How to Replace a Recessed Bulb (Without Removing the Fixture!)

• If you can reach inside the fixture, turn the lights off, get on a ladder, and remove the bulb carefully by hand.
• Replace a bulb you can’t reach using a loop of duct tape or a light bulb changing pole.
• You can remove the fixture’s collar by prying it out of the ceiling if you’d like, but it’s almost always unnecessary.

By Hand

Let the lights cool and get up on a ladder. If you can see the bulb’s edges, you can replace it by hand like any normal light bulb. Flip the switch to turn the lights off and wait 2-3 minutes for the bulb to cool. While that’s happening, grab a ladder or a sturdy chair and set it underneath the bulb. If there’s a kitchen island or countertop you can stand on, go ahead and use that to access the bulb. If you need to get on the top 2-3 steps of the ladder, ask a friend or family member to hold the ladder for you.

Rotate the bulb counterclockwise. Gently twist the bulb to your left and unscrew it from the socket. If you feel a kind of “bouncing” going on around inside of fixture, that’s 100% normal. A lot of recessed lights use springs to suspend the socket in the air. Remove the bulb carefully and get down off the ladder.

Replace the bulb by hand the same way you removed it. Take the bulb with you to the hardware store and look for a replacement bulb that’s an identical wattage and socket type. This info is typically printed on the bulb near the base of the stem. Take your replacement home and get up on your ladder or chain. Gently insert the bulb and screw it into place. Get a bulb in the same shape as your old bulb. Recessed lights come in 3-4 different styles (that’s what the letters BR, MR, PAR, or R on the bulb refer to). Get a bulb of the same shape just so you’re positive it fits in the socket.

Duct Tape

Create a loop of duct tape if you can’t grab the bulb. If you cannot physically reach inside of the fixture to remove the bulb by hand, grab some duct tape. Peel off a 6–12 in (15–30 cm) strip of duct tape and create a loop with the adhesive side pointing out away from the center. The alternative here is to remove the collar of the light fixture so you can wrap your hand around the bulb. You can certainly do that—you typically just need to pry it out from the ceiling with a putty knife or flathead screwdriver. It’s easier to use tape than remove the collar in most cases. It can require a lot of force to pry the fixture out, and you risk damaging your ceiling drywall if you do it incorrectly.

Press one side of the loop gently into the bulb. Turn the lights off and wait 2-3 minutes for the bulbs to cool. Get up on a ladder or chair. Stick one side of the tape against the bulb. Be firm and smooth out the tape so that you cover at least 2 inches (5.1 cm) of the bulb’s surface area.

Twist the tape to unscrew the bulb. Put your fingers through the middle of the loop and apply light pressure upwards. Slowly twist the bulb counterclockwise. The adhesive on the tape will “catch” on the bulb and provide the leverage and traction you need to loosen the bulb from the socket and turn it. You can also just press on the tape directly and put your fingers on the other adhesive side, opposite of the bulb. Do whatever feels natural to you.

Remove the bulb slowly and replace it. Continue to twist the bulb with the tape by turning it counterclockwise until the bulb is entirely loose. Remove it carefully from the socket and take the bulb to the hardware store. Purchase a replacement bulb of the same shape, socket size, and wattage and put it back in the ceiling. Use a loop of duct tape to securely install the new bulb. Do the same thing you did to remove it, just in reverse.

Light Bulb Changer

Purchase a light bulb changing pole with multiple attachments. The changing pole is designed specifically for this task, and you’ll likely want to buy one of these if you live in a home with recessed bulbs. They come with a variety of different attachments for different bulbs. You can buy one of these at a hardware store, but you may want to order online to ensure you get one tall enough. A changing pole is also a lifesaver if you have really tall ceilings. Most of these poles are extendable up to 15–20 feet (4.6–6.1 m)!

Screw in the ideal attachment for your bulb. Each of the attachments that come with your light changing pole is designed for a different situation. You likely have 3 different types of attachments. Here’s what they’re for: Suction cups: These are for flat bulbs. They stick to the center so you can twist the bulb out of the socket. Spring-cage attachment: These are for round bulbs. Use the attachment that’s slightly smaller than the bulb. It’ll slide around the bulb so you can grip it. Pin-shaped attachment: This is a broken bulb extractor. If the bulb is broken, stick the pin inside the socket and twist counterclockwise.

Put your attachment on the pole and extend it. Use the threading on the end of the pole to attach your tool of choice. Then, extend it to reach your ceiling. Each pole is a little different, but you usually twist the separate sections counterclockwise to unlock the pole, then clockwise to lock the length in place. There may be a thumb screw near the bottom of the pole to lock the length as well.

Connect the attachment to the bulb. Turn off the lights and wait 2-3 minutes for the bulb to cool. Then, get a hold of your light bulb using the attachment. Here’s how you do it: Suction cup: Line the center of the cup up with the center of the bulb and gently press it into the glass. Tug down gently to confirm there’s resistance. Your cup may have a loop for a string you can pull on instead. Spring-cage attachment: Gently line the cage up with the center of the bulb. Then, push the cage up. The springs will spread out and wrap around the bulb. Pin-shaped attachment: Put safety glasses on to avoid getting glass in your eyes and wear shoes. Stick the pin firmly into the broken bulb’s socket.

Twist the bulb counterclockwise to loosen it and replace it. Slowly and carefully rotate your pole to the left. Increase pressure as needed until you feel the bulb loosen. Then, continue to twist the bulb until it comes free. Take the bulb to the hardware store and purchase a replacement that’s the same wattage, socket type, and size. Replace the bulb using your pole. Stick the new bulb on the suction cup or spring-cage attachment and slide it into the socket. Getting the suction cup off of the bulb can be a little wonky. If you have a string loop, pull on the string. If you don’t, gently rock the cup side to side until air gets in and it comes loose. Pull the spring cage off of the new bulb slowly.

Fixture Removal

Take the fixture’s collar out if the bulb won’t budge. In rare cases, the fixture itself will actually prevent you from changing a bulb. If unscrewing the bulb doesn’t remove it or you physically can’t even access it, you’ll need to remove the entire fixture or the collar covering the edges of the fixture. Recessed lighting fixtures may look a little different from one another, but they’re all basically designed the same way. Spring clips or wing brackets stick out from the housing of the light fixture to lock it in the ceiling, and a collar covers the seam between the housing and the ceiling.

Slide a putty knife or flathead screwdriver behind the collar. Turn the power off at the fuse box. Then, insert the flat edge of your tool of choice between the collar and the ceiling. Push gently and move the screwdriver or putty knife around the collar until you feel a clip or metal prongs. This is one of the spring clips or wing brackets locking the housing or collar into place. Whether the clips are attached to the collar or fixture depends on the design of the light, but it’s not important when it comes to simply changing a bulb.

Apply slightly increasing pressure until the fixture pops out. With the putty knife or screwdriver on the clip, slowly and gently begin to pry the collar out. Don’t worry—you won’t break anything! Keep pulling down until either the collar pops off to reveal the bulb, or the housing pops out of the ceiling to give you access. If it feels like the housing is on the verge of coming out but the clip just won’t give, try pressing on the side of the clip with your finger.

Swap your bulbs by hand and reinstall the fixture or collar. If the collar pops off, reach inside the housing and swap out the bulbs. If the entire housing comes out, inspect the fixture to see how you open it to access the bulb. You may have to unlock the collar from the housing by pressing on clips or tabs to access it. Once you replace the bulb, reinstall your light. Slide each clip or wing into the ceiling first and push it into your ceiling.