds that don’t go up:

  1. Use your hands to completely draw your blinds down as far as possible. 
  2. Pull the blind out from the wall towards you at a 45-degree angle.
  3. Give the blinds a gentle but quick and firm tug. Do this two or three times and be sure to keep the blinds at a 45-degree angle. Just don’t tug too hard and end up damaging the internal cords. 
  4. Draw your cellular blinds up and test to see if they stay put. 

For visual instructions, watch the video below. Also, if you can’t get your blinds up all the way, try repeating these steps. You may only gain a little bit more each time. 

Note: If you think your cellular blinds are not going up because of a knot in the internal strings, follow the steps in this other video.

Watch this video or follow the instructions above for an easy trick to fix cordless cellular shades that won’t go up.

3. What To Do When Cordless Roman Shades Won't Go Up

Understanding the Problem

Roman shades are a lot like cellular shades/honeycomb shades, they are slightly different. They are made with folds of material that gather up with the use of internal string mechanisms and a motor. 

To fix your cordless Roman shades, you’ll actually use the same type of trick as you would when fixing cellular shades. Watch the video below to see how you can fix them or follow these written instructions.

How to Fix

  1. Use your hands to completely draw your shade down as far as possible. 
  2. Pull the shade out from the wall towards you at a 45-degree angle and give it a tug.
  3. Doing this re-sets the motor and should bring your shades all the way up again. 
While this should work, you may find that your Roman shades still don’t raise up properly. Try turning the tube at the top of your shades halfway around to reposition it and bring them into an upward position. 
 
Watch the video below for help with these instructions.

See how you can use these 2 tricks to bring your Roman shades back up.

4. What To Do When Roller Blinds Won't Go Up

Understanding the Problem

Roller blinds are another type of window treatment that can sometimes get stuck. When roller blinds don’t go up, it is usually because: 

  • There is no longer any tension in the spring of your roller blinds OR
  • A spring is broken
Let’s look at how you can fix these two problems.
 

How to Fix

A) Re-setting the Tension

To reset the tension of the spring in your roller blinds, start by removing the roller and then follow these steps:

  1. Put the in-spring end of your roller into the bracket and leave the other end of the roller off the bracket. 
  2. Use your hands to manually spin the roller bar several times to reset the tension. 
  3. Take the end of the roller bar that wasn’t in the bracket and now place it in.
  4. Now check the tension of your roller blinds and see if the blinds retract again. 
If you’d like to watch a video about this, have a look at the video, How to Re-tension Cordless Spring Roller Shades.
 

B) Replacing a Spring

When re-setting the tension doesn’t work, it may be because the spring is actually broken. First, get a replacement spring (check the manufacturer’s information) and then try this:

  1. Take the roller blind out of the brackets and carefully remove the spring with a screwdriver or a pair of pliers. 
  2. Place the new spring in and press it down tightly.
  3. Replace the roller blind, putting it back in the brackets.
  4. Pull the blind down just past halfway and then remove the blinds from the brackets again.
  5. Turn the roller blind so that the fabric winds up evenly and does not catch on any mechanisms.
  6. Return the roller, re-mounting it in the brackets.
Finally, test your blinds to see if they now go back up properly. You can also watch the video, Re-tensioning and Replacing a Spring on Cordless Roller Shade for further help.

When roller blinds don’t go up, it’s likely because of problems with tension or a broken spring. (Image Source: Prashant Singh)

Window Treatments From Graham's & Son Interiors

Graham’s & Son Interiors has a variety of window treatments including blinds, shades, shutters and drapes! We also offer customer drapery and free in-home consultations.

You can visit our blog to learn more about various home interior topics too. In fact, you may want to consult one of our most popular guides on fixing blinds called What To Do When Cordless Blinds Won’t Go Up.

We love to help our customers care for their current products; however, if you need new blinds, or your old ones are simply beyond saving, contact us for suggestions about new window treatments available. Plus, if you act now, you can benefit from our promotion: Buy Any 2 Shades, Shutters, or Blinds & Get 1 FREE!

Also, don’t forget to visit our gallery to get some inspiration for your next home interior project.

Choose Blinds From Graham's & Son

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"We purchased roller shades from Graham’s & Son. Measurements were done in home, very professional and knowledgeable on product offerings. Prices were comparable, we had shopped around. Blinds were delivered directly to our home and were very easy to install."
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