Choosing a Somfy Wall Controller for RTS Shades and Awnings

A handheld remote wanders off between the couch cushions. A wall controller stays where you put it. Somfy builds its RTS wall controllers in a few forms, and the right one depends on the wall it lives on and the number of shades it has to run. This guide covers the switches we stock, what each one costs, and the one wired option that belongs on a different class of motor.

Browse the full range of Somfy wall switches alongside this guide, or see the wider range of Somfy controls from handhelds to hubs.

The Somfy wall controllers on our shelf

Four families cover most jobs. DecoFlex WireFree RTS fits a standard decorator wall plate beside a light switch. DecoFlex Surface RTS mounts on the face of a wall and carries an outdoor rating. Smoove RTS Pure II is a slim square switch that mounts on the wall surface with no box behind it. The dry contact switch is the odd one out: a wired control for motors that take contact-closure commands rather than radio.

The three RTS families talk to the motor over Somfy's Radio Technology Somfy at 433.420 MHz. No wire runs between the switch and the shade. A battery inside the switch powers it, so an installer mounts it anywhere the radio reaches.

DecoFlex WireFree RTS for the decorator plate

DecoFlex is the switch most homeowners picture. It sits in a Decora-style opening next to the light switches, so the shade control lines up with the lights at the door. Somfy builds it in 1, 2, 3 and 5 channel versions, plus a 4 channel kit, in white, ivory and black.

The Somfy DecoFlex 5 Channel RTS WireFree Wall Switch, White (1810813) runs five shades or five groups from one plate. Somfy publishes a 2.75 in width, a 4.5 in height and an operating range of 41 to 104 °F, which places it on an interior wall. It controls awnings, pergolas, rolling shutters and interior shades from that indoor spot. For one opening, the Somfy DecoFlex 1 Channel RTS Wireless Wall Switch, White (1810897) keeps the plate simple.

Custom labels matter on a multi-button plate. The Somfy DecoFlex 3 Channel RTS Wireless Wall Switch with Custom Buttons (1811071) carries engraved buttons, so a guest reads "Kitchen" instead of guessing at channel two.

DecoFlex Surface for patios and exterior walls

An awning control belongs where people use the awning. The Somfy DecoFlex Surface 5-Channel RTS WireFree Wall Switch, White (1871025) mounts on the wall surface with a snap-on cover. Somfy rates it IP 54 and lists it for interior and exterior use, so it can sit on a porch column beside the patio door.

Five channels cover an awning, a pair of solar screens and a pergola roof with a channel to spare. That makes it the natural outdoor partner to an RTS awning motor.

Smoove RTS Pure II when there is no box to cut

Smoove suits a wall with no electrical box and no appetite for drywall work. The switch mounts on the surface, sits 0.47 in deep and measures 3.11 in square. Somfy rates it IP 20 for interior use and publishes 164 ft of open field range.

Power comes from one CR2032 3V coin cell, and Somfy rates that battery at five years with four commands a day. The Somfy Smoove 1 RTS Pure II Wall Switch with Frame (1871361) drives one shade or one group. The Somfy Smoove 4 RTS Pure II Wall Switch with Frame (1871381) runs four channels. Both ship with the Pure white frame, and Somfy sells other frame finishes separately.

Wired dry contact switches for DCT motors

Somfy's DCT motors take a different kind of command. They respond to dry contact closures through a wire, the way a garage door opener responds to a button. An RTS switch cannot drive them.

For those motors, the Somfy Dry Contact Open, Close, Stop Wall Switch, White (1800219) gives three dedicated buttons in a standard box. It needs no programming. Our Sonesse 30 DCT wiring guide walks through the contact wiring on a DCT roller motor.

Prices and a quick way to choose

Prices are our September 2026 list prices. Black DecoFlex finishes run a little higher than white and ivory.

Count the shades first. Pick a switch with at least that many channels, or group shades onto shared channels. Then pick the mount. A decorator plate suits a finished interior wall with a light switch nearby. A patio wall calls for DecoFlex Surface. A rental or a plaster wall suits Smoove.

Pairing a wall switch to an RTS motor

An RTS wall switch pairs the same way as any Somfy RTS transmitter. Hold the programming button on a remote already paired to the shade until the shade jogs. Then press the programming button on the new switch, and the shade jogs again to confirm. Somfy's RTS Pocket Programming Guide lays out the full sequence.

Somfy RTS motors store several transmitters at once, so a wall switch joins the handheld rather than replacing it. The "my" button on each switch recalls a favorite position, such as a half-drawn awning on a hot afternoon. A TaHoma hub adds app and voice control later without removing the switch.

Zigbee motors need Zigbee controls. For those shades, look at the Somfy Zigbee remotes instead, and keep the RTS switches for RTS motors. The rest of our Somfy RTS remotes pair with the same motors as these switches.

Frequently asked questions

Does a Somfy wall switch need wiring?

The RTS wall switches do not. DecoFlex WireFree, DecoFlex Surface and Smoove RTS run on an internal battery and send radio commands at 433.420 MHz to the motor. The one wired option, the dry contact Open, Close, Stop switch, serves DCT motors that take contact-closure commands through a cable.

Can one Somfy wall controller run several shades?

Yes. Each channel drives one shade or one group of shades. The DecoFlex 5 channel and DecoFlex Surface run five channels, Smoove 4 runs four, and a group channel can move a whole room together. Pair each shade to the channel you want it on during programming.

Can I mount a Somfy wall switch outside?

Use the DecoFlex Surface RTS for that. Somfy rates it IP 54 and lists it for interior and exterior use. Somfy publishes an operating range of 41 to 104 °F for the standard DecoFlex WireFree, and rates Smoove at IP 20, which keeps both of those on interior walls.

Will a DecoFlex switch work with my existing Somfy remote?

Yes, on RTS motors. The switch pairs alongside the remote, and both keep working. Hold the programming button on the paired remote until the shade jogs, then press the programming button on the switch. Zigbee motors need a Zigbee control instead.

Shade Motors Direct is an authorized source for genuine Somfy motorized window shade, blind, and drapery parts.