The convenience of automatic garage doors has been invaluable to homeowners. This garage door system is spearheaded by the garage door opener, which works as the “brain” of the whole mechanism. Ultimately, this allows us to enter and exit our ports with just a click of a button.
There is, however, a downside to this convenience, as anyone with the remote or passcode to your garage door can freely enter your home. This is why safety and security concerns are two main reasons why homeowners can be stressed out when facing garage door issues.
If you own a home, it’s imperative that you know how to reset your garage door opener manually. This way, you can protect yourself and your property from intruders or unwanted visitors. This knowledge also comes in handy when you’re buying existing family homes.
Continue reading on for the complete step-by-step guide on resetting your garage door opener.
The Role of Your Garage Door Opener
Your garage door opener allows your garage door to function whenever a trigger signal is sent from the remote you’re using. This is the brain of your system, communicating with all the other moving parts of your garage door to make it work.
A garage door opener is a motorized device that automatically opens and closes your garage door. It makes using your garage door simpler and safer, allowing you to have faster home access without having to put in the effort.
Reasons to Reset Your Garage Door System
Reprogramming your garage door opener is not an essential life skill, but learning this sure does offer you control and convenience. If you’ve ever been locked out of your garage, you’d know what we mean.
There can be a number of reasons why you would want to reset your garage door system. And whatever reason that is, it’s your prerogative as the homeowner to do what you think is best for your home.
Some common reasons for reprogramming your garage door opener are:
Lost or Stolen Remote
This secures your home from entry that might come from a lost or stolen remote. Once you lose the remote you’re using, immediately reset your door opener.
Forgot Old Code
When you’ve been using your remote for too long, and you forget your keypad code…it does happen to many homeowners, so don’t worry.
Moved Into a New Residence
If you recently moved into a new home, the last thing you want is for the old owners to have access to your garage.
Preventing Unwanted Entry
Giving passcodes to relatives and friends can be common, but when the time comes you don’t want them to have access to your door anymore, just reset the code, and they’re blocked.
Suspicious Activities Outside the Neighborhood
It can be alarming to know there are suspicious activities happening in your neighborhood, especially when you’re always out of the house. Changing codes can add a layer of security that you just might need here.
Have a New Remote
If the old one isn’t working anymore and you have a new remote, you’d want it to be reprogrammed as soon as possible to keep your entry and exit routines smooth.
Tech Issues
Resetting can be a preventive measure if you’re thinking about a possible hacking fiasco or a virus on your opener.
Power Outage
Garage door openers rely on electricity to work properly. If there has been a power outage and the unit has not been properly turned off before that, you may need to reset it to make it work properly again.
Considerations Before Starting a Reset
Before doing any kind of reset or repair, when you decide to DIY, you should prioritize these considerations:
- Safety and Precautions—Your safety comes first. If you feel uncomfortable assessing a garage door opener situation or issue, don’t hesitate to call for professional assistance.
- Electrical Issues – before deciding on a reset, make sure there aren’t any underlying electrical issues, as they can pose hazards for a DIY-er.
- Assess Your Capability—Do you have the knowledge and experience to do the task? If something goes wrong, you might put your opener or yourself at risk.
Your Step-by-Step Guide to Resetting Your Garage Door Opener
Although resetting an opener is not as easy as turning a switch on and off, it is a pretty straightforward task. Before starting, make sure you unplug your garage door opener and have a ladder ready.
There shouldn’t be any problem as long as you follow the steps below:
Step 1—Locate the “Learn” or “Home” button on the device. Depending on the brand, the button should read “learn” or “home.” It’s the same thing—just different names.
Step 2—Press and hold the “learn” or “home” button for 5 seconds until you see the LED light turn on or blink. This LED light is located just beside or beneath the button.
Step 3 – Watch the LED light, which should blink or go off after pressing the button. This will signal that your garage door opener is ready for a new PIN.
Step 4 – Enter a new PIN by pressing the numbers and then the “enter” button. Once you press the “enter” button, the PIN is automatically set and can now be tested.
Step 5—Test your PIN. Close the garage door and test if your new PIN is working. If it does, then you have successfully reset the garage door opener. However, if there seem to be any issues, you will have to redo all the steps above and try again.
Remember: These steps should generally work for any type or brand of garage door opener, but, we still recommend checking your user manual for any specific instructions your brand might have.
If your garage door has a keypad, refer to our blog on How to Reset Garage Door Keypad to give you a more thorough explanation and guide. Alternatively, if you have a LiftMaster garage door opener, read our post on How To Reset Liftmaster Garage Door Opener here.
Do You Need a Reset or an Opener Repair?
If your garage door opener suddenly malfunctions, the first thing you’ll think about is resetting it. But is resetting or reprogramming always the solution? You can’t say for sure until you inspect and assess the problem completely.
You might feel a little panic when your garage door suddenly won’t respond to your remote. But the first thing to look at, at least before panicking, is its batteries. Are the batteries run out or fresh? In the former’s case, replacing the batteries would do the quick fix. But in the latter’s case, you might need to look a little bit deeper into the issue.
Doing a Reset
When you think about resetting your garage door opener, it’s probably because of two things – you want to keep intruders out, and you want to know why your door opener suddenly stopped working.
As we mentioned, the possible reasons you want to do a factory reset only means you are deleting the old line of communication between your remote and keypad to your opener and creating a new one that works.
In that case, you might want to start by troubleshooting the overhead garage door opener. It may save you from a garage door opener repair.
Getting a Repair
When a reset cannot simply solve the problem, a repair is necessary. Understanding how your garage door opener functions will also help you know when it’s time for it to be repaired.
When to Repair Your Opener:
- Your garage door opener starts to work inconsistently.
- The garage door reverses even with clean sensors.
- It starts to move on its own.
- You start noticing unusual sounds from the opener.
- The operation gets stuck and frozen.
- The garage door cannot completely close or open.
- There are constant and unusual vibrations happening.
- Operation becomes unpredictable.
- Movement suddenly becomes slower than usual.
These problems can surely cause a headache for any homeowner. To avoid further issues, be sure to call professional garage door experts like California Garage Door Repair Company when you experience any of these signs.
If you need a garage door opener repair, our 24/7 emergency garage door repair service is available to residents of LA and surrounding areas.
Troubleshooting Steps After an Opener Reset
After doing a garage door opener reset, if problems persist, your door may have a problem that a reset cannot solve. Consider having the opener repaired.
Alternatively, you should check other parts of your garage door system for issues you may have overlooked.
Issue: No response from the opener when you press the button on the remote control.
Solution: Replace the batteries.
Issue: The LED light is not working.
Solution: Unplug and replug the garage door opener unit.
Issue: The garage door reverses immediately.
Solution: Check and clean the sensors on your garage door opener.
Regular garage door maintenance can prevent the most common garage door problems. Although this cannot stop wear and tear on your garage door, you will at least be able to assess arising issues before they onset.
Get Professional Assistance from California Garage Door Repair Company!
Knowing how to do a quick reset on your garage door opener is an essential part of troubleshooting that homeowners should consider learning. From time to time, you will find yourself having to reset your opener for a bunch of different reasons, and this knowledge will surely come in handy.
Again, a simple reset cannot solve bigger garage door problems. If you struggle with or find yourself in a difficult situation with your garage door, don’t hesitate to contact our team.
Our team of professional garage door experts at California Garage Door Repair Company is ready to take on any garage door issue you need help with. Join the thousands of happy customers we have. Call us today for a free, no-obligation quote!
