How to fix a lamp that won't turn on: a step-by-step guide
This article is also available in French: Réparer lampe
Switch off the circuit breaker, then try the bulb in another fixture. If it lights up elsewhere, the fault lies in the socket, the switch or the cable. If it stays dark everywhere, replace it. This check takes two minutes and saves you from taking a lamp apart for nothing.
How do you fix a lamp that no longer turns on?
Three parts account for most faults: the bulb, the socket and the switch. Rule them out one by one, always with the power off, in that order. A lamp that stays dark after this process has a wiring fault, and only then does replacement become the best option.
Test the bulb before touching the socket
A blown bulb is not always visible. The filament can be intact while the base is dead. Try it in another lamp, or fit a new bulb in the one that no longer lights: the verdict takes ten seconds. If you have no spare to hand, our lighting collection covers the common bases.
The bulb base and size must match: E27 for large screw sockets, E14 for small ones, GU10 for pin spots. And if the original bulb runs hot for little light, switching to LED bulb types, bases and Kelvin solves both problems at once.
Lamp socket: the contact that fails first
On an old lamp, the socket blackens or its internal spring sags. The lamp flickers on and off, then stops altogether. Unscrew the shade and inspect the base of the socket: a brown mark signals a charred contact, meaning the socket needs replacing.
In a survey of 55 references from our catalogue on 25 September 2026, 60% list an E27 base and 9% an E14. That is the most useful reference point when ordering a replacement socket.
Lamp cable and switch: what to inspect next
Cable pinched under the base, melted sheath near the socket, switch that crackles: these faults are visible to the eye, with the power off. A cord damaged along its whole length cannot be saved with insulating tape.
Floor lamps, taller and more heavily used, deserve the same inspection as bedside lamps. Our article on repairing a floor lamp details this specific case.
Once the diagnosis is made, what comes next depends on what you want to keep. If you like the fixture, spare parts are enough: on
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