How to Fix Blinds

When your blinds won’t budge, the cord gets tangled, or a slat breaks, it can be tempting to replace them altogether. But before you do, know that fixing blinds is often easier (and cheaper) than you think. Most problems with horizontal blinds, from stuck mechanisms to frayed cords, have simple DIY fixes that only require a few tools and a little patience.

I’ve dealt with my fair share of blind repairs — a tilt mechanism that left my room completely exposed and even a tangled cord so stubborn I had to get creative with my earrings. But each time, I found an easy solution, and now, I’m sharing them with you.

Quick note: This guide is for horizontal blinds. If you need help with vertical blinds, check out our related article: How to Repair Vertical Blinds.

Repairing a Broken Slat

A single broken slat can ruin the entire look of your blinds, but don’t worry — you can fix it. If you spot a damaged slat sticking out once you open your horizontal blinds, here’s how you can repair it. 

Step 1: Remove the Caps

Look at the bottom rail of your blinds. You’ll see small plastic plugs covering the holes where the lift strings pass through. These plugs keep everything secure. Using a flathead screwdriver, gently pry them out. Be careful not to damage them, as you’ll need to put them back later.

Step 2: Undo the Knots

Inside those holes, you’ll find small knots tying the lift strings in place. Use a pair of needle-nose pliers or your fingers to carefully untie or snip them. If you cut them, be sure to leave enough string to re-tie later.

Step 3: Remove the Damaged Slat

Once the knots are undone, pull the lift string up through the slats until you reach the broken one. Carefully slide the damaged slat out to the side like pulling a book from a shelf.

Step 4: Insert the Replacement Slat

Take an extra slat from the bottom of your blinds and slide it into the empty slot. Make sure it lines up perfectly with the rest. If the hole placement doesn’t match, you may need to drill small holes in the correct spots before inserting it.

Step 5: Re-thread the Lift String

Now, thread the lift string back down through each slat hole and follow the same pattern as before. Think of it like threading a shoelace — be precise so the blinds function correctly.

Step 6: Secure the Bottom Knots

Pull the lift string all the way through the bottom rail, then tie it back into a knot. Make sure the knot is tight and secure before pushing the plastic plugs back into place.

Step 7: Test Your Blinds

Give your blinds a few test runs. Raise and lower them to ensure everything moves smoothly. If something feels off, check if the strings are tangled or misaligned.

Fixing a Broken or Jammed Cord

Nothing’s more frustrating than pulling a cord, only to have your blinds refuse to budge. If your cord is tangled, frayed, or broken, here’s how to fix it.

Fixing Tangled Cords – How I Did It

One morning, I went to shit the blinds in the rooms where I used to study and work, but nothing happened when I pulled the cord. The blinds stayed put, almost mocking me. After a closer look, I realized there was a tangle of knots deep within the mechanism. Here’s how I solved the issue:

1. The first thing I did was fully lower the blinds to gain better access to the cords. This made it much easier to inspect and untangle the mess.
2. I started by using my hands to gently untangle the cords. Sometimes, a bit of patience is all you need to work through the knots.
3. The knot was stubborn, so I decided to use a small tool to help loosen it. While a needle or pin would’ve been ideal, I didn’t have one on hand. Instead, I used my stud earrings, which worked surprisingly well for this delicate task.
4. In my case, the tangle was still too tight to unravel completely. So, I carefully snipped the section and retied the ends, which restored the blinds to working order.
5. To avoid this situation in the future, I bought a simple cord winder to keep the cords neat and tangle-free. I also made sure to keep the cords out of reach of our dogs and cats, who often enjoy getting into things they shouldn’t. 

Replacing a Frayed Cord

A frayed cord is a disaster waiting to happen. It’s only a matter of time before it snaps completely. Here’s how to replace it step by step:

Step 1: Raise the Blinds and Secure Them

• Pull the blinds all the way up to keep them out of the way.
• If they don’t stay up on their own, secure them with a clip or ask someone to hold them.

Step 2: Remove the Valance (If Applicable)

• The valance (the decorative cover at the top) is usually held in place by small plastic clips.
• Gently unclip or slide the valance off to expose the headrail.

Step 3: Remove the Bottom Rail Caps

• Move down to the bottom rail of the blinds.
• Look for small plastic caps covering the holes where the lift strings pass through.
• Use a flathead screwdriver to carefully pry the plastic caps off.
• Set them aside. You’ll need them later.

Step 4: Locate the Frayed Cord and Take a Photo

• Once the bottom caps are off, you’ll see the lift strings knotted inside.
• Find the frayed cord and trace it up through the slats to see its path.
• Take a quick photo. This will help you follow the same threading pattern when installing the new cord.

Step 5: Remove the Old Cord

• Using scissors, carefully snip the old frayed cord near the knot inside the bottom rail.

Step 6: Measure and Cut the New Cord

• Cut a new piece of cord using this formula for the amount you’ll need: (2 × blind height/length) + blind width. 
  • Blind height is the total height of your blinds when fully extended.
  • Blind width is the full width of the blinds.
• Make sure the new cord is the same type and thickness as the old one.

Step 7: Prevent Fraying on the New Cord

• To prevent fraying, you can use a lighter to gently melt the end of the new cord.
• Let it cool for a second, then pinch the tip with your fingers to seal it.

Step 8: Thread the New Cord Through the Slats

• Start from the top and guide the new cord down through each slat, following the same pattern as the old one.
• If threading is difficult, wrap a small piece of tape around the tip of the cord to stiffen it.

Step 9: Secure the Bottom Knot and Replace the Caps

• Once the cord reaches the bottom rail, tie a firm knot inside the hole where the old one was.
• Pull it tight to ensure it holds.
• Snap the plastic caps back into place over the knots.

Step 10: Test Your Blinds

• Lower and raise your blinds several times to check that the new cord moves smoothly.
• If the blinds feel stiff or don’t move properly, check if the cord is twisted or tangled inside the slats.

Replacing a Broken Cord

If your blinds refuse to go up or down, the cord may have snapped entirely. Here’s how to replace it:

Step 1: Take Down the Blinds

• First, remove the blinds from their brackets. 
• Lift them up slightly and tilt them outward. Most blinds will slide right out. 
• If they feel stuck, check for locking tabs or clips holding them in place. 
• Lay the blinds flat on a table or a clean floor so you have a stable workspace.

Step 2: Open the Headrail

• The headrail is the long metal or plastic box at the top of your blinds. Use a flathead screwdriver to carefully pry it open.
• Inside, you’ll see the cord system — a network of pulleys or rollers that guide the cord through.

Step 3: Remove the Broken Cord

• Look for the snapped cord. If it’s still looped around a pulley, slowly unthread it to avoid tangling the other cords. 
• Pull it out completely, tracing its path so you understand how the new cord should be threaded.

Step 4: Measure and Prepare a New Cord

• Use this formula to determine how much replacement cord you need:
  (2 × blind height) + blind width
  • 2 × blind height – The cord runs down and back up through the slats, so you need to double the blind’s height.
  • + blind width – This adds extra length for the headrail mechanism and knots.
• Tip: Prepare a cord that’s slightly longer than your calculation. It’s always better to have extra than to come up short. 

Step 5: Thread the New Cord

Now comes the tricky part: guiding the new cord through the blinds.

1. Start at the headrail: Feed the cord through the cord lock mechanism (the pulley system inside the headrail).
2. Thread through the slats: Carefully guide the cord down through each slat, following the same path as the old one.
   • Tip: If the cord keeps fraying or slipping out, wrap a small piece of tape around the tip to make threading easier.
3. Reach the bottom rail: Once the cord is fully threaded, feed it through the bottom rail hole.

Step 6: Secure the Knot and Reassemble

• Tie a strong, secure knot inside the bottom rail to prevent the cord from slipping out.
• Pull on it to make sure it holds firm. Then, snap the plastic cap back into place.

Step 7: Reattach and Test

• Close the headrail, rehang the blinds in their brackets, and replace any removed caps or tassels. 
• Give the new cord a few test pulls. Your blinds should now lift and lower smoothly.

Fixing Stuck Cordless Blinds

Cordless blinds are sleek and modern, but when they get stuck, they can be a headache. Here’s how to get them moving again.

If Blinds Won’t Go Up:

1. Stand in front of your blinds and place both hands on the bottom rail.
2. Pull the blinds down as far as they’ll go. This resets the tension inside the mechanism.
3. With the blinds still pulled down, angle the bottom rail outward at a 45-degree angle and give it a few firm but gentle tugs. You should feel a slight release of tension.
4. Let go and try lifting the blinds again. If they still won’t budge, repeat the process a few times.

If Blinds Won’t Stay Down:

1. Pull the blinds all the way down so they’re completely open. 
2. With both hands, press the front and back of the blinds together, moving your hands from top to bottom in a smoothing motion. This helps reset the internal tension system. 
3. Release the blinds and check if they stay down. If they still spring back up, repeat the pressing motion a couple more times. 

Replacing a Broken Tilt Mechanism – How I Did It

One afternoon, I reached for the tilt wand to close the horizontal blinds in my room, but — nothing. The slats refused to move, leaving me completely exposed to the sunlight. I twisted the wand back and forth, hoping for some miracle, but it just spun uselessly in my hand. That’s when I knew: the tilt mechanism was broken.

So, with a little help from my dad, here’s what I did: 

Step 1: Lift the Blinds Out of their Brackets

Determined to fix it, I grabbed a step stool and carefully lifted the blinds out of their brackets. They were a bit heavier than I expected, but I managed to set them down flat on a table.

Step 2: Open the Headrail

With a flathead screwdriver, I gently pried open the metal headrail. The cover popped off, revealing the internal workings of the blinds. Right away, I spotted the culprit — a small plastic gear inside the tilt mechanism was cracked. That tiny part was the reason my blinds wouldn’t tilt.

Step 3: Find a Replacement for the Tilt Mechanism

At first, I wasn’t sure where to get a new tilt mechanism. So, I did a quick online search for a “horizontal blinds tilter” and found a match within minutes. It was super affordable, and I ordered it right away.

Step 4: Swap Out the Broken Part

Once the new tilter arrived, I carefully slid the damaged piece out of the tilt rod. I lined up the new mechanism and snapped it into place. I made sure the tilt rod fit well through it. I gave it a quick test by twisting the rod.

Step 5: Reinstall the Blinds

With the repair complete, I was ready to put everything back together. I closed the headrail cover and called in my dad to help me lift the blinds back into place. Once secured, I grabbed the tilt wand, twisted it, and the slats moved effortlessly. 

Make the Fix Painless

Fixing blinds might seem like a hassle at first, but with the right approach, it’s nothing you can’t handle. Whether it’s tackling a rebellious cord, swapping out a broken slat, or resetting a stubborn tilt mechanism, you’re now well-equipped to keep your horizontal blinds in top shape. And you’ve just saved yourself the cost of new blinds.

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What to read next:

• How to Install Blinds
• How to Put Curtains Over Blinds

Main Photo Credit: gballgiggs / Adobe Stock Free / License