How to Shorten Acrylic Nails at Home, According to a Professional Nail Artist (2024)

Pick Your Method

You can shorten acrylic nails at home one of two ways: You can remove all your nail polish before the shortening process (which is recommended for structured nails like coffin and stiletto nails—more on that in a bit), or you can leave your polish and go straight into trimming (this is typically reserved for folks wearing gel polish).

Optional: Remove Your Nail Polish

Gutierrez says to remove your nail polish with a cotton ball and acetone if you have ultra-long structured nails. While you might feel reluctant to remove your nail polish—especially if you have nail art—she explains that structured nails can look quite thick when shortened and often need to be top-filed to thin them out. Doing so will, undoubtedly, alter the appearance of your polish, so removing it beforehand is the cleanest and more efficient way to go about the process.

Determine Your Desired Length and Shape

Once you choose how much you want to shorten your acrylic nails, it's time to trim—but whatever you do, don't approach the process like you would a natural nail. "Avoid cutting the nail all in one go, like you would a natural nail," Gutierrez urges. "Doing this will make the acrylic crack in the middle."

Instead, she says to line up your straight clipper perpendicular to the free edge. "Clip starting at one side of the nail," she instructs. "Once you've made your initial cut, repeat on the other side. Repeat back and forth until you have met your cuts in the middle and the tip is completely off."

Optional: Debulk Your Nails

Gutierrez says you will likely want to debulk your nails if you started with ultra-long structured acrylics. "Especially at the tips, you might have cut into a thicker part of the nail that was previously meant for structure," she explains. "Skipping this debulking step may result in a thick free edge, and it might be more difficult to pick up items off the floor, button up a shirt, and put on your favorite earrings."

Not ideal. To avoid such a situation, she says to lay your file flat along the length of the nail. "Tilt the file slightly down towards the free edge and file up and down using medium to hard pressure," she instructs. "Pay attention to the thickness of the tip of the nail and make sure it's even along all sides."

File Your Nails

After trimming and debulking your acrylics, you’ll want to file them, so they’re smooth and free of any potential snags. “File the edge of the nail into shape with a 180/100 grit file,” Gutierrez says. “Look at your nail from all angles to ensure you get the right shape.”

Buff The Surface

If you remove your nail polish, you'll want to buff your entire nail, and you'd want to buff the new free edge if you didn't. Doing so will ensure the polish you apply has the best chance of adhering.

After buffing, Gutierrez says to wash your hands to remove acrylic dust from the shortening process.

Paint Your Nails

Now that your acrylics have been shortened, it’s time to repaint or touch them up if you opted not to remove your original polish or nail art. Whichever method you choose, seal the look—especially the free edge—with a top coat to enhance shine and help prolong the life of your mani.