How To Reset the Garage Door Opener and Secure Your Home
You can reset your garage door with the push of a button—and re-pairing your devices is just as simple
Highlights
Garage door openers sometimes need resetting due to security or technical issues.
Resetting the device can be done by holding the “Home” or “Learn” button.
Resetting the opener requires you to re-pair your remote and set a new pin.
Older garage door openers and remotes are paired using DIP switches.
Whether you’re locked out of your garage because your remote control or keypad isn’t working, or if you’re worried about break-ins after losing the remote, it pays to know how to reset your garage door opener. The good news is that resetting most garage door openers can be done with a simple press of a button. While you’ll need to reprogram the device to work with your remotes and keypad again, that process is also quick and easy. Here’s how to reset your garage door opener and re-pair it with your connected devices.
Reasons to Reset the Garage Door Opener
Whether you have a tilt-up garage door, a sectional model, or one of the garage door alternatives that are becoming increasingly popular, a garage door opener can help you effortlessly open the door. But when you’re having issues with your remote or keypad or are concerned about your garage’s security, it might be time to try resetting the opener. While there are many reasons you need to reset a garage door opener, some of the most common situations why you may decide to do so include:
You have moved into a new home and want to ensure the previous occupant’s remotes will not connect
You’re a landlord, and your tenant recently moved out
Your remote is not working though the batteries have not died
You forgot the code for the remote entry keypad
You gave the remote entry keypad code to someone you no longer trust
You believe someone may have hacked your garage door remote or keypad
Your neighbors have reported having someone hack garage door systems in the area
How to Reset the Garage Door Opener Unit
Resetting your garage door opener will disconnect any currently paired remotes or keypads, eliminating any potential security risks associated with others having a remote or access code.
While the process for resetting most newer garage door openers is essentially the same, some companies use their unique programming methods, and older garage door opener models use an analog DIP switch system. Check your owner's manual if you have a newer, switch-free model that cannot be reset using the steps below.
1. Check for Electrical Issues
Trying to reset a garage door opener with electrical damage can be dangerous, so before touching the device, look for any of the following issues:
Lights or electrical outlets in the garage aren’t working correctly
Your circuit breaker trips regularly
The ground fault circuit interrupters (GCFI) on your garage power outlets frequently shut off
The garage door opener’s warning light is on or flashes on and off
The unit has no power but is plugged in
The opener doesn’t work correctly. For example, it only opens partially before powering off or opens on its own
You might need professional garage door opener repair services if you notice these types of issues.
2. Find the Reset Button
The reset button may be on the wall unit, in a box near the motor, on the exterior of the motor housing, or concealed under a plastic panel or beneath the light cover on the motor. Depending on your system, the button will typically be labeled “Learn” or “Home,” and it will usually have an LED beside it.
3. Hold the Learn or Home Button
Push and hold the “Learn” or “Home” button while watching the nearby LED light. Hold the button down for around five seconds until the light either goes out or starts flashing.
How to Reset the Garage Door Opener Remote
Resetting your garage door opener means you’ll also need to reprogram any remotes and keypads to reconnect them to the device. Because you’ll only have about 30 seconds to connect the remote after pushing the button on your garage door opener, have your remote nearby. If you are programming your car’s built-in garage door remote, you may want a helper near the vehicle so you don’t have to run back and forth frantically.
1. Reset the Garage Door Remote
Press the “Learn” or “Home” button once, but do not hold down the button, or you may accidentally reset the garage door opener. The LED light should turn on or begin blinking to indicate that it is ready to be paired.
Next, push the button on the remote. Once it connects to the garage door opener, the garage door light will flash or slowly power off. Press the button again to open or close the garage door and verify the remote works.
2. Reprogram Your In-Vehicle Remote
Push the learn or home button on the garage door opener once. Quickly press the button on your vehicle’s remote, which is usually on the roof near the rearview mirror. The garage door light should start blinking or turning off slowly.
Push the vehicle’s remote button again to verify it can control the garage door. If it fails, try again and make sure you push the button in the car within 30 seconds of pressing the button on the garage door opener. If it continues not to work, check your owner’s manual for manufacturer-specific pairing instructions.
Forgot Your Garage Door Opener Code?
If your keypad was sold with your garage door opener, resetting the entry pin is simple. However, if you have a universal, remote-entry keypad, consult the instruction manual, as the pairing process for these devices varies by manufacturer.
1. Press the Learn or Home Button
Do not hold the button, or you will reset the garage door opener. The LED light should flicker or turn on when you press the button.
2. Enter a New Pin
Walk to your keypad, enter a four-digit code, then hit enter.
To keep your home secure, never use easy-to-guess numbers for your pin, such as your home address, birthday, phone number, or “1234.”
3. Return to the Garage Door Opener
When the reset is successful, the garage door light should flash on or off or slowly go off. If this happens after you hit enter on the keypad, the pin has already been reset, but some devices require you to press the learn or home button a second time to confirm the reset.
4. Test the Pin
Verify the new pin works by opening or closing the garage with the keypad. If you made a mistake and pressed the wrong code while programming, you must reset the garage door opener and start over.
How to Reset Older Garage Door Openers
Modern garage door openers use a rotating code system to ensure thieves can’t hack the signal. But before 1993, garage door openers paired with their corresponding remotes by matching the pattern of 9 to 12 small DIP switches inside the devices. If your garage door opener is a bit of an antique, you might notice it has DIP switches rather than a programming button, meaning the pairing process is a little different.
1. Find the Switches
Open your garage door opener remote battery compartment to find the switches inside. Next, remove any panels or covers on your garage door opener unit to look for the switch panel inside.
2. Match the Codes
Use a screwdriver or pencil to change the code on the garage door opener. Then match the DIP switch pattern on your remote with that on the main unit.
3. Test the Remote
Press the button on your remote to ensure it can operate the garage door. If it does not, verify that the codes match up and all switches are pushed fully to the top or bottom, not hovering somewhere in the middle. Call a professional if the garage door won’t close or open even though the remote has been properly reset.
4. Replace the Covers
Once the remote is properly programmed, put the covers back on over the switches on your garage door opener unit and the remote.
Garage Door Opener Isn’t Working
When your garage door still doesn’t work after you’ve reset your garage door opener and paired it with your remotes and keypad, try again to ensure the pairing process was done correctly. When things still don’t work right, some troubleshooting could help identify and fix the problem.
Check if Your Remote is Working
Start by using the wall-mounted control panel to ensure the garage door opener is working. While there, check to see if the lock button is engaged, as this will stop the remote from working.
If the door opens and closes using the button and the lock has been disengaged, then the problem is likely in your remote. Look it over inside and outside to see if it has any physical damage, possibly from being dropped, stepped on, or exposed to water. Damaged remotes usually need to be replaced.
When your remote looks ok but still doesn’t seem to be working, try replacing the batteries. Garage door remote batteries typically need to be replaced every two years. Even if the remote light powers on, the battery could still be too depleted to send a signal, so try switching the batteries and testing it again.
See if the Signal is Interrupted
If the signal sent from the remote isn’t reaching the garage door opener, it won’t know it’s supposed to open. Make sure you’re no more than 20 feet away when trying to open the garage door, and verify no objects are blocking the signal. Then try pushing the button again.
Look for a Blocked Sensor
Garage door safety sensors prevent the door from closing when people, animals, or objects block their infrared light beams. Both sensors should be lit when they are functioning properly. However, one or both sensor lights will be off or blinking when they’re obstructed or misaligned.
If you notice the sensor lights aren’t both lit, check if something is blocking the infrared light beam—if so, move it. You may want to learn how to organize a garage if this is a frequent problem in your home.
Sometimes sensors are hit by something or someone and become misaligned and can no longer send their infrared light back and forth. If your sensors aren’t aiming directly at each other, move them back in place so they can signal each other again.
If you don’t see anything physically blocking the sensor and they seem are in the right position, excessive sunlight could be causing an issue, so see if the door works at night. Sun shields can be added to the sensors to stop interference if sunlight is causing problems with your garage door.
Check the Power Plug
Garage door openers may be hardwired or plugged in. If your plug-in model won’t open or close, the cord may be unplugged. Use a ladder to check if it is fully plugged in. If it is not entirely in the outlet, plug it back in and reprogram your remote and keypad before retesting.
Call a Professional
When you can’t identify the problem, call an expert. Your garage door opener could have electrical problems, damaged parts, or be worn out, and a repairperson can help determine the cause of the problem and the best solution.
If you think you’ll need to replace the whole system, expect the garage door replacement cost to vary based on the material, size, design, and your location.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sometimes. While some garage door openers have battery backups to ensure they do not reset after power outages or disconnections, not all models offer this benefit. If your garage door was unplugged and it does not have a battery, it will reset, and you’ll need to reprogram it and pair it with your remote and keypad.
Garage door openers typically last about 10 to 15 years. However, they can have a longer lifespan when the garage door is properly maintained, as this reduces wear on the engine—so don’t put off that garage door spring adjustment. Overall, garage door openers used less frequently will usually last longer than those used twice daily, which is probably why some houses still have functional DIP switch devices although they are over 30 years old.
Absolutely. Like a garage door opener, remotes wear out faster when used daily. Some of the most common issues with garage door remotes are worn-out buttons that can no longer make full contact with the circuit board below. While you may be able to blow out dust or debris under the buttons to help them touch together, most malfunctioning remotes need to be replaced.
When you find yourself locked out of your garage after a power outage resets the door opener, you’ll need to get back in before you can re-pair the devices together. Using the door between your garage and your home is ideal, but when that’s not an option, you may need to use the quick release key that disconnects the door from the garage door opener.
To do so, enter the key in the lock, turn it, and then pull the lock out, revealing the release cable. Tug down on the cable until it disconnects from your garage door opener. If your garage door key is also inside (and you’re stuck without any method of getting back in), it’s time to call a locksmith.