How To Remove a Light Fixture From Your Ceiling in 6 Steps

First things first: You’ll need to figure out what type of lighting fixture you’re dealing with. With the exception of a few (such as certain kinds of recessed lights or larger, delicate fixtures like chandeliers), the process for removing any kind of light fixture is quite simple. Even still, you’ll need to figure out how yours works—is it a flush-mount light that has a knob to unscrew or a pendant light hanging from a downrod? 

Generally, it should be pretty easy to figure out how your fixture is held together. But if you have the original manual, this will explain how it’s all attached. You could also try looking up the model number of your fixture to find information about it online. Taking a moment to figure this out will help you remove the fixture safely and efficiently.

With most fixtures, you’ll need to start by unscrewing the cover that goes over the light bulbs. In the case of a flush-mount light, this will usually be a frosted glass globe or bowl that’s screwed onto the fixture. Remove it by either twisting off the metal knob at the bottom of the fixture or carefully unscrewing the glass piece itself. In some cases (such as when removing a ceiling fan light), you might have to grab your screwdriver and remove a couple of screws to take off the cover.

If you’re removing a different kind of fixture, it’s best to read up on that specific type before attempting to remove it. Learning how to remove a pendant light is quite different from learning the steps to remove a chandelier, for instance. Even if the cover isn’t in the way of removing the fixture from the ceiling, it’s still worth doing it in order to remove the lightbulbs.

Once the cover is off, you should be looking at the bare light bulbs. You’ve done this before—simply unscrew them (being careful not to break them), and set them aside.

Now that the bulbs and cover are out of your way, it’s time to remove the fixture’s hardware from the mounting bracket in your ceiling. This is usually just connected by a couple of screws—remove them with your screwdriver, being careful to support the fixture plate. You’ll want to make sure it doesn’t clatter to the ground when you take it off.

You’ve disconnected the fixture plate, but it should still be attached to the ceiling by a few wires. You might see some bare copper wires amidst the tangled cords—it’s a good idea to triple-check that they’re safely powered off with your non-contact voltage tester. 

Once you’ve done that, you can go ahead and disconnect the wires attached to the light fixture. This should be a simple matter of unscrewing the plastic wire nuts and pulling the fixture ends out of the ceiling. Keep the wires connected to your home’s circuit organized so that it’s easier to wire your next installation.

There you have it—your light fixture is out of your ceiling, ready to be tossed or repurposed. All that’s left is to decide what you’ll do with your newfound hole in the ceiling. Will you install a different kind of fixture, such as track lighting or a pendant light? Maybe you don’t need the light there anymore, but you’re looking to add a ceiling fan instead. Or perhaps you’ll simply remove that wiring and cover the hole. If you’re not sure which option is best for your space, it could be worth coming up with a few questions to ask your electrician.