How to Change a Light Switch to a Motion-Sensing Wall Switch

Turn off the electrical breaker that supplies electrical power to the current toggle wall switch at the main panel. Test for the disconnection of power by turning the current toggle wall switch to the “On” position.

Remove the screws from the wall plate covering the wall switch. Take the plate off the wall to expose the wires attached to the current switch.

Take the screws from the top and the bottom of the toggle wall switch. Pull the toggle switch from the electrical switch box in the wall.

Loosen the screws holding the two black wires and the bare copper wire to the current toggle switch. Pull the wire from around the screws and discard the toggle switch.

Straighten the ends of the black and bare copper wires that were wrapped around the screws on the original toggle wall switch.

Fasten the black wire from the motion-sensing wall switch to one of the black wires you removed from the toggle switch. Twist an orange wire connector onto the wires.

Twist another wire connector onto the remaining black wire from the original toggle switch and the red wire from the motion-sensing wall switch.

Connect the bare copper wire you pulled from the original wall switch to the green wire from the motion-sensing switch. Twist on a wire connector.

Attach the new motion-sensing wall switch to the switch box in the wall, using the screws that came with the motion switch. Cover the new switch with the provided wall plate.