Short answer: Motorized blinds have a small built-in motor, usually run on a rechargeable battery, that raises, lowers, or tilts your window coverings without cords. You control them with a handheld remote or wall switch, or with a smartphone app and voice assistant through a small Wi-Fi bridge. Most of our systems need no wiring, so they can go into an existing home without an electrician.
If you've ever stretched to reach a high window, or walked room to room closing blinds before the afternoon sun hits, motorization solves that. This guide explains how motorized blinds work, how you control them, which of our window coverings can be motorized, and what to ask before you buy. We install them for homeowners across Red Deer and Central Alberta.
How Does Motorization for Blinds Work?
A motorized blind has a small motor that does the lifting, lowering, or tilting. Instead of pulling a cord, you send a command with a remote, a wall switch, your phone, or your voice, and the blind moves to the position you set. Alta Window Fashions describes its motorized window coverings as free from operating cords, which suits rooms where you don't want cords hanging.
Every motorized system we install uses BLISS™ Automation by Alta.
How Do You Control Motorized Blinds?
There are four common ways, and most households use more than one.
| How you control it | What you need | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Handheld remote | The remote | Everyday use without a phone |
| Wall switch | A wall-mounted control | A fixed control by the door or window |
| Smartphone app | BLISS bridge and home Wi-Fi | Schedules, scenes, and control away from home |
| Voice control | Bridge, plus Alexa, Google Assistant, or Siri | Hands-free control |
Handheld remote. Open, close, or set a position for one blind or a group of blinds.
Wall switch. A wall-mounted control by the door or beside a window, so you don't have to find a remote.
Smartphone app. The BLISS™ Automation by Alta app controls your blinds at home or away. You can set up rooms, presets (Alta calls them scenes), and timers, and the app has sunrise and sunset detection. It can control up to 30 window coverings.
Voice control. Alta's system works with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, and with Siri through Apple Shortcuts. You can say a blind's name or a preset's name and the blinds respond.
App and voice control need a small BLISS bridge. It's a USB device that connects to your home Wi-Fi, and it's what lets your phone and voice assistant talk to the blinds. The remote and wall switch use radio frequency and don't need it. We set up the bridge and confirm which features your specific blinds support.
Do Motorized Blinds Need to Be Hardwired?
Usually not. Most of our motorized options run on a rechargeable battery, so there is no electrician, no wall cutting, and no special installation beyond a standard blind install. That makes motorization workable in older homes as well as new ones. How often you recharge depends on the size of the blind and how often it moves, so ask us what to expect for your windows.
Which Window Coverings Can Be Motorized?
Motorization is available across most of our range:
Honeycomb shades, our most popular motorized option, especially for energy efficiency
Roller blinds, with a clean, minimal look
Banded shades, often called zebra blinds, with control over the light and privacy bands
Sheer shades, for soft, filtered light
Panel tracks, well suited to patio doors and wide windows where operating a long span by hand is awkward
Wood and faux wood blinds, with motorized tilt and lift
You can see the full details on our motorized blinds page. If you're considering a different style, ask us during your estimate which options are available.
Are Motorized Blinds Worth It?
They tend to pay off most in these situations:
High or hard-to-reach windows. One button replaces a stepladder.
Large windows and many windows. Closing ten blinds by hand every afternoon adds up. A preset or timer does it for you.
Bedrooms and home offices. Blinds can open on a schedule in the morning, or close to cut glare during the workday.
Time away from home. Opening and closing blinds on a schedule makes a house look lived in.
Limited mobility. Controlling a window covering from a chair or a phone makes daily life easier.
Light in Alberta changes a lot over the year. A schedule can close blinds before the strongest afternoon sun in summer and open them during winter daylight hours. How much that saves on energy depends on your windows and how you use them.
Motorized blinds cost more than manual ones. Pricing depends on how many windows you're covering, the size and style of each blind, and which controls you add, such as a wall switch or the bridge for app and voice control. The best way to see real numbers is a free in-home estimate, where we measure your windows and price the options side by side.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are motorized blinds the same as smart blinds or electric blinds?
People use the terms interchangeably. A motorized blind has a motor that moves it. It becomes a "smart" blind when you add app, schedule, or voice control, which in our systems means the BLISS bridge and app. Electric blinds is another common name for the same thing.
Do motorized blinds need wiring?
No for most of our systems. They run on rechargeable batteries, so they can go into an existing home without an electrician.
Can I control motorized blinds with my voice?
Yes. With the BLISS bridge and app set up, you can use Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, or Siri through Apple Shortcuts to control blinds by name or by preset.
Do motorized blinds work without Wi-Fi?
The handheld remote and wall switch use radio frequency, so they don't need your home Wi-Fi. App control, schedules, and voice control do, because they run through the bridge on your home network.
Can I schedule my motorized blinds to open and close automatically?
Yes. In the BLISS app you can create rooms, presets, and timers, and the app has sunrise and sunset detection, so your blinds can open and close on a schedule.
Can I motorize blinds I already own?
Motorization is normally chosen when custom blinds are ordered, so the usual route is new blinds with a motor. Whether anything you already own can be converted is a question we can help answer.
How much do motorized blinds cost?
It depends on the number and size of your windows, the style you choose, and the controls you add. Book a free in-home estimate and we'll price it for your home. For more answers, see our FAQ page.
See Motorized Blinds in Your Own Home
Seeing the options in your own home is the easiest way to decide. Schedule a free in-home estimate with A-Blinds Experts and we'll bring samples, demonstrate the controls, and measure your windows. We serve Red Deer, Sylvan Lake, Lacombe, Innisfail, Olds, Ponoka, Stettler, Blackfalds, Penhold and surrounding areas. Book your free in-home estimate or call 403-588-6596.