When honeycomb blinds won’t go up, the cause is usually one of four things: a cordless spring mechanism that has lost its tension, a cord lock jammed with dust, a lift cord that has slipped inside the headrail, or something caught in the cells. Most cordless shades can be reset in a minute by pulling the bottom rail all the way down and guiding it back up evenly. None of these problems automatically means the shade needs replacing, but forcing it can turn a simple fix into a broken one.
Quick Answer: How to Fix Honeycomb Blinds That Won’t Go Up
- Check for an obstruction between the cells, at the bottom rail and around the brackets.
- Cordless shade: hold the bottom rail in the centre with both hands, pull it smoothly all the way down, hold a few seconds, then guide it all the way up. Repeat two or three times.
- Corded shade: pull the cord straight down to release the cord lock, clear any dust around it, then raise the shade with the cord angled toward the centre.
- Motorized shade: charge the battery and test the remote before anything else.
- Stop if you hear something snap or grind inside the headrail, or if one side won’t respond at all.
First, Know Which Kind of Honeycomb Shade You Have
The fix depends entirely on how your shade is operated, so check before you start:
- Cordless: no cords; you lift and lower by the bottom rail. An internal spring system holds the shade in position.
- Corded (cord lock): a lift cord at one side that you pull and then angle to lock in place.
- Top-down/bottom-up: has a middle rail as well as a bottom rail, so the shade can be lowered from the top.
- Motorized: controlled by remote, app, or voice.
Why Won’t My Honeycomb Blinds Go Up?
Cordless honeycomb shades
Cordless shades rely on spring tension inside the headrail. Over time, and especially if the shade is always lifted from one corner, that tension can drift so the shade feels heavy, won’t rise, or rises only partway.
The reset: hold the bottom rail in the middle with both hands, pull it smoothly to the fully lowered position, hold it there for a few seconds, then guide it all the way to the top without letting go. Repeat two or three times. This often re-engages the spring and evens out the lift. Don’t yank it or let it snap up on its own; that’s how the mechanism gets stripped.
If the shade still won’t rise after a few resets, the spring or internal cords likely need adjustment. That means opening the headrail, which isn’t a good first DIY project.
Corded honeycomb shades
On corded shades, the cord lock is the most common culprit. Dust and fabric fibres build up around the small locking mechanism in the headrail until it won’t release properly. Try this: pull the cord straight down (not to the side) to disengage the lock, then raise the shade. If it’s sticky, a soft brush or a short burst of compressed air around the cord lock often frees it.
A quick test tells you where the problem is. Raise the shade a few centimetres and try to lock it. If it locks, the lock works and the issue is likely a cord. If it won’t lock at all, the lock itself is the problem.
If one side lifts and the other doesn’t respond, a lift cord has probably slipped off its pulley or frayed inside the headrail. That needs the headrail opened and the cord re-seated or replaced, and it’s easy to tangle further on a first attempt.
Motorized honeycomb shades
With a motorized shade, check power and controls before anything mechanical: a flat battery, a remote on the wrong channel, or lost pairing after a power outage are all more likely than a broken shade. Our guide on what to check when motorized blinds aren’t working walks through it step by step. Never force a motorized shade up by hand.
Honeycomb Blinds Won’t Stay Up
A shade that rises but then creeps back down is a slightly different problem from one that won’t go up at all.
- Cordless: the spring tension is too weak to hold the shade’s weight. The same full-down, full-up reset described above is the first thing to try.
- Corded: the cord lock isn’t catching, usually because of dust, or because the cord is being released straight down rather than angled toward the centre of the shade to lock it.
The opposite can happen too: a cordless shade that won’t stay down and drifts back up usually has too much tension, which also needs adjusting inside the headrail.
Honeycomb Blinds Won’t Close (or Won’t Come Down)
A shade that resists closing or jams partway is usually obstructed. Because the cells fold and unfold as the shade moves, anything caught between adjacent cells, such as a bent section of fabric or debris blown in through an open window, can stop the fold partway. Lower it gently and check along the width, cell by cell, where it’s sticking.
Other common causes:
- The cord lock is engaged on a corded shade. Pull the cord straight down to release it before lowering.
- Top-down/bottom-up confusion. It’s easy to pull the middle rail when you mean the bottom rail, which makes the shade look stuck. Check which rail you’re holding.
- Cells catching on the frame. On an inside mount, a shade that has shifted in its brackets can rub the window frame. Check that the headrail is seated firmly and sits level.
- Cordless tension. A shade with too much spring tension resists coming down; don’t keep tugging from one corner.
Honeycomb Shade Uneven or Hanging Crooked
An uneven bottom rail is common and often fixable.
- Re-level a cordless shade by lowering it fully, holding the rail in the centre, and raising it slowly and evenly. If one side still sits higher, pull gently on the high side while the shade is fully lowered, then raise again.
- Always lift from the centre. Lifting from one end is the main reason cordless shades go lopsided in the first place.
- Check the brackets. If the headrail isn’t clicked fully into one bracket, or the brackets themselves aren’t level, the whole shade hangs crooked no matter how you reset it.
- Corded shades: a consistently uneven shade often means one lift cord has stretched or slipped. That’s a headrail repair.
Cells Crushed or Not Folding Evenly
If cells have been pressed or crushed, often from leaning something against a closed shade or pressing a vacuum brush into the fabric, they may not fold and unfold evenly anymore. Minor compression sometimes recovers over a few operating cycles. More significant crushing, or cells flattened by heat or moisture, is usually permanent and affects both appearance and insulation. For safe cleaning that won’t flatten the cells, see how to clean honeycomb blinds without damaging the cells.
What Not to Do
- Don’t force the shade up or down when it resists. Find out why first.
- Don’t lubricate with oil or household sprays. They attract dust and can stain the fabric.
- Don’t cut or knot a frayed cord to keep it working. An uneven cord length makes the shade hang crooked and can damage the mechanism.
- Don’t pull the headrail out of its brackets while the shade is under tension.
Repair or Replace?
A dusty cord lock, a cordless shade that needs a reset, or a headrail that has slipped in its bracket are all worth fixing. Broken lift cords, a spring mechanism that no longer holds after repeated resets, or widespread crushed cells are different: once you add up the effort, a new shade made to measure for the window is often the better long-term result. It’s also a chance to switch to a cordless or motorized version if cords have been the recurring problem.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you reset a cordless honeycomb shade?
Hold the bottom rail in the middle with both hands, pull it smoothly all the way down, hold it for a few seconds, then guide it all the way back up without letting go. Repeat two or three times. This re-engages the spring tension on many cordless shades.
Why is my honeycomb blind stuck halfway?
Usually something is caught between the cells, the cord lock has engaged, or a cordless spring has lost tension. Check for an obstruction first, then try the reset for your shade type.
Why does only one side of my honeycomb blind go up?
On a corded shade, one lift cord has most likely slipped off its pulley or broken inside the headrail. On a cordless shade, it’s usually from lifting at one end; a full-down, full-up reset from the centre often levels it.
Can I restring a honeycomb shade myself?
It’s possible, but it involves opening the headrail and threading cords through the cells evenly, which is fiddly and easy to get wrong. If the fabric is also worn, replacing the shade is often the better use of time.
Need a Hand or a Replacement?
If you’ve tried the fixes above and the shade still won’t go up, stop forcing it and get in touch to describe what’s happening. If it’s time for something new, our custom honeycomb blinds come in cordless and motorized options, with free in-home measurement and professional installation across Mississauga, Toronto and the GTA. Request your free quote. Dealing with a different shade? See what’s wrong when a silhouette shade won’t close.