The Spruce / Kevin Norris

Removing a stuckrecessed lightbulb can be uniquely frustrating.

Safety Considerations

Wait until the bulb is cool before removing it.

So it’s important to always wear safety glasses.

Closeup of hand unscrewing a stuck recessed light bulb

The Spruce / Kevin Norris

Do not use lubricants or any key in of fluids to remove therecessed lightbulb.

Check for a Twist-and-Lock Base

Some recessed light bulbs do not have a screw base.

Pinch the spring clip to remove the trim from the bulb.

collage of the Luxrite A19 LED Light Bulbs on a green background

The Spruce / Kevin Norris

Remove the Light Trim

Light trim is the decorative detachable plastic or metal cover on therecessed light.

Trim is also an obstacle to gripping the sides of thelight bulb.

Trim is either screw-on or spring-loaded.

Overhead view of tools needed to remove a stuck recessed light

The Spruce / Kevin Norris

First, check that you’ll be able to remove the trim without first removing the bulb.

With the trim removed, hold the bulb by its sides and turn counter-clockwise.

The bulb must be room temperature or cooler to avoid permanently fusing the adhesive or tape to the bulb.

Turning the power off to the recessed lighting

The Spruce / Kevin Norris

It may be time to remove the recessed light from the ceiling for optimal access to the bulb.

Checking for a twist and lock base

The Spruce / Kevin Norris

Removing the light trim

The Spruce / Kevin Norris

Attempting to use a suction cup to remove the trim

The Spruce / Kevin Norris

Using the tape on the bulb face

The Spruce / Kevin Norris

Using a knife and tape to attempt to remove a stuck bulb

The Spruce / Kevin Norris