French doors have little to no glass depth so outside mount is almost always required — the shade mounts on the door surface above the glass, not inside the frame.

Yes, if your door opens frequently. Hold-down brackets clip the bottom rail to the door, preventing it from swinging when the door moves.

Measure only the glass panel — not the full door. Add 1–2" each side for width coverage and 3–4" above the glass for the top bracket. Check that the extra width doesn't reach your door handle or lock.

Roller shades and honeycomb shades profile under 1" and clear most lever handles. Roman shades need 1.5–2" of clearance — measure the gap between your door surface and the back of the handle before ordering.

Roller shades in blackout fabric or blackout honeycomb cellular shades offer the most complete light blocking. Both profile under 1" to clear door handles and work with hold-down brackets to stay flat when the door swings.