Blackout Curtains for Renters, No Drill: 3 Shades That Stick, Clip, or Tension-Mount

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You signed a lease, not a construction permit. The bedroom window faces east, or there's a streetlight right outside, and the flimsy blinds that came with the apartment let in a glow at 5:30 a.m. You'd put up a proper curtain rod, but that means drilling into the wall, patching holes when you leave, and maybe losing part of your deposit. If you've been searching for blackout curtains for renters with no drill, this is probably the spot you're in.

This guide sorts the options by how they attach: a tension-mount shade that clicks inside the window frame, a paper shade that sticks on with adhesive, and a fabric cover that seals to the frame with hook-and-loop tape. Each one makes a different trade-off between what it leaves behind, how it looks, and how much light it's designed to keep out. Our picks are based on manufacturer specifications and published product information. We have not installed these ourselves.

One note on scope: this is about finding a renter friendly blackout window setup, whatever the reason the light bothers you. If you sleep during the day after a night shift, or you're wondering whether a sleep mask alone would do the job, start with blackout curtains vs. sleep masks for day sleepers. The goal here is simply to cut down the light coming into the room.

Before You Buy: Check Your Lease and Your Window

Three quick checks will save you from buying the wrong thing.

What Your Lease May Say About Windows

"No drill" doesn't automatically mean "allowed." Some leases have rules about window coverings, such as what color must face the street, or whether anything can be attached to the frame or glass. Others say nothing at all. Whether you can stick tape to a window frame or press a tension mount into it depends on your lease, so read it, and if it's unclear, ask your landlord or property manager before you install anything. A quick email now is easier than an argument at move-out.

Measure the Frame Depth, Width, and the Surface You'll Stick To

Grab a tape measure and look closely at the window:

• Frame depth. Tension-mount shades fit inside the window frame, so they need enough depth for the bracket. LazBlinds lists a minimum frame depth of about 1½ to 2 inches depending on the guide, and some Amazon listings state a different minimum; check the listing for the exact model you choose.
• Width and height. Measure the inside of the frame and the outside edges. Note whether you'd rather mount inside the frame or cover the whole thing.
• The surface itself. Adhesive products care a lot about what they stick to. Redi Shade, for example, says its adhesive isn't recommended on drywall, unfinished wood, varnished or lacquered wood, wallpaper, or paint applied within roughly the last 30 to 90 days. If your window trim is glossy stained wood, that narrows your choices before you start.

Why "Blackout" on the Box Isn't a Promise

Each of the three picks in this guide uses words like "100% blackout" or "blocks 99% of light." Those are manufacturer claims about the material. How dark your room actually gets depends on how well the product fits: light can still come in around the edges, the top, or the bottom of the window. For a deeper look at why small gaps matter so much, see our blackout curtains guide.

Renter-Friendly Blackout Window Options at a Glance

The 3 No-Drill Blackout Picks

LazBlinds No Drill Blackout Cellular Shade — Best for a Shade You Raise and Lower Every Day

What it's for: a shade that looks and works like a regular cellular shade, without screws in the frame.

LazBlinds calls its mounting a "patented No Tools-No Drill system" built around a tension mechanism. According to the product page, the spring-loaded bracket clicks into the frame, and the shade comes with a mounting wrench and a handle. Once it's in, the shade is cordless and free-stop, meaning you push it up or pull it down to wherever you want it. LazBlinds says its cordless designs meet CPSC and ANSI/WCMA A100.1-2022 standards.

On light, LazBlinds' spec sheet lists the shade as "Blackout 100%," and the company says its silver layer blocks sunlight and UV rays. Treat that as the manufacturer's description of the fabric. The company also markets the design to renters, saying "zero wall damage" makes it a good upgrade for rentals. That's LazBlinds' claim; your lease is still what decides whether it's allowed.

The main thing to check is frame depth. LazBlinds' own guides differ slightly: one lists a minimum depth of 1½ inches, and another says at least 2 inches (noting it can work at 1½ in some cases). Measure before you order. On its own website, LazBlinds offers custom widths of 16 to 51 inches and heights of 12 to 72 inches, but the Amazon versions may come in set sizes.

On Amazon, LazBlinds sells several styles, including top-down/bottom-up shades and door versions, in many sizes. Pick the style and size that matches your window and confirm it's the no-drill blackout version before you buy.

Who it may not suit:

• Windows with a shallow frame, or no frame at all. A tension mount needs something to press against.
• Anyone who wants to mount outside the frame to cover more of the wall.
• People counting on easy returns. LazBlinds says custom orders from its own site are non-returnable unless they arrive defective or damaged. If you buy on Amazon, check the return terms on that listing instead.
• Anyone expecting zero light at the edges. Inside-mounted shades in general tend to leave a thin gap along the sides, so some light may still get in.

Redi Shade Original Blackout Pleated Paper Shade — Best Budget Way to Test a Window

What it's for: finding out cheaply whether a darker window makes a difference to you.

This is a pleated paper shade that Redi Shade says is made in the USA from durable, recyclable paper. It installs without a drill, screws, or brackets: you peel the backing off the adhesive strip at the top and press it into place. There's no cord. To raise it, you fold the pleats up and hold them with the included clips. Redi Shade says it blocks 99% of light, which, again, is the manufacturer's claim about the material.

It comes in 36 x 72-inch and 48 x 72-inch sizes, and you trim it to width yourself with a utility knife or similar blade. For a wider window, Redi Shade suggests overlapping two or more shades. It can go inside or outside the frame, and the company says it can also be mounted directly onto the glass.

Surface matters more here than with any other pick. Redi Shade asks for a clean, dry, flat, smooth surface. Its instructions say to wipe the spot with rubbing alcohol and let it dry, press the shade on for at least 30 seconds, and wait at least 30 minutes before using it. The company doesn't recommend drywall, unfinished wood, varnished or lacquered wood, wallpaper, or freshly painted surfaces.

On Amazon, the same product line also comes in a "Light Filtering" version, which is not a blackout shade, and it often shows up right next to the blackout one. Pick the version labeled "Blackout."

Who it may not suit:

• Anyone planning to move it to the next apartment. Redi Shade says the adhesive is meant for one-time use and doesn't sell replacement adhesive.
• Rooms with varnished wood trim or fresh paint around the window, per the manufacturer's surface list.
• People who don't like the look of a paper shade.
• Windows near a space heater, candles, or other heat sources. Redi Shade says its shades aren't flame resistant and shouldn't hang close to flames or heaters. If you run a heater near the window in winter, keep it at the distance its manual specifies; our guide to quiet space heaters for bedrooms covers placement as well.

Taking it down: Redi Shade's FAQ suggests rolling leftover adhesive off with your fingers first, then trying rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide, then a product like Goo Gone, using a putty knife gently if needed. Plan on the possibility of some residue. How that's treated at move-out depends on your lease.

Blackout EZ Window Cover — Best for Sealing the Edges of the Frame

What it's for: covering the whole window frame, edges included, without taking down the blinds you already have.

Blackout EZ is a fabric cover. On most color options it's white on the outside with a room-matching color on the inside; check the listing for the colors available. It attaches with hook-and-loop tape that has an acrylic adhesive backing: you stick the tape around the window frame, and the cover presses onto it. The company says the tape "seals tight around the window frame" and that the cover can attach directly to the frame underneath whatever you have up now. Blackout EZ describes the result as "100% Total Window Black Out," and notes that at least one side of the hook-and-loop (hook or loop) needs to be black so light doesn't pass through it.

According to the manufacturer, it installs in minutes with no tools. You can take it down daily or leave it in place, and roll it up for storage when you're not using it. The stock sizes are 45 x 66 inches (large) and 36 x 48 inches (small), and the material has a printed grid to help you cut it to size. It wipes clean with a damp cloth.

Who it may not suit:

• Anyone who wants nothing left on the frame. The cover comes off, but the adhesive tape stays stuck to the window frame.
• Painted trim you're worried about. Blackout EZ doesn't say whether the adhesive tape comes off cleanly; test a small piece on a hidden spot of the frame first.
• People who want to raise and lower it every day. Taking it down means peeling and rolling the cover, not pulling a shade up.
• Anyone thinking of ordering a custom size from the company's site: Blackout EZ says its money-back guarantee doesn't apply to custom orders. For an Amazon purchase, check that listing's return terms.

Other No-Drill Methods We Looked At

We also looked at these approaches, based on manufacturer specifications and published product information, and decided they fit narrower situations than the three picks above.

Tension Rod + Blackout Curtains (Kenney Twist & Fit)

If you already own blackout curtains, a tension rod inside the window frame is the simplest no-drill way to hang them. Kenney's Twist & Fit line is one example: Kenney describes it as ideal for dorms and apartments, with "no tools, no damage," and says the rod position on the window is easy to adjust. Think of it as a rod for lighter curtains. Thick blackout panels can be heavy, and we couldn't find a weight limit on Kenney's own pages, so check the listing for the length range and any weight guidance before you hang anything substantial.

See Kenney Twist and Fit window tension rods on Amazon (search results also include shower rods, so look for the window curtain version)

The catch: because the rod sits inside the frame, the curtain can't extend past the window the way a wall-mounted rod can, so light tends to come in around the edges. If you need curtains to go with it, our day-sleeper curtain comparison covers NICETOWN Blackout Curtains as one option.

Suction-Cup Portable Shades

If you want something you can also take on trips, a suction-cup shade sticks to the glass and folds up. We covered the Amazon Basics Portable Blackout Curtain Shade with Suction Cups in our hotel sleep kit guide. The short version: suction cups don't hold on every window (textured, dirty, or very cold glass can make them slip), light can leak around the edges, and putting it up takes a few minutes each time.

Static Cling Window Film

We looked at dark static cling film, such as Gila Privacy Control Black, and didn't choose it for darkening a bedroom. Gila describes that film as a way to darken glass for daytime privacy and glare reduction, not as blackout. Its installation instructions also say to apply it to the outside surface of sealed dual-pane windows, and not to use it on glass older than 40 years or on cracked or deeply scratched glass. Gila's FAQ cautions against warming the filmed glass too much with a hair dryer, since that can cause the glass to break. Those are Gila's instructions for its own film, not a rule for every window film, but for renters with double-pane windows, an outside-surface install often isn't practical.

No-Drill Blackout Checklist for Renters

Before you buy:

• [ ] Check your lease, or ask your landlord, whether you can attach anything to the window frame or glass.
• [ ] Measure the inside depth, width, and height of the window frame.
• [ ] Note what the frame surface is: varnished wood, fresh paint, drywall, and wallpaper are poor matches for adhesive.
• [ ] Check the seller and the return terms on the listing (some custom orders from manufacturers' own sites can't be returned).
• [ ] Decide whether you'll raise and lower it daily or leave it up.

When you install:

• [ ] Wipe the surface with rubbing alcohol and let it dry (Redi Shade's instructions).
• [ ] Test adhesive or hook-and-loop tape on a small hidden spot first.
• [ ] Keep shades away from heaters and candles.
• [ ] Make sure you can still open the window, reach the lock, and get out in an emergency.

When you move out:

• [ ] Follow the manufacturer's directions for removing adhesive, and go gently.
• [ ] Compare the frame against your move-in photos.

Who No-Drill Blackout Shades Aren't For

• Day sleepers who need near-total darkness. A window shade alone may not get the room dark enough. Our blackout curtains vs. sleep masks comparison looks at combining the two.
• People woken by noise more than light. A shade won't help with a snoring partner or street noise; see sleep earbuds vs. earplugs.
• People who struggle to get up in a dark room. If a pitch-black bedroom makes mornings harder, a light-based alarm is another option to look at; see sunrise alarm clocks compared.
• Renters whose lease bans attaching things to windows. Check first.
• Anyone with sleep trouble that goes on for weeks. A darker room is one variable. If you keep having trouble sleeping, talk to a doctor.

FAQ

Are there blackout curtains for renters with no drill?

Yes. You can hang curtains you already own on a tension rod inside the window frame, or use a shade or cover that mounts to the frame without screws. Which one fits depends mostly on your frame depth and what the frame surface is made of.

What's the most renter friendly blackout window option?

A tension-mount shade generally leaves the least behind, because nothing is glued to the frame, but it needs enough frame depth. Stick-on shades are the budget choice but can leave adhesive residue.

Will adhesive shades damage paint?

It depends on the product and the surface. Redi Shade doesn't recommend its adhesive on freshly painted, varnished, or lacquered surfaces. Blackout EZ doesn't say how its tape affects paint, so test a small hidden spot first.

Can I put blackout film on double-pane windows?

Check the instructions for the specific film. Gila's dark privacy film, for example, is meant to go on the outside surface of sealed dual-pane windows, which is often not practical in a rental.

Do blackout shades help you sleep better?

They can cut down the light coming into the room. We can't say they'll change how well you sleep. If trouble sleeping continues, talk to a doctor.

Which No-Drill Blackout Option Fits Your Window?

• You'll stay a while and want a shade you raise and lower every day: the LazBlinds No Drill Blackout Cellular Shade, if your frame is deep enough.
• You want to try a darker window cheaply first: the Redi Shade Original Blackout Pleated Paper Shade.
• You want to cover the frame edge to edge, or keep your current blinds up: the Blackout EZ Window Cover.
• You already own blackout curtains: a window tension rod like the Kenney Twist & Fit.
• You want something you can also pack for travel: a suction-cup shade, covered in our hotel guide.

This article is for general informational purposes only and is not medical advice. If trouble sleeping continues even in a dark room, talk to a doctor; ongoing insomnia can have causes worth checking. Check your lease before attaching anything to windows or frames.