Remove Recessed Lighting

Most recessed lighting can be easily removed; it's held in place with metal clamps.

Steps

Turn off the power to the light fixture at the circuit breaker/fuse box.
Remove the light bulb
Look inside the fixture with a flashlight. You should see 2 - 4 tabs on the sides of the fixture. These are the tabs that grab the ceiling to hold the fixture in place.
Using the end of a screwdriver, pull the tabs out towards you, and pull that section down and free of the ceiling. Continue around the fixture until it is only held up by the electrical wiring.
Unhook/unscrew the electrical wiring in the fixture. Cover the bare electrical wires with screw-on wire connectors.
Continue around the room until all the fixtures are removed.
Sometimes the fixtures are held up with screws connected to wing-nuts. If you find screws on the outside of the fixture in place of tabs, simply completely remove the screw to free the fixture, and continue around as above.

Many recessed light fixtures are added as a retrofit. They are "L" shaped and inserted into the ceiling at an angle. You may find when you remove the fixture, you'll need to pull it down and bend it to remove it completely from the ceiling.

Always be sure the power is turned off at the panel before doing any electrical work. Don't touch bare electrical wires before you double-check with a power tester.