No learn button on garage door opener

Convenience and security are the top priorities for most people when it comes to accessing their garage. Today, sophisticated technology allows you to open your garage (as well as turning on lights and opening gates) using your phone or tablet. At the very least, your car is equipped with a button you can program to open your door, eliminating the need to clip a remote to your visor.

Not every house comes with these conveniences, however. For those who have just purchased a house with an older garage door opening system, making it as secure as possible is the priority.

Modern Garage Door Security

Most standard garage door remotes today use rolling code technology and a learn button on the garage door opener motor. The learn button allows you to erase the code on the unit and reset it so that your remotes and the buttons in your car will open the door. Rolling codes provide security because the code on the transmitter changes every time you use it. The technology sends a new code to your receiver for the next time you need to open your door.

Older garage door openers—those manufactured before 1993—use DIP switches soldered to the circuit board to allow the remote to communicate with your opener. Units have 8 to 12 small switches in the receiver and inside the transmitter, which are set to a unique code. Once synchronized, the remote opens the garage door. The system was created to provide the security lacking in the original generation of electric garage door openers, which sent a signal that could potentially open your garage door and those of many of your neighbors.

While rolling code technology provides superior security, with as many as 1 million possible codes, a garage door opener with 12 DIP switches does provide for more than 4,000 combinations. Unfortunately, simple radio scanners can read the code sent by a transmitter. The key for a new owner using this older technology is to change the DIP switches.

How do you program your garage door?

First, locate the DIP switches on the motor unit of your system. You will need to remove the cover and they will be on the back of one of the sides. To change the position of the switches, you should use a flathead screwdriver.

Next, locate the DIP switches in the remote, most likely alongside the battery. Set the switches in exactly the same position as you set on the motor. Click the button on the remote until the garage door responds.

You can change the DIP switches on a regular basis for added security for as long as you use this older system. It also is possible to program this type of garage door opener to newer and dual remotes.

At Above & Beyond Door Systems, we are happy to help with instruction for older garage door openers and advise how you may upgrade to a more secure system. Call today for details on how to make your garage secure with the best in garage door opener technology.

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We will teach you everything you need to know about your garage door remote and will show you how you can program garage door opener for Liftmaster, Chamberlain, Craftsman, and Genie. 

Garage door opener remotes are a convenience most of us take for granted. They allow us to enter and exit our garage without needing to leave our car or remember an entrance code.

However, these remotes can break, or wind up lost or stolen. If this happens, you need to know how to program your remote so you can get back into your garage.

Today, we’ll outline precisely how to accomplish this.

How It Works

Garage door openers and remotes “talk” to each other over radio frequencies. When you press the open button on the garage door remote, a signal is sent to the garage door opener telling it to open the garage door.

Losing or breaking the remote leaves you in a bad situation since you can no longer remotely operate the garage door opener.

So how can you remedy this problem?

What You Need to program your garage door remote

To program your garage door opener remote, you actually won’t need much.

You will need to be able to gain access to the garage door opener itself. The opener is usually installed on the ceiling of the garage. The simplest way to access the opener is with a ladder. Be sure it’s sturdy and sitting on a level surface.

Of course, you’ll also need the remote that’s being programmed, and it’s essential to be able to move quickly.

program your garage door remote step by step

Here are a few simple steps for programming your garage door remote once you have access to all the components:

1. Make sure your new remote is the same brand as the garage door opener you are using. A remote meant for a LiftMaster opener will not communicate with a Genie opener, for example, because most openers and remotes operate on specific frequencies using different information.

1. Carefully climb up on the ladder so you can examine your garage door opener.

1. Inspect the opener to find the learn button. All modern garage door openers have one; you have to look for it carefully if it’s not immediately apparent. If you still can’t find the button, take off the light cover since the button could be hiding there.

1. Once you find the learn button, press it until it begins to blink. Once the light on the opener is flashing, press the open button on your garage door opener remote.

1. Generally, you’ll have a 30-second time limit between pressing the learn button and needing to press the button on the remote.

1. Give the process a minute, and then press the open button on the remote again to test the garage door. If it opens, you’ve successfully programmed your remote!

As there are many different types of garage door openers, the steps above are general guidelines rather than specific instructions.

Try to find your instruction manual or contact the manufacturer if you can’t get this process to work for you. You might even need the assistance of a garage door professional, especially if your opener is an older model.

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