Renter Friendly Blinds: Which No-Drill Shade Fits Your Window
For a window set into a recess, a cellular shade on a spring rod presses against the sides of the frame, needs no screws and comes in blackout. In a deeper recess, a roller or zebra shade on the same kind of rod gives a cleaner look or day-and-night light control. Stick-on paper shades cut to fit an odd-size window, and magnetic blinds snap onto a steel door.
By Tess Mullins · Updated
Which one fits your window?
| If you have | Look at | Deposit Risk |
|---|---|---|
| A window set into a recess, when you want the room dark and less drafty | Cellular shades on a spring rod | Low |
| A deeper recess, for a clean look or light control from day to night | Roller and zebra shades on a spring rod | Low |
| An odd-size window, or several windows to cover for now | Stick-on shades you cut to fit | Medium |
| A steel door with a glass panel, like a back door or a storm door | Magnetic blinds for steel doors | Low |
Cellular shades on a spring rod
Good for: A window set into a recess, when you want the room dark and less drafty
- Deposit Risk: Low
- Landlord Permission: Not usually needed
- Take It With You: Yes
A honeycomb shade on a spring rod that presses against the sides of the window recess, so nothing screws into the frame. The cells trap air, and the blackout versions here block the light. You push it up or pull it down by the bottom rail, with no cords.
Check before you buy
Measure the inside width of the recess at the top, middle and bottom, and order the size the maker matches to the narrowest: a spring rod stretches only a little. Check the frame's depth against the maker's minimum where the listing gives one, and that the sides are flat enough for the rod to press on.
At move-out
Squeeze the rod shorter the way the maker shows and lift the shade out. Nothing stays behind; wipe the frame where the ends pressed. It goes with you, but it fits only a window of the same width.
Examples on Amazon
LazBlinds No Drill Cordless Cellular Shade, 22 x 36 Inch
Blackout cellular shade on a spring rod
- Fits
- Inside mount only; this size fits windows 21.7 to 22.6 in wide and 36 in tall (other sizes on the listing). Frame depth not listed
- Light
- Blackout: a silver-plated layer inside the cells keeps out sunlight, per the maker
- Polyester; spot clean only
- Cordless; push up or pull down
The maker says it goes into wood, tile, marble or concrete frames without tools, screws or brackets. The listing gives no minimum frame depth, so ask the maker before you order for a shallow frame.
See it on Amazon: LazBlinds No Drill Cordless Cellular Shade, 22 x 36 InchChangshade No Drill Blackout Cellular Shade, 35 x 64 Inch
Blackout cellular shade with a tension mount
- Fits
- Inside mount only; the shade is 35 in wide and 64 in tall, for a frame at least 1.25 in deep (other sizes on the listing)
- Light
- Blackout non-woven fabric, per the maker
- Polyester; spot clean only
- Cordless; stops at any height
The shallowest frame depth listed here. The maker says to pick a shade about 1/4 in narrower than the opening, and the listing calls it moisture resistant.
See it on Amazon: Changshade No Drill Blackout Cellular Shade, 35 x 64 Inch
Roller and zebra shades on a spring rod
Good for: A deeper recess, for a clean look or light control from day to night
- Deposit Risk: Low
- Landlord Permission: Not usually needed
- Take It With You: Yes
A roller shade winds its fabric onto a tube behind a valance and stops at any height. A zebra shade has two layers of sheer and solid stripes that you shift to let light through or close for privacy. The examples here press into the recess on a spring rod, like the cellular shades.
Check before you buy
The roller and its valance need a deeper recess than a cellular shade, so check the maker's minimum depth before you order. Measure the inside width at the top, middle and bottom, and order the size that matches the narrowest.
At move-out
Squeeze the rod shorter the way the maker shows and lift the shade out. Nothing stays behind; wipe the frame where the ends pressed. It goes with you, but it fits only a window of the same width.
Examples on Amazon
LazBlinds No Drill Blackout Roller Shade, 21.5 x 72 Inch
Blackout roller shade on a spring rod
- Fits
- Inside mount only; windows 21.35 to 22.25 in wide and up to 72 in tall, in a frame at least 2.5 in deep (other sizes on the listing)
- Light
- Blackout fabric, per the maker
- Polyester
- Cordless; stops at any height up to its full length
Long enough for a tall bedroom window. Check the frame's depth before you order: it needs more than the cellular shades.
See it on Amazon: LazBlinds No Drill Blackout Roller Shade, 21.5 x 72 InchLazBlinds No Drill Zebra Blinds, 36 x 72 Inch
Zebra shade with a valance on a spring rod
- Fits
- Inside mount only; windows 35.85 to 36.75 in wide and up to 72 in tall, in a frame at least 2.5 in deep (other sizes on the listing)
- Light
- Sheer and solid stripes you shift for light or privacy; the maker doesn't call it blackout
- Built-in valance and color-matched hardware
- Cordless; stops at any height
Line up the stripes to let light through by day, offset them for privacy at night. For a dark bedroom, a blackout cellular or roller shade does more.
See it on Amazon: LazBlinds No Drill Zebra Blinds, 36 x 72 Inch
Stick-on shades you cut to fit
Good for: An odd-size window, or several windows to cover for now
- Deposit Risk: Medium
- Landlord Permission: Not usually needed
- Take It With You: Partly
Pleated paper or fabric shades with an adhesive strip along the top. You cut them to the window, peel the backing and press them onto the frame, and clips hold them at the height you want. A blackout cover in the same kind sticks on with small adhesive pads and hook-and-loop tabs.
Check before you buy
Adhesive can lift paint or leave residue on a painted frame, so try it on a hidden spot first, and clean and dry the surface before you stick it on. Cut a little at a time, since you can't add width back. Paper shades are sold as temporary, so expect to replace them sooner than a fabric shade.
At move-out
Peel the adhesive slowly, the way the maker describes, and test any residue remover on a hidden spot first. The shade is cut to this window, so plan on a new one, or new adhesive, for the next place.
Examples on Amazon
Maritown Cut to Size Pleated Paper Blinds
Pleated shade with double-sided tape and two clips
- Fits
- 35 in wide and 59 in long, for windows 24 to 35 in wide and 39 to 47 in tall; cut to size (other sizes on the listing)
- Light
- White, blue and brown filter light; black and grey block it, per the maker
- Non-woven fabric that the maker calls waterproof
- Tape about 1 in (2.5 cm) wide along the top
Buy it longer than the window, since the pleats take up length, the maker says. The clips set the height, so there's no cord.
See it on Amazon: Maritown Cut to Size Pleated Paper BlindsChangshade Temporary Pleated Paper Shades, 6 Pack
Six pleated paper shades with adhesive strips
- Fits
- Each 48 in wide and 72 in long; cut to width and height, or to shapes like arcs and circles (other sizes and 12-packs on the listing)
- Light
- White and brown filter light; black blocks it, per the maker
- Paper with UV protection, per the maker
- Clean and dry the surface before you stick it on
Six shades cover a whole apartment for now. For removal, the maker says to warm the adhesive with a hair dryer for 30 seconds, then peel.
See it on Amazon: Changshade Temporary Pleated Paper Shades, 6 PackPetaholic Portable Blackout Window Cover
Blackout fabric with 18 adhesive stickers, 12 pairs of hook-and-loop tabs and a storage bag
- Fits
- 57 by 118 in; cut to any size or shape, a little larger than the window, the maker says (other sizes on the listing)
- Light
- Blackout: a silver coating on the back blocks sunlight, per the maker
- Folds into its bag for travel
- Clean and dry the window before you stick it on, the maker says
Not a shade you raise and lower: it covers the glass until you take it down, which suits day sleep, a dorm or a short stay. The maker suggests airing it out for 1 to 3 days if it smells when new.
See it on Amazon: Petaholic Portable Blackout Window Cover
Magnetic blinds for steel doors
Good for: A steel door with a glass panel, like a back door or a storm door
- Deposit Risk: Low
- Landlord Permission: Not usually needed
- Take It With You: Yes
A cordless mini blind with magnets in its top rail snaps onto a steel door over the glass. Magnetic hold-down brackets at the bottom keep it from swinging when the door opens and closes.
Check before you buy
Hold a magnet to the door first: magnets stick to steel, not to wood, fiberglass or aluminum. Measure the glass and add the margin the maker asks for, and check that the blind clears the handle.
At move-out
Lift the blind off the magnets and wipe the door where they sat. Nothing stays behind, and it goes with you for the next steel door.
An example on Amazon
REGAL Estate Magnetic Door Mini Blinds, 25 x 48 Inch
Cordless 1 in mini blind with a magnetic top rail and 2 magnetic hold-down brackets
- Fits
- Metal doors; 25 in wide and 48 in tall (other sizes on the listing). Add 2 to 3 in to the glass size and leave 1.5 in from the glass to the handle
- Light
- Light filtering, per the product details
- Slats of 65% recycled PET, which the maker says resist warping and moisture
- Snaps off for cleaning the glass
The only example for a door. It needs steel to hold on to, so test the door with a magnet before you order.
See it on Amazon: REGAL Estate Magnetic Door Mini Blinds, 25 x 48 Inch
Compare them side by side
Every size and rating is the maker's own. Swipe sideways on a phone to see every column.
| Product | Kind | Fits | Light | Deposit Risk | Permission | Take it with you |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LazBlinds No Drill Cordless Cellular Shade, 22 x 36 Inch | Cellular shades on a spring rod | Inside mount only; this size fits windows 21.7 to 22.6 in wide and 36 in tall (other sizes on the listing). Frame depth not listed | Blackout: a silver-plated layer inside the cells keeps out sunlight, per the maker | Low | Not usually needed | Yes |
| Changshade No Drill Blackout Cellular Shade, 35 x 64 Inch | Cellular shades on a spring rod | Inside mount only; the shade is 35 in wide and 64 in tall, for a frame at least 1.25 in deep (other sizes on the listing) | Blackout non-woven fabric, per the maker | Low | Not usually needed | Yes |
| LazBlinds No Drill Blackout Roller Shade, 21.5 x 72 Inch | Roller and zebra shades on a spring rod | Inside mount only; windows 21.35 to 22.25 in wide and up to 72 in tall, in a frame at least 2.5 in deep (other sizes on the listing) | Blackout fabric, per the maker | Low | Not usually needed | Yes |
| LazBlinds No Drill Zebra Blinds, 36 x 72 Inch | Roller and zebra shades on a spring rod | Inside mount only; windows 35.85 to 36.75 in wide and up to 72 in tall, in a frame at least 2.5 in deep (other sizes on the listing) | Sheer and solid stripes you shift for light or privacy; the maker doesn't call it blackout | Low | Not usually needed | Yes |
| Maritown Cut to Size Pleated Paper Blinds | Stick-on shades you cut to fit | 35 in wide and 59 in long, for windows 24 to 35 in wide and 39 to 47 in tall; cut to size (other sizes on the listing) | White, blue and brown filter light; black and grey block it, per the maker | Medium | Not usually needed | Partly |
| Changshade Temporary Pleated Paper Shades, 6 Pack | Stick-on shades you cut to fit | Each 48 in wide and 72 in long; cut to width and height, or to shapes like arcs and circles (other sizes and 12-packs on the listing) | White and brown filter light; black blocks it, per the maker | Medium | Not usually needed | Partly |
| Petaholic Portable Blackout Window Cover | Stick-on shades you cut to fit | 57 by 118 in; cut to any size or shape, a little larger than the window, the maker says (other sizes on the listing) | Blackout: a silver coating on the back blocks sunlight, per the maker | Medium | Not usually needed | Partly |
| REGAL Estate Magnetic Door Mini Blinds, 25 x 48 Inch | Magnetic blinds for steel doors | Metal doors; 25 in wide and 48 in tall (other sizes on the listing). Add 2 to 3 in to the glass size and leave 1.5 in from the glass to the handle | Light filtering, per the product details | Low | Not usually needed | Yes |
Before you buy
Measure inside the recess. Measure the width between the sides of the window recess at the top, the middle and the bottom, and use the narrowest. Measure the height from the top of the recess to the sill. Spring-rod shades sell by size, so these numbers pick the shade.
Check the depth. Measure from the glass or the window’s own frame to the front edge of the recess. A spring rod needs that depth to press on, and a roller with a valance needs more than a cellular shade.
Decide how dark you want it. Blackout fabric suits a bedroom or a room for day sleep. Light-filtering fabric and zebra stripes keep a living room bright with some privacy. Light still comes in around an inside-mount shade, so plan on curtains over the top if you need it dark.
Know what’s on the window now. If the apartment has blinds already, check that there’s room in front of them, or ask your landlord before you take them down. Keep the old blinds and their hardware to put back at move-out.
At move-out
Squeeze each spring rod shorter and lift the shade out, or lift a magnetic blind off the door. Peel stick-on shades slowly, the way the maker describes. Then look at the frame where the rods pressed or the adhesive sat, wipe off any marks, and put back anything you took down.
Adding curtains over the shades? The curtain size calculator works out the rod and panel sizes, and brackets that clip onto blinds hold a rod without touching the wall.
For the steps of putting a rod up without drilling, the guide to hanging curtains without drilling goes through each method. After dark, a floor lamp in a dark corner does what the window did by day. Splitting a studio instead of covering a window? The room divider guide holds a curtain on a floor-to-ceiling frame.
How we chose the examples
- Goes up with a spring rod, adhesive or magnets, so no screws go into the frame or the wall.
- Sizes and the frame depth published by the maker, where the listing gives them, so you can match them to your window.
- Cordless, in a mix of blackout and light-filtering fabrics.
- A clear way to take it down at move-out, spelled out for each kind.
Each kind shows three badges: Deposit Risk, whether you'll usually need Landlord Permission, and whether you can Take It With You. They're general guidance, and leases differ, so check yours. We describe products from the makers' own specs and instructions. Unless this page says otherwise, we haven't tested them ourselves.
The links to Amazon are plain links: we earn nothing when you buy, and no brand pays to be here.
Frequently asked questions
Can you put up blinds without drilling?
Yes. Shades on a spring rod press against the sides of a window recess, stick-on shades hold with adhesive, and magnetic blinds snap onto a steel door. Each kind above says which window it suits.
Do no-drill blinds work on any window?
Not every one. Spring-rod shades need a recess with flat sides and enough depth, so they don't suit a window set flush with the wall. Stick-on shades suit most frames, and magnetic blinds need a steel door.
How do I measure for no-drill blinds?
Measure the inside width of the recess at the top, middle and bottom, and use the narrowest. Measure the height and the depth too. Spring-rod shades sell by size and stretch only a little, so order the size the maker matches to your width.
Can I add my own shades if the apartment already has blinds?
Check the depth first: a spring-rod shade needs its own room in the recess. If the old blinds have to come down, ask your landlord, keep them with their brackets and screws, and put them back before you move out.
Do blackout shades block all the light?
The fabric can, but light still comes in around the edges, since a shade inside the recess is a little narrower than the window. Curtains over the top cover the gaps.
Will a tension shade mark the window frame?
It leaves no holes, but its ends press on the frame. When you take it down, look at the paint where they sat and wipe off any marks.
Next step
Curtain Size CalculatorEnter your window and ceiling measurements to get the panel width, number of panels, ready-made length and rod length, plus how high to hang the rod.
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