Garage Door Remote Not Working? Here’s What You Can Try First

Finding yourself with a garage door remote that all of a sudden won’t open the door can be frustrating; but don’t panic. Usually, the issue is pretty straightforward and something you can try yourself! We will outline the easy troubleshooting steps from checking the battery to seeing if there are any hidden obstructions for you in plain English! In addition to that, if the troubleshooting tips we provide do not remedy the issue, we’ll talk about it when to call a pro in case you want to skip all the hassle (for Orange County homeowners, OC Garage Door Guys are a phone call away).

1. Check the Batteries

Your garage door remote uses a battery which means a dead or weak battery is, by far, the most common culprit. Experts say that “all dead batteries are the leading…cause of ‘broken’ garage door remotes”. Replacing the old battery (which is usually a coin-cell or AAA) with a new one of the same type, is the easiest fix possible. If you have a second remote, or keyfob that operates your garage door, test it to. If one remote works and the other does not, the issue was almost certainly the battery!

2. Make Sure You Have Range, and Remove Obstacles 

Garage door remotes communicate with your garage door via radio waves which means they have a limited range of usually 15–20 feet (even when the remote is new). Check that you are pressing the button in an appropriate distance from the garage door – basically standing where the driveway meets the road. Some people keep their garage door remote clipped to their car’s visor; take it down and try again.(Metal surfaces, such as a car's roof or visor liner, can physically block a signal.) Also, check the antenna (a small wire hanging from the ceiling unit) on the garage door opener. This should be straight, pointing down at the door, and not coated with dust or paint. You may be able to restore the signal simply by clearing away any obvious obstacles and standing close to the door.

Figure: A garage door remote held inside a car. You're too far away! Or, you're inside a metal vehicle which physically weakens the signal. Try standing at a short distance from the door that has the remote.

3.  Inspect the Safety Sensors

Most modern garage doors have photo-eye safety sensors, one on each side of the door at the floor. If these are misaligned, dirty, or obstructed (even dust and cobwebs), the opener will refuse to operate. Make sure each of the sensors can see each other and that the indicator lights on the sensors are lit steadily (not blinking). If one of the indicator lights is blinking, or is off, clean the sensors with a soft cloth and gently move the brackets until they can see each other directly. Any obstacles such as a cobweb must be cleared. Once the sensors can see each other, the door should respond to the remote.Figure: Garage door photo-eye sensors (black boxes located on both sides of the door) must be aligned and free of dirt. If the lights on the sensors are blinking, try wiping the sensors and tightening the bracket where the sensor is mounted.

4. Look for Signal Interference (LED Lights, Electronics, Metal)

The issue may not involve the remote at all, but may be something in the environment. Energy efficient LED bulbs (cheap bulbs especially) can interfere with garage remotes. If you have LED garage lights or new LED landscape lights nearby, turn them off to see if the issue still occurs. Some household electronics and wireless gadgets can also be interfering. The creative-door experts recommend unplugging some devices, one at a time, until you identify the offending device. Generally, you should avoid using the remote close to large metal items/appliances, or releasing the remote from other RF sources - and you want to avoid operating the remote anywhere around the house or property with the lights or other electronics for the time being. If changing the lights or moving out of close proximity affected the functioning of the garage door, the source of interference is identified.

5. Reprogram (Sync) the Remote

Even after battery replacement and clearance of any obstacles, the remote may still be out of sync. Garage openers often "forget" the code for the remote after a power surge that results in a loss of power, or after removing the battery. The issue can be resolved with reprogramming (resyncing) the remote to your opener. Check the opener unit for a "Learn" or "Program" button (often a little round button on the back or side of the opener).Press and hold this button for about 30 seconds until the light comes on and then starts blinking. Immediately after, press and hold the button on your remote for a few seconds. The opener's light will blink to confirm that it learned the code. Now, try to use the remote. This should operate the door once again. ( Remember that each brand/model is a little different, so if you need guidance, just access your owner's manual or the opener details.)

6. When to Call a Professional

If you have tried all of the above and still nothing, it is probably time to call in an expert. Problems like broken antennas, a defective opener circuit, or worn parts are difficult to fix on your own, so you will need to rely on a garage door technician. Technicians can help diagnose complicated wiring or frequency issues in a short order. For homeowners in Orange County, OC Garage Door Guys are a well-reviewed option! OC Garage Door Guys is a reputable local business that is licensed and bonded and has technicians available 24/7. In addition, they also offer emergency service (evenings and weekends) and they are able to often complete services on the same day if not in a few hours. So, if you have done everything yourself and needed prompt service, OC Garage Door Guys can quickly and safely get your door back to functioning again.