How to Hang Curtain Lights on Windows, Walls, Bedrooms and Balconies

Curtain lights look simple: one top wire with strands hanging down. But how you hang curtain lights decides whether they look like a neat sheet of light or a tangled mess. This guide covers the four places people hang them most (windows, walls, bedrooms and balconies), with no-drill methods that suit renters.

Before you start: measure and plan

1. Measure the width you want to cover. Curtain lights look best when the strands hang straight, so choose a size close to that width rather than the biggest one.
2. Measure the drop. If the strands are longer than the space, they pile up at the bottom; on a window, the sill can hide a little extra length.
3. Find the socket first. Note where the plug, adapter or controller will sit and how long the lead is, so you are not trailing cables across a doorway.
4. Check the weight. The controller adds weight at one end, so pick hooks rated for more than the total.

You will usually need removable adhesive hooks or clips, a tape measure, and optionally a tension rod or small cable clips.

USB, battery or mains powered curtain lights

How the set is powered decides where it can go:

Power	How it works	Best for
USB curtain lights	5 V from any USB wall adapter with a UK plug	Bedrooms and windows near a socket
Battery curtain lights	A battery box, often with a timer	Spots with no socket; batteries need replacing
Mains powered curtain lights	A UK three-pin plug into a 230 V socket, often via a transformer	Bigger, brighter displays and longer runs

Outdoors, use a socket protected by a 30 mA RCD, which the wiring regulations (BS 7671) require for outdoor socket outlets, and only extension leads rated for outdoor use.

How to hang curtain lights on a window

• On a curtain pole or track: drape or clip the top wire along the pole, behind your normal curtains. It is the quickest method and leaves no marks.
• With a tension rod: fit a spring-loaded rod, the kind sold for net curtains, inside the window recess and hang the top wire from it.
• With adhesive hooks: place small clear hooks along the top of the frame, about 20–30 cm apart. They hold well on smooth uPVC; on painted wood, test one first.

Keep the strands a few centimetres from the glass, and in front of any nets, so the lights show clearly from outside with fewer reflections inside. Our Christmas window lights guide has more display tips.

How to hang curtain lights on a wall

1. Mark the top line lightly with a pencil or a strip of masking tape so it is level.
2. Stick adhesive hooks along that line, spaced so the wire does not sag between them.
3. Hang the top wire, then let each strand drop straight. On textured walls, use hooks designed for textured surfaces or a slim wooden batten fixed with removable strips.
4. Tuck the lead along the skirting board with cable clips.

Curtain lights for the bedroom

• Behind a voile: hang the lights on the pole first and the voile or net in front; the fabric softens the light into a glow.
• Behind the headboard: a wall section above the bed is a popular spot. Keep cables away from where you sleep and out of reach of children and pets.
• As a canopy: hang the top wire from a ceiling rail or hooks so the strands fall around the bed.
• Use a timer or remote so you can switch the lights off without getting up, and choose warm white or slow effects for the evening.

How to hang curtain lights on a balcony or outdoors

In a flat, check your lease or tenancy agreement, or ask the management company or freeholder, before fixing anything to a balcony or the building front. Then clip the top wire along the railing with clear clips or small cable ties, strands on the side facing out, and fix it at every clip so it does not flap in the wind. IP44 is fine under a balcony roof; spots exposed to rain, which in a British winter means most open balconies, need IP65 or higher. Keep plugs, adapters and controllers dry, ideally indoors. Our balcony Christmas lights guide covers balcony safety in detail.

Curtain lights beyond Christmas

• Halloween: orange and purple tones, or a pixel curtain showing pumpkins and bats, make a spooky window.
• Parties and photo backdrops: a curtain behind a cake table or photo corner gives an even, flattering glow.
• Year-round décor: warm white behind a voile works as soft ambient light.

Removing curtain lights without damage

Take the lights down before removing the hooks. Pull adhesive hooks off by stretching the release tab slowly, parallel to the wall, not outwards, which saves the paint and your deposit. Then lay the curtain flat, fold the strands together and roll them round a piece of cardboard so they do not tangle in storage.

Our pick for an animated curtain

We are affiliated with Lumalyn. If you want a curtain that also plays pictures and messages, the Lumalyn Smart Animated Balcony Lights come with clear hooks, run on 5 V USB power (wall adapter not included, so use one with a UK plug) and include a remote and app with timers. The partner store shows prices in pounds to UK visitors. For a simple warm glow, any plain curtain light hangs with the same methods.