How to Operate, Remove, & Reinstall the Ford Bronco Soft Top (2021–2025)

The Bronco is one of the few SUVs on the market where you can enjoy an open-air experience. Make the most out of your purchase by pushing back the top! 

There are three positions to the factory soft top: partially open, fully open, and off. Warm weather is here for some and fast approaching for the rest of us, so get ready to use any and all of those top-back options. 

And whether you like to watch or read, we'll show you how to open, remove, and reinstall the top in this guide. 

How to Partially Open the Bronco Soft Top

If you're new to the Ford Bronco, or haven't dropped the top since last summer and could use a refresher, this section’s for you. Opening the soft top in the first position is the quickest way to enjoy a breezy ride without taking everything apart.

• Start by lowering your visors.
• Reach up and release the two front latches on either side of the windshield header. With those free, push the top upward and back, making sure the fabric folds into an “S” shape to avoid damage. Get the driver-side lever parallel to the sport tube, and the top should latch in place. Open it, then close it harder if it doesn’t.
• There are two Velcro straps in the glove box you can wrap around the linkage to hold it in place. Avoid wrapping them around the weatherstripping, and you’re done!

Opening the top to the first position takes seconds. No tools are necessary, and no sweat will be worked up. Just blue sky and fresh air to enjoy.

To close the top, remove the straps and release the lever. Pull the top forward and secure the front two latches.

Tip: Before you enter your garage or any low-ceiling parking structures, please remember your top is in prime position to make contact and get damaged. Do whatever it takes to avoid this!

How to Fully Open the Bronco Soft Top for Maximum Airflow

Ready to lean all the way into the open-air experience? The fully open soft top position is an awesome way to roll. Here, you will remove the side and rear windows, then fold the top back as far as it will go. Here’s how to do it:

• Rear quarter windows: Undo the Velcro at the top of the window. From the top of the window, pull the rear edge of fabric out of the slot. Unfasten the clips at the top, then slide the window panel forward, and repeat on the other side.
• Rear window: Undo the Velcro across the top and flip the fabric up. Pull on the bottom edge to unclip the window using the hard plastic bottom edge, then remove the top corners from the slots. Undo the buckles at the top, then slide the window out to the left or right.
• Safari mode: You can stop here if you’d like the sun protection of the top while enjoying plenty of airflow. To keep going ...

• Release the front latches on either side of the windshield header. Push the top back and press down on both sides to lock it in place.
• Use the two Velcro straps from the glove box to hold it in place.

Be prepared for envious looks and plenty of attention from other drivers. 

Tip: If you have floor mats, secure them at this point, otherwise, you may lose one on the highway.

To close the top, remove the straps and release the lever. Pull the top forward and secure the front two latches.

Removing the Ford Bronco Soft Top Completely

When you're ready for your Bronco to go fully topless, complete removal is relatively easy. It takes a few more steps and a buddy to make it easier, but the nothing-but-sky feel is worth it … and the Bronco looks awesome stripped down to its bones.

What you’ll need:

• 13mm hex socket and ratchet (included in the glove box’s Bronco tool kit)
• Another set of hands

Steps:

• In the cargo area, remove the plastic covers over the rear mounting points above each wheel well.
• Using your tool kit’s socket, remove the three bolts on each side that secure the soft top’s frame to the body. Ford recommends placing a rag in the gap to avoid losing the bolts down in.
• Push up on the soft top’s rear corner latches.
• With a friend, lift the soft top up and off the Bronco. It’s not overly heavy (approximately 100 pounds), but it’s bulky enough to make solo lifting awkward, and with extra hands, you’ll lessen the risk of scratching your paint.
• Store the top carefully.
• Replace the plastic covers over the mounting points if you’re planning to run without the top for a while.

This step turns your Bronco into something closer to a street-legal dune buggy. And yes, it’s just as fun as it sounds.

How to Reinstall the Soft Top on Your Ford Bronco

When the trip ends or rain's in the forecast, you’ll want to get the soft top back on correctly.

Here’s how:

• Set the soft top in place, aligning the rear of the frame with the locating pins above the cargo area.
• Hand-thread the six bolts, three on each side. Then use your torque wrench to tighten each one to 15 ± 2 lb.ft (20 ± 3 Nm), per Ford’s specs.
• Close the top to the partially opened position.
• Reverse the earlier steps to slide the windows back in, starting with the rear window. Slide it into the frame at the bottom, then insert the top corners into the slots before pushing the bottom corners in. Buckle the back window and smooth down the Velcro. Move on to the side windows, making sure you have the correct window for each side: The wide section of the fabric should be oriented toward the front of the Bronco. After you slide the window in, secure the front portion before clipping the rear in. Buckle the clips, and tuck the front edge of the window under the tension cable to avoid water entry. Push down on the Velcro to fasten it.
• Push the top the rest of the way forward and secure the front latches.

Once you’ve done it once or twice, removing and installing becomes second nature. Expect to feel disappointed until you can push the top back or remove it once again!

Make the Most of Your Bronco’s Open-Air Freedom!

Once you start opening your soft top, you’ll see why Bronco owners call it a game-changing feature. You’ve got a roof when you need it, and it can be pushed back in seconds when you don’t.

Whether you’re headed into the woods or just want to let the sun in on your commute, the soft top gives you options — and knowing how to work with it confidently makes every drive better. Don’t be scared to give it a try!

Need another visual walkthrough? Check out Ford’s official video here, and see Opening and Closing the Soft Top and Removing and Installing the Soft Top from the owner's manual.

Keep Exploring with Bronco Nation

If this guide helped, we’ve got more where that came from. Join the Bronco Nation community for more how-tos, trail tips, and owner insights. Owning a Bronco isn’t just about driving, it’s about belonging to an awesome crowd.

Ready for your next adventure? Make it easier and better with friends. Find an event on our calendar –– all the pictures in this article came from good times with the community from Massachusetts to Michigan to Moab –– and check out (or start) a Bronco club near you!