How to Program Your Garage Door Opener

A garage door opener is a great convenience to have, especially when you’re on the go and need to get in and out quickly. Who wants the pain of hand opening their garage door every time they want to come and go?

How to Program Your Car HomeLink To Your Garage Door 

For those that may be unfamiliar with this product, a Car Homelink system allows you to remotely open your garage door from your vehicle. This makes getting in and out of your garage a snap and is much more reliable than older traditional remotes. 

The process to sync the two devices up is fairly simple but unfortunately requires you to be at your garage door with your vehicle system nearby. We’ll detail the steps below: 

• Step 1: On the outside of your homelink system attached to your garage door you will find two buttons. Hold down both buttons until the LED indicators start to blink. This signals that the system is ready to receive a signal from the device in your car.
• Step 2: Press the button on your car’s receiver four (4) times or until the garage door opens or closes. This may be distance and time sensitive as the system is wireless. You have to sync the remote to the opener quickly or else you’ll have to start again. Once this step is complete, you’ll be able to open and close your garage door from your vehicle at any time. 

How to Program Your Opener to Your Remote 

Programming your opener to your remote can be confusing at first, especially since every brand is different, but here we’ll list some basic information that you should know before we break down the instructions for specific brands. 

• Make sure that the opener is connected properly and has power going to it. Since the remote and the receiver on the opener communicate wirelessly, you’re going to need power for the opener to even detect the remote. 
• Make sure the remote is charged/has good batteries installed. As with the previous step, power is needed to make the two components work. 
• Locate the receiver on your garage door opener. This is usually indicated by LED lights or a wi-fi signal indicator of some sort. 
• Make sure the remote is in range of the opener. You can usually find the exact range of your remote in the instructions with the unit. If not, a quick internet search will tell you how far away the remote will work for your particular product. 
• Pair the two devices starting with the opener. This usually involves pressing a “sync” button or buttons and then pressing a button on the remote itself to pair the two devices together. 

We’ll explain with step by step instructions exactly how to program a few specific brands below. If you don’t find your specific brand on our list, you can try the general tips listed above and consult your owners manual. 

How To Program Your Genie Remote

Programming a genie remote can get tricky depending on your particular setup, whether you have multiple remotes or multiple garage doors. We will go through the process step-by-step so that you know exactly how to program your remote properly. 

Steps To Program a Genie Remote

1. On the garage door opener locate the “learn code” button and LED indicator light. (These are typically located at the top near the antenna of the unit though this may vary) 
2. Press and release the learn code button and the LED indicator should start blinking at a rate of 2 blinks per second. Press and release the button on the remote you’re looking to program. The LED indicator should flash or glow steadily. Press the remote button again and the LED indicator should go out. 
3. Ensure that the opener and the antenna are free of obstructions and press the remote button. The door should open or close as normal. Make sure the door is clear of all people, pets, and things, as a safety precaution. 
4. Repeat steps 1-3 for multiple remotes. 

How To Program Your Liftmaster Remote

This brand has its own procedures to operate as well. We’ll cover the steps necessary to program this remote in detail so that you know just what to do. 

Steps To Program a Liftmaster Remote

1. Locate the learn button on your garage door opener. If your particular model has a wall control panel then you’ll need to locate the button on the panel instead. 
2. Press and release the learn button (You may need to press twice if you have a MyQ control panel) you then have 30 seconds to press the button on the remote you’re trying to program. 
3. Depending on the model of your opener, you will either see LED lights go out, or the opener lights flash, signaling that the remote and opener have synced.
4. Press the button on the programmed remote and the door should operate as expected. 
5. Repeat the process for any other remotes that need programming. 

How To Program Your Chamberlain Remote

Chamberlain model garage door openers can be a bit tricky to program. The steps are similar to other manufacturers but you may find that they vary by what model of Chamberlain opener you have. 

Steps To Program a Chamberlain Remote

1. Depending on the model of your opener you have a few options of how to begin the process. You’ll want to locate the “learn” button on your opener, the control panel, or the smart panel if your opener has that feature. 
   • Pro Tip: If the antenna wire on your opener is yellow or purple then you’ll be able to find the button easily and it will be the same color as the antenna wire. If the wire is a different color, then the learn button will likely be located somewhere on the unit itself which may necessitate a ladder to reach. 
2. Close the garage door and ensure there is a lightbulb installed on your garage door opener. This will signal when the remote has been paired successfully so you’ll want to install a lightbulb if one isn’t already. 
3. Locate the program button on your remote. This can be complicated as the location and shape of the button changes based on the model of your system (it is typically a small silver button on the side or back of the remote). 
   • Pro Tip: The program button is made difficult to press on purpose. Use a thin point object such as a pen tip to press the button when it is time to program your remote. 
4. Press the learn button on your unit or control panel. Based on the color indicated, you’ll then press whichever button on the remote you’d like to program (you can program multiple buttons for different doors) a certain number of times. 
5. If the learn button is yellow, you should only press the button on your remote once. If it is purple, press the button twice. If the indicator is red, press the button three times, and if it is green, press 4 times. Once you’ve done this, press any other button on the remote. 
6. This next step must be completed quickly. Press quickly and do not hold the learn button on your opener or control panel. Then quickly press the button on your remote that you’re trying to program. 
7. Check to make sure the door opens and closes properly with the remote. 

How To Program Craftsman Remote

Craftsman is another brand with a similar setup to some of the brands we’ve already covered. We’ll detail the steps to program your Craftsman remote here. 

Steps To Program a Craftsman Remote

1. Find the learn button on your garage door opener. It is typically located on the back side of the unit. Press the button for a few seconds and a light should start glowing. Wait for the light to dim before moving to the next step.
2. Press and hold down the top button on your desired remote. While holding down the remote button, go to your opener and locate the “SRT” button on its panel. Hold down both buttons for a few seconds (up to ½ minute) until the indicator light starts to flash. This signals that your remote and opener have been paired. 
3. Repeat steps 1 and 2 for any other remotes. 

How To Reprogram the Keypad For Garage Door Opener

 The procedure to reset your keypad can vary by manufacturer but if you’re trying to reset your pin code for your garage door, then we’ll give you some basic steps to take so that you have an idea of where to start. 

• Most models will have a reset button located on the keypad which you can press to reset the pin to a factory pin or enter a temporary pin which can be used a set amount of times or for a fixed amount of time. 
• Another method is to enter your existing pin, followed by holding a particular button on the keypad (usually the # button). This will reset the existing pin and allow you to change it. 
• If neither of these methods work, consult the owner’s manual which should have the reset sequence for your particular device. 

How to Reset a Garage Door Opener

Here, what we’re looking to do is reset the garage door opener to where it forgets all the remotes that have been programmed into it. The procedure to do this can vary by model but we’ll list some general tips. 

There’s only one step to reset your garage door opener for most models. Simply find the learn button on your opener and hold it done for between 5-10 seconds or until the LED light goes out. In most cases this will wipe all known remotes from the door. In some cases you’ll need to press the learn button again to confirm the wipe before it will take effect. 

That’s it folks, our guide to programming several different types of garage door opener. Hopefully this helps the next time you need to program a garage door remote.