How to Remove Drywall Anchors and Patch the Holes

Taking down a shelf, TV mount, or curtain rod leaves drywall anchors behind. The good news: most come out cleanly if you match the method to the anchor type, and the leftover holes are small enough to patch. Here's how to pull, push, or recess each kind, then fill so the repair doesn't show a halo.

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How to remove drywall anchors: quick answer

• Always take the screw or bolt out first. Family Handyman starts every method there. On toggle bolts, removing the screw often drops the toggle into the wall cavity.
• Self-drilling (threaded) anchors: push a screwdriver into the head and turn counterclockwise to unscrew the whole anchor.
• Plastic expansion anchors: grasp the head with needle-nose pliers and rock while pulling.
• Molly bolts and hollow-wall (T-nut) anchors: straighten and pull from the front, drill out the collar, snap the head off and push the body in, or recess the collar just below the surface.
• When extraction would tear the wall: cut or recess the head about 1/16 inch below the surface and patch over it.
• Patch by hole size. Up to about 1/2 inch: spackle alone. Larger: mesh patch, then compound. See our spackle size guide.

Know your anchor type before you pull

Family Handyman's drywall anchors overview groups the common ones like this:

• Plastic expansion anchors: a ribbed plastic sleeve that spreads when you drive the screw. Small head sits flush or nearly flush.
• Self-drilling (threaded) anchors: usually plastic or light metal with coarse threads that cut into the drywall. You can often unscrew them whole.
• Toggle bolts: a spring-loaded wing that opens behind the wall. The hole is larger, and removing the bolt usually loses the toggle inside the cavity.
• Pull-toggles: a related hollow-wall style that cinches a metal channel behind the board.
• Molly bolts: a metal sleeve that flares behind the drywall when you tighten the bolt. Stronger hold, and the collar sits on the face of the wall.

If you're not sure which you have, look at the head on the wall face and whether a bolt or a wood screw goes into it. Matching the type to the method keeps you from ripping a bigger hole than you started with.

Tools you'll want

• Screwdriver (Phillips or flat, matching the screw)
• Needle-nose pliers
• Utility knife
• Hammer and a nail or old screwdriver (for pushing recessed anchors in)
• Putty knife
• Spackle or joint compound
• 150-grit sandpaper
• Damp cloth
• Optional: 3/8-inch drill bit (for one Molly method)

Before you dig near outlets or switches, kill power at the breaker. Hitting a wire or pipe is the bigger risk when working in the cavity; ESFI covers electrical safety basics for homeowners.

Remove plastic expansion anchors

Family Handyman's unscrew-and-pull approach works well here once the screw is out.

1. Back the screw all the way out.
2. Grip the plastic head with needle-nose pliers.
3. Rock the anchor gently side to side while pulling straight out.

If the head breaks off, treat what's left like a recess job below: cut any remaining rim flush, then either push the stub into the cavity or leave it slightly below the surface for patching.

Remove self-drilling (threaded) anchors

These are the easiest to extract cleanly.

1. Remove the screw.
2. Seat a screwdriver firmly in the anchor's drive recess.
3. Turn counterclockwise. The coarse threads walk the whole anchor out of the drywall.

If the slot strips, switch to pliers on the flange and rock it out the same way as a plastic expansion anchor.

Remove toggle bolts

Toggle bolts leave a larger hole by design.

1. Unscrew the bolt. The spring toggle usually falls into the wall cavity when the bolt clears—Family Handyman notes that as normal, not a failure.
2. You're left with an open hole the size of the toggle's barrel. Don't chase the lost wing; patch the hole instead.

Clusters of toggle or sleeve holes from a TV mount are covered in our TV mount hole guide.

Remove Molly bolts

Ron Hazelton lays out three ways that avoid tearing the face paper:

• Method 1 — straighten and pull: thread the bolt partway back in, tap the bolt head so the flared sleeve behind the wall straightens, then pull the whole Molly out from the front.
• Method 2 — drill the collar: run a 3/8-inch bit into the bolt hole to detach the face collar so the sleeve drops into the cavity.
• Method 3 — recess and fill: remove the bolt, tap the collar slightly below the surface with a hammer, and fill over it with spackle.

Pick Method 1 when you want the hole as small as possible. Use Method 2 or 3 when the sleeve won't release without chewing up the drywall.

Remove hollow-wall (T-nut style) anchors

Family Handyman's hollow-wall anchor guide uses a snap-and-push approach:

1. Remove the bolt.
2. Grab the T-nut collar with needle-nose pliers.
3. Bend and pull until the head snaps off.
4. Push the body into the wall cavity with a nail.
5. Patch the opening.

When to leave or recess an anchor instead of extracting it

Full extraction isn't always the win. Family Handyman's recess option is useful when:

• The anchor is brittle and crumbling
• Pulling would peel a wide patch of face paper
• You're dealing with a metal sleeve that won't straighten

Cut the head flush with a utility knife if it sticks out, then drive the remaining body in with a hammer and screwdriver until it either drops into the cavity or sits about 1/16 inch below the surface. Patch over that dimple the same way you would a screw hole.

Family Handyman also notes that many holes rarely collapse a wall—the bigger concern is hitting wires or pipes while you work. Intact screws can usually be reused; anchors that aren't brittle can sometimes be reused too, though they recommend installing new ones for a reliable hold.

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How to patch the holes after the anchors are gone

Family Handyman's patch steps after removal:

1. Flatten any bulge around the hole so the filler sits flush with the wall.
2. Wipe with a damp cloth to clear dust and crumbs.
3. Fill with drywall compound using an X motion at about 45 degrees, with a slight overfill.
4. Let it dry, then sand with 150-grit.
5. Prime and paint so the patch doesn't flash through the finish.

Match the filler to the hole size (aligned with our spackle size thresholds):

• Up to about 1/2 inch (typical plastic or self-drilling anchor holes): regular spackle on its own.
• About 1/2 inch to 1 1/2 inches (many Molly or toggle openings): self-adhesive mesh patch, then thin coats of spackle or joint compound.
• Bigger than that, or crushed edges: a larger mesh, repair plate, or a new piece of drywall. Our large hole guide covers that range.

Deep fills go in thin layers. Packing one thick blob often shrinks or cracks. If the finished patch shows a ring or dull spot after paint, our guide on why drywall patches look bad explains priming and feathering fixes.

In homes built before about 1980, the EPA notes there's no way to know whether old drywall or joint compound contains asbestos without testing, so get it tested before sanding.

When to hand the holes off

A single plastic-anchor hole is a quick DIY. Consider handing it off when:

• You have a row or grid of holes (shelving tracks, TV mounts, closet systems)
• Molly or toggle removal tore the face paper into a larger opening
• Edges are soft or crumbling and nothing will stick
• You need the wall blended before a move-out, showing, or guests
• You've patched once and the repair keeps sinking or flashing through paint

Waiting on coats is what usually stretches a DIY past one day; our repair time guide explains why. WhatAHole techs dry each coat with a heat gun, so compound doesn't sit overnight between layers, and about 90% of hole repairs are finished in one visit. Send a photo of your holes to WhatAHole to see a price, or compare options in our cost guide.

FAQ

Do I have to remove drywall anchors before patching?

Not always. If an anchor won't come out cleanly, Family Handyman's recess method—driving the head about 1/16 inch below the surface—lets you fill over it. Extract when you can do it without tearing the face paper; recess when pulling would make a bigger mess.

How do you remove a drywall anchor that won't come out?

Remove the screw first. Try pliers with a gentle rock-and-pull. If it still won't budge, cut the head flush and either push the body into the cavity or leave it slightly recessed, then patch. For Molly bolts, Ron Hazelton's drill-the-collar or recess-and-fill methods avoid ripping the wall.

What size hole does a drywall anchor leave?

Plastic and self-drilling anchors usually leave a hole under about 1/2 inch—spackle territory. Molly bolts and toggles leave larger openings that often need a mesh patch. Measure the widest point after removal and match the fix to our spackle size guide.

Can you reuse drywall anchors and screws?

Family Handyman says you can reuse anchors that aren't brittle, though they recommend new ones for a solid hold. Intact screws are fine to reuse.

Will removing a bunch of anchors collapse the wall?

Family Handyman notes that many holes rarely collapse a wall. The bigger risk is hitting wires or pipes while you work near outlets or along plumbing runs. Cut power at the breaker when you're close to electrical boxes.

Can a pro patch a wall full of anchor holes in one visit?

Usually, yes. WhatAHole techs heat-dry each coat instead of waiting for air-dry between layers, and about 90% of hole repairs are finished in one visit. Upload a photo at WhatAHole to get a price.