How to Program a Garage Door Opener in 5 Steps (with Pictures)
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Garage door openers are one of those devices that we seldom think about. Even though we use them multiple times a day, we quickly hit the garage door opener without thinking about it. When a garage door opener breaks or remote gets lost, it is apparent how often these devices are used.
If you have recently purchased a new garage door opener or remote, you will need to program it accordingly. Luckily, programming a new garage door opener actually is not difficult. On the contrary, most garage door opener brands are designed with the user in mind and only take minutes to program.
In this article, learn how to program the garage door opener in 5 simple steps.
What You’ll Need
- Garage door opener
- Garage door opener remote
- Ladder
It’s important to note that the garage door opener and garage door opener remote need to belong to the same brand unless you have a universal product.
Garage Door Opener Remote Control
The job of the garage door is to open and close so that you can access the garage when needed or protect it when you go away. Garage door openers make this easy because they will open and close the garage door for you. For maximum convenience, you will want a remote control so you can control the garage opener from either side.
This is an important fact to know because you will need to get the garage door opener and remote communicating for it to be programmed. In other words, your goal is to connect the new remote control to the garage door opener so that it can be used.
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How to Program a Garage Door Opener (5 Steps)
1. Get a New Garage Door Remote
The first thing you need to do is to buy a new garage door remote. The remote control brand must match the brand of your garage door opener. For example, get a Liftmaster control if you have a Liftmaster opener.
It should be clearly labeled on both the control and the garage door opener what the brand is. If the brands do not match, you need to return the newly bought garage door remote and get a new one that matches.
2. Climb on a Ladder to Be Next to the Garage Door Opener
Now, it’s time for the dirty work. Grab a ladder and climb up next to your garage door opener. The garage door opener is the actual device attached to the garage door. It is often at the end of the track in your garage.
3. Find the “Learn” Button on the Garage Door Opener
While you are still standing on the ladder, find the learn button on the garage door opener. Nearly all modern garage door openers have this sort of a button. This button will often be on the side of the opener, but you might need to move the light cover if you can’t find it.
4. Press the “Learn” Button
Now that you know where the learn button is located, press it until it begins blinking. Once the light is flashing, press the open button located on the remote control. Often, you’ll have to wait 30 seconds between pressing the garage door opener’s learn button and pressing the open button on the control. Wait a minute or so for the two to pair.
5. Test the Remote
After you have waited a minute, press the open button again on your remote control. If the garage door opens, you have programmed your remote, and it is ready to go. If not, repeat Step 4 until the pair is programmed.
- See Also: How Much Does it Cost to Build a Garage?
Can I Program Any Remote to My Garage Door?
No. You cannot program any remote to your garage door. Almost all garage door openers must be used with a remote control of the same brand. For example, Genie garage door openers require a Genie control, whereas Craftsman garage door openers need a Craftsman control.
That being said, there are universal garage door openers. Universal garage door openers can be programmed to any remote for convenience. Universal garage door openers and remotes will be clearly marked as such.
Summary
Programming a garage door opener is not difficult. About the only additional device you will need is a ladder to access the garage door opener. Other than that, you are basically just pushing buttons so that the two parts are paired.
If pairing is not working, double-check to make sure you have the correct brands. From there, read instructions for your brand specifically. Occasionally, certain brands have weird instructions or hiccups that require special instructions, but this doesn’t happen often.
Using the five steps above, you should be able to program your garage door opener in next to no time!
See Also:
- How to Manually Open a Garage Door in 5 Steps (with Pictures)
- 9 Garage Door Trends: Design Ideas for a Modern Home
- How to Align Garage Door Sensors in 8 Steps
Featured Image Credit: oneSHUTTER oneMEMORY, Shutterstock
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