How Do Motorized Blinds Work and Are They Right For Your Home?

If you like the idea of automating your home, don’t forget you can automate your window treatments, too. Motorized window blinds are a hands-off way to let light in or keep nosy neighbors’ glances out without getting off the couch. Learn more about motorized blinds, how they work, and whether you should include them in your smart home.

What Are Motorized Blinds?

Motorized blinds are window treatments that are opened and closed using a motor controlled by a remote control or app rather than being opened by hand using a cord, chain, or wand like other types of blinds. Some motorized blinds are part of a home automation system and can be programmed to open and close at specific times.

How Do Motorized Blinds Work?

Motorized blinds use a small motor in the roller to move it up or down. For blinds that open and close on a track, like vertical blinds for sliding doors, the motor pulls them across the track rather than up or down. 

Motorized blinds can control tilt or lift (or both). Tilt is used for slatted shades and controls the angle of the slats. Lift is used to open or close the entire shade, revealing or concealing the surface of the window.

Pros and Cons of Motorized Blinds

Pros

When it comes to convenience, motorized blinds stand out from the pack. No more having to get up and walk across the room when the light shifts and the sun is directly in your eyes—just press a button and adjust the blinds to where you need them. Some motorized blinds can even be controlled with an app or a voice command.

Motorized blinds are also a great option when it comes to privacy and security. You can program some blinds to open and close on a schedule, so it still looks like someone’s home when you're out of town. When you’re at home, you can quickly close the blinds to keep out the glances of curious passers-by.

Cons

Unsurprisingly, motorized blinds cost more than other types of window treatments—expect motorized blinds installation costs to average $400 to $600 per blind. Hardwired and solar-motorized blinds cost more than battery-powered blinds or blinds that use a DC power adapter, and replacing all the blinds in your home can quickly add up.

Motorized blinds also require more maintenance than manual blinds. With more moving parts and motors that may need servicing, you may have to call a local blind installer for repairs if something goes wrong. Battery-powered blinds will also need to have the batteries changed periodically, adding another task to your to-do list.

Types of Motorized Blinds

1. Battery-Powered Motorized Blinds

If you're looking for a simple option that doesn't require any hardwiring, battery-powered motorized blinds can be great. As their name suggests, these blinds are powered by a battery fitted to a tube that lifts the unit. The battery in the design is linked to a motor that controls the blinds. Most brands use AA batteries, lithium batteries, or rechargeable batteries in their motorized blinds.

2. Hardwired Motorized Blinds

This is definitely the "fancy" option. Hardwired motorized blinds allow you to customize light and privacy levels—without the need to ever worry about changing a battery again. If you'd like to have your blinds powered from your home's power distribution panel, you can hire a local electrician to hardwire blinds on multiple windows throughout your home. Power goes into a small motor that can rotate the blinds to let some light in or draw them up or to the side in the case of vertical blinds. Bonus: These are the perfect blinds for a universal home design.

3. DC Power Adapter Motorized Blinds

Some motorized blinds are powered using a DC power adapter, which also needs to be plugged into a power outlet. While this is considered a "middle of the road" option between battery-operated blinds and hardwired blinds, the downside is that you will have to deal with visible power cords.

4. Solar-Powered Motorized Blinds

To shield yourself from sunlight, you can actually use sunlight. These are the perfect choice for sunny areas like Denver or Phoenix, but if you live somewhere that’s a little rainier (or a lot rainier, like Seattle), solar-powered blinds might not be the right fit.

Solar-powered motorized blinds use a solar panel system mounted behind the shade that faces outward toward the sun. This system connects to the motor that powers the blinds in a way that's very similar to how battery-powered and hardwired blinds draw energy.

Things To Consider When Choosing Motorized Blinds

Budget

Because of motorized blinds’ hefty price tag compared to their low-tech counterparts, you may not have the budget to replace every window treatment in your home. You may want to prioritize often-used window blinds for replacement rather than all your windows.

Window Size

The larger the window, the pricier and more complex the blind. Motorized blinds come in a wide variety of sizes to fit different windows, but an odd-sized window may require a custom blind, which will only increase the price tag and the installation time.

Room Position

If you have solar-powered blinds, the direction the room faces can impact solar-powered blinds’ performance. Even something like a porch roof, hedgerow, large tree, or awning that blocks sunlight from a window can prevent this option from working as efficiently as possible.

Scott Dylan Westerlund contributed to this piece.