Is there an easy way to take off old peeling paint from exterior cedar shingles and prep them for painting?

Cedar is very porous so will "grip" the paint very well in some places so you will not be able to remove it all. Give it a good powerwashing (be sure to do it downward so as not to loosten the "shingles") to remove as much loose paint as possible - then primer for the best outcome on the paint job.

What is the best way to paint cedar shingles