12 Halloween window decor ideas to get your house ready for spooky season

Looking to turn your windows into the ultimate Halloween showstopper? These spooky and stylish decor ideas will transform your home into the scariest house on the block, with your windows taking center stage in festive displays and frightening Halloween scenes.

The best part? Halloween window decor can be as simple or elaborate as you want. Choose themed window stickers or cling-on silhouettes for a quick, festive touch, or go all-out with your Halloween decorating ideas with painted illustrations and intricate indoor-outdoor vignettes.

Looking for frighteningly-good inspiration? We've gathered plenty of creepy, creative ideas to get you started.

1. Board up the windows

The only reason to board up perfectly good windows? Halloween, of course. Create a condemned look by tacking lightweight boards around your windows, like stylist Shannon Morscheck has, above.

If you don't want to actually nail a bunch of boards to the window frames or your home's exterior, nail the boards to a separate wooden frame, then hang the entire piece over your exterior windows or simply attach lightweight boards to your windows with Large Picture Hanging Strips, that can be removed afterward without damage.

2. Hang paper bats

For a subtler Halloween window decorating approach, take a cue from those that Instagram loves most: paper bats. Hang cutouts on the inside of your windows to make it appear like a cauldron of bats is fleeing from your picture window. You can make your own from black construction paper, or purchase a set pre-made – these are Amazon's best selling bats.

Paper bats can be stuck to the glass with double-sided tape, or hang the bats in front of the window using string and push pins (or tape) if you don't want to gunk-up the glass.

3. Spook-up your window boxes

If your window boxes are still looking lovely this time of year, take advantage of it when planning your Halloween window decor. Stack a set of mini pumpkins on one side of the planter, then insert witch's legs, a broomstick, limbs from a skeleton, or your other favorite Halloween motif.

You can find these witches' legs (large and small) at Amazon, and we think these get the balance between cute and cutsie spot on.

4. Let the kids go wild with window clings

Window clings are one of the easiest Halloween window decorating ideas, since they're so easy to use and remove. All you need to do is peel them off of the backing, and stick them to your window. They're repositionable, which makes it fun for kids to rearrange them through the season, and they pop right off when you're done, leaving zero mess behind. The Halloween window decals above are available at Amazon, you get loads and they are super affordable.

If you would prefer to go one step further and make window clings yourself, cut designs out of colored transparent window film, such as this pack of 10 colors film from Amazon, and use a whiteboard pen or sharpie to draw outlines or details. Alternatively, for a more... grown-up look, you can create this DIY Halloween decoration idea from colored card paper and stick these to your window using sheets of window film, also from Amazon.

5. Paint Halloween characters on windows

Transform your windows into a creepy canvas with washable paint. Whether you're a seasoned artist or a beginner, painting windows with spooky scenes is a fun, family-friendly way to get into the Halloween spirit.

Prepare by cleaning your windows to remove dust and grime, and dry them with a microfiber cloth.

You can then begin painting, or, if you are less confident in your abilities, sketch out your design on paper and stick it to the outside of your window, with the design facing in. This will make it easy to trace your design with paint. You can also use painter's tape to outline your design to ensure you don't paint outside the lines. This can be peeled off after painting. Want an even more fail-proof alternative? Use Halloween stencils and templates, such as these from Walmart.

Another option that is perfect for kids is to use window markers – this pack of 12 colored window markers, from Amazon, is easy to wash off for when Halloween is over.

6. Go 3D for real impact

Typically, Halloween window decorations are either indoors or outdoors, but there's no need to pick just one side of the window to decorate.

Installing outdoor Halloween decor that can be seen indoors too adds a level of fun and intrigue to your home that one-sided window decor doesn't. These three-dimensional plush ghosts are installed both inside and outside, creating an illusion that the ghosts are crashing through the windows.

You can buy window-crashing Halloween ghosts like these at Amazon, yes okay they aren't the most chic but isn't Halloween meant to be fun too? The kids are sure to love these, and you can still have your tastefully spooky decor going on indoors.

7. Have fun with silhouettes

If you have a windowed storm door, silhouettes make a great Halloween door decor idea. Use a large window-cling silhouette to make it look like the shadow of a witch is brewing up a spell, or a ghost is peeking through the curtains. You can see Amazon's selection of window and door Halloween silhouettes on its dedicated page. Lots of affordable options and it's such an easy Halloween window decor idea with high impact.

Another creative way to decorate with silhouettes is through shadows. Interior designer and CEO of Handy Cleaners, Daniel Brown says: 'Apply semi-transparent window clings depicting spooky characters – think looming skeletons, lurking black cats, or ghostly apparitions. Backlight the windows at night with candles or colored lighting to create haunting silhouettes that seem to come alive, as if dancing with every movement of passersby.'

8. Create a Halloween diorama

Treat your windows like a Halloween diorama. Close your drapes or use faux spider webs to create a backdrop (it'll help your decor stand out better to passersby), and layer in hanging items, decor on the windowsill, and window-clings or painting for a three-dimensional, layered look.

Line your windowsills with moss, decorative twigs, and small pumpkins for a more organic, rustic feel to blend a touch of the macabre with fall's earthy charm. You can even fill apothecary jars, such as this three-pack from Walmart, or empty candle holders with fake spiders, eyeballs, or bloody hands.

This idea allows you to inject your personality into the display, creating a scene or storyline with as many or few decorations as you want.

9. Stage a skeleton takeover

Skeletons look funny when posed on the patio furniture as part of your Halloween porch decor, but if you're looking for a more creative – and spooky – way to set up your skulls and bones this year, hang them from the windows of your home.

The idea is to make the skeletons look like they're scaling the side of your home, with a few crawling in through the windows. If, however, you still prefer a playful display, you can have some skeletons waving or in funny poses to keep the eerie scene lighthearted while still embracing the spooky spirit of Halloween.

To get the look, choose the right decor and tools. 'It's best to choose items that aren’t too heavy if you’re hanging them around the house,' says Paula Boston, visual merchandiser at Festive Lights. 'Use a fishing line to support the extra weight, as they are strong, but also invisible to the eye.'

Amazon has a vast range of Halloween skeletons of various sizes and configurations.

10.  Set Jack-o-Lanterns in the windows

Halloween window decor can be spooky and style-minded at once. Case-in-point? Putting Jack-o-Lanterns in the windows and lighting them up at night. It's one of the easy last-minute Halloween decor ideas and remains a timeless way to effortlessly set the mood for the season.

To elevate the look, skip the Jack-o-Lantern face and try a pumpkin carving idea that's more graphic, like drilling a series of holes around the pumpkin to create a luminary effect. The windows are also a perfect spot to display your best pumpkin painting ideas, too.

11. Hang Halloween lights

Whether you choose the best indoor Halloween lights or those designed for outdoors, illuminating your windows is key to making your home stand out this festive season.

Where string lights were once reserved for Christmas, they’ve become a popular choice for Halloween, too. Grab a set of orange pumpkin string lights and hang them around your windows (you do this indoors or out) for a look that's instantly festive. We recommend these black and orange pumpkin string lights from Target.

Daniel Brown also recommends: 'Hang lightweight paper lanterns in orange with pumpkin designs and white ones with ghost faces at varying heights using invisible fishing wire. Add a ghostly glow with battery-operated LED candles or string lights with a fading setting.'

Just be sure to take safety into account when installing your lights. 'Always consider safety when hanging any lights or decorations around your home exterior,' says Paula Boston, visual merchandiser at Festive Lights. 'Ensure all extension cords are in good condition and that lights are placed in out-of-the-way but accessible locations – such as around doorways and windows.'

Or as a nod to a classic movie and just about any haunted house, hang LED candles from your window frame using fishing wire to give the appearance of floating, flickering candles (as featured in Hogwarts castle in Harry Potter). Cluster several candles together at different heights for a more dramatic effect. These floating candles from Amazon even come with a remote control wand to turn them on and off!

12. Hang Halloween window treatments

Halloween-themed window treatments are a simple yet impactful way to set the spooky mood. Swap out your regular curtains for fabrics featuring spiderwebs, ghosts, or bat motifs – the possibilities are endless. For a fun option, you can find the Halloween curtains pictured above at Amazon.

For a creative DIY option, you could try cutting white curtains into ghostly silhouettes. To avoid any mishaps, practice on scrap fabric first to perfect your design. Be sure not to use your favorite or expensive curtains – opt for affordable, lightweight fabric. You can even add googly eyes or paint simple faces for extra character.

If you prefer a more elegant, understated look that pairs well with other decorations, opt for gothic-style curtains, such as black lace or crimson to create a spooky yet sophisticated atmosphere. You can even add layers by hanging small bat or raven decorations from the curtain rods for an elegant yet chilling aesthetic for added effect. You can find these fun flying bat decorations at Target.

FAQs

Halloween window decor ideas as suppose to be a bit of fun. If you are going to lean into the kitschy, cutsie, not-to-so-chic Halloween decor, your windows are the place to do so. The kids in the neighborhood will look to see your efforts, so get creative with cobwebs, lights and cutouts.