Garage door issues are always a problem for homeowners because of safety concerns. Whether the problem is considered an emergency or not, when it’s not working properly, it poses risks and stress to property owners. After all, anyone who has possession of a garage door remote can access not only your garage but your entire home.
It’s important to know how to DIY reset your garage door opener. This also comes in handy if you’re among the majority of homeowners buying already existing family homes. Factory reset for your garage door opener should be included in your move-in checklist.
Today, we’ll provide step-by-step instructions for resetting the garage door remote, the opener unit, and the keypad.
Understanding Your Garage Door Opener

Your garage door opener is the brain of your garage door system. Basically, it receives the radio transmission signal from your remote to open or close the door. Connected to a mechanical counterbalancing pulley, it allows you to automatically open and close the garage door with just one click.
When your garage door doesn’t respond to your remote, the most practical thing to look at first is the batteries. People often forget that remotes with run-out batteries won’t send a signal to the opener, thinking there’s a problem with the unit. So, before looking at the opener, remember to check the remote first and replace old batteries with fresh ones.
How to repair vs reset your garage door opener
You notice a problem with your garage door opener because the door hasn’t either shut down completely or won’t open. Does it need a simple reset or an opener repair? Here’s what you need to know:
Resetting Your Door Opener
When you think of resetting your opener, it’s probably one of two things – one, you’re concerned about who can access your garage and, ultimately, your home. Or two, it just suddenly stopped working.
Troubleshooting the overhead garage door opener to reset it may be able to save you from a possible garage door opener repair. However, it’s not always the solution.
Resetting the system means you are deleting the old line of communication between the remote control and the opener and creating a new line that works.
You may want to reset your opener when any of these occurs:
- Power outage – any time the power flow stops, you should reset your system.
- Stolen or lost remote control – prevent old remotes from working; only new remotes with the new code will be able to open or close your garage door.
- Forgot the code or PIN – use this as a plan B for backup or emergencies.
- Moved into a new home – prevent old tenants or homeowners from accessing your new property.
- Technical issues – protect your system from viruses or potential hacking.
- Unwanted visitors – changing passcodes and remote can prevent an old friend or relative you don’t want any more from accessing your home.
When Do You Need an Opener Repair?
A reset solves the issue if the concern is with the line of communication between the remote and the system. For other problems, like any physical damage to your opener system or when it works sporadically, a repair is needed.
Signs You Need a Repair:
- The opener works inconsistently.
- Your garage door moves on its own.
- Your garage door reverses even after cleaning or fixing the eye sensors.
- There is a buzzing, screeching, or any unusual sound during operation.
- The opener gets stuck or frozen.
- When your garage door is more than 10 years old and is outdated already.
If you’re unsure if you need a repair, call the experts in garage door repair in Los Angeles.
Step-by-Step Guide: How to Reset Garage Door Opener
Your garage door opener system has three parts: the opener unit, your remote, and the keypad. We’ll discuss each one and how to troubleshoot it by resetting it to solve garage door opener reset issues.
Resetting the Opener
What we’re sharing today is a universal garage door opener reset guide. Luckily, the reset for garage door opener instructions are pretty straightforward. It takes about three steps, and you’re good to go.
- Your garage door opener has a reset button called “home” or “learn”. Depending on the brand or manufacturer of your unit, it may be located on the main system, which is at the ceiling of your garage. It’s usually placed next to a small LED light.
- Press the “home” or “learn” button for approximately 30 seconds.
- Wait for the LED light to turn off. When it does, proceed to the next step, which involves resetting your remote control and reformatting your keypad for a new pin code.
Note: Resetting the garage opener without a remote might be hard. Since after programming the garage door opener after reset, you will also need to reset all your remotes and the keypad.
Resetting the Remote Control
When the problem with your remote is not its batteries, then you need to reset it.
- Press on the “home” or “learn” button. Just press and release; no need to hold it for a few seconds.
- Wait for the LED light near the button to blink or glow. This indicates that your remote is ready to be programmed with the system.
Remember, you have to do this immediately after you reset the opener, as there’s a quick timeframe within which you can reprogram the remote with the system. Otherwise, you may have to go through all the steps again.
How to Reset Garage Door Keypad

Resetting the keypad means you’ll be using new codes and pins that your system will determine for accessing your garage. This can be done separately when you just want to change codes or when you’re resetting the entire system altogether.
- If you want to successfully reset just the keypad, tap the “home” or “learn” button quickly. Otherwise, press it for 30 seconds to reset the whole system.
- Quickly enter the new code or pin. It’s usually a 4-digit code, but in some brands, it can be a 5- or 6-digit combination.
- Press enter to secure the pin.
- Depending on the model of your opener system, you may need to press the “home” or “learn” button again after entering the new pin.
Let's move to some popular brands of door openers.
For Chamberlain garage door opener reset steps are simple.
- Disconnect the plugs from the power outlet.
- Locate the reset button, which is typically on the back or side of the motor unit. It may have a “Reset” or “Learn” label.
- Press and hold the reset button for a few seconds.
For people using LiftMaster garage door openers, the reset process is similar to the previous ones we mentioned. This one, though, is rather quick:
- Press and hold the “Learn” button on the motor until the light goes off. This will clear all previous settings and allow you to reprogram your remote or keypad.
The same process goes for both the Genie garage door opener reset as well as for the Craftsman garage door opener reset.
Why Choose Rock Garage Door Repair?
If you trust that a reset can solve the problem, you can quickly troubleshoot it. However, some garage door opener problems can be more complex than they seem, and the best solution is to call a professional garage door repair company like Rock Garage Door Repair.
Rock Garage Door Repair Company is a family-owned garage door repair company that offers LA clients and surrounding areas 24/7 emergency repair solutions and same-day services. With over a hundred testimonials from satisfied customers, our licensed technicians are ready to help with any kind of garage door problem.