What is Window Film and How Does It Work?

Updated 09/16/22

Simply put, Window Film is film usually designed for the interior surface of windows or glass to provide privacy, heat or solar control, decoration, and other means of protection. Once widely popular for automotive tinting and commercial/residential building windows for health and security purposes, now window film has branched out with a range of new options for interior design and DIY home-making hobbies, made readily available and easy by adhesive-free static cling backings that need only water to install properly.

Over many years, window film’s primary function has been to block invisible UV rays that have proven harmful to human skin and home furnishings. As solar radiation passes through a window, window film also controls the level of light and heat allowed to enter while blocking UV rays. The amount of visible light transmittance and heat rejection would depend on the type of film selected.

The most common types of automotive and commercial/residential window film are non-reflective or dyed films that mainly absorb solar energy, and reflective or metalized films that both absorb and reflect solar energy.

Decorative window film, on the other hand, serves to provide a brighter interior that doesn’t necessarily have to deal with solar control and is rather more concerned with privacy and personal protection. Security window film holds the window together so that when broken, the shards of glass will still be held intact.