How to Open Your Garage Door in a Power Outage

How to find and pull the emergency release

1. Find the cord. It usually has a red handle and hangs from the trolley, the carriage that rides along the opener rail, near the top of the door. On wall-mount (jackshaft) openers, the release is a handle beside the motor on the wall.
2. Make sure nothing is under the door and keep kids and pets back.
3. Pull the handle straight down (on most rail openers, down and slightly back toward the opener). You may hear a click as the trolley disconnects.
4. Lift the door using the handles or the bottom edge, not the release cord. Chamberlain specifically warns never to use the release handle to raise or lower the door.
5. Raise it all the way so it stays open on its own. A well-balanced door should stay in place. If it slides down, hold it and lower it gently.
6. Close and lock it by hand when you're done, using the manual slide lock if your door has one, so the house stays secure while the power is out.

Opening the garage from outside

If your only way in is through the garage door, you'll need an outside emergency release: a small keyed lock mounted near the top of the door, connected by a cable to the opener's release. Turning the key and pulling the lock cylinder disconnects the opener from inside.

Two things to know:

• It only disconnects the opener. As Chamberlain puts it, it doesn't lift the door. You still raise it by hand.
• Most homes don't have one. It's a small add-on, and it's worth considering if your garage is your main entrance or has no other door.

Without an outside release, there's no safe trick for disconnecting the opener from outside. If you're locked out and the car or medicine you need is in the garage, call a technician rather than prying at the door.

Never do this if a spring is broken

A power outage and a broken spring sometimes arrive together, especially on cold mornings when springs tend to fail. If you see a gap in the torsion spring, or a loose cable at the bottom corner:

• Don't pull the release with the door open.
• Don't try to lift a heavy wood or double-wide door by yourself.
• Don't run the opener on battery backup to "help" it lift. The opener isn't built to carry the door's full weight.

Leave the door closed and book spring repair. If the door is stuck open and the house can't be secured, see emergency garage door repair.

Re-engaging the opener when power returns

How you reconnect depends on the opener. Chamberlain describes three common setups for its LiftMaster and Chamberlain models:

Other brands work similarly: the trolley usually reconnects when the opener runs. Check your manual if it doesn't.

Opener still not working after the outage?

Run through this list before booking a repair:

• Trolley still disconnected. The motor runs but the door doesn't move. Reconnect as above.
• Lock mode is on. Many wall controls have a lock or vacation button that blocks remotes. A blinking wall control light can be a clue.
• Tripped breaker or GFCI outlet. Check the panel and press reset on any GFCI outlet in the garage.
• Door left partly open by hand. Close it fully, then try the opener.
• Sensors knocked out of line while you were moving things around in the dark. See our sensor light guide.
• Surge damage. If the opener shows no lights at all or flashes a logic board code, it may need opener repair. Our LiftMaster error code guide explains the 2-x board codes.

Reprogramming remotes after an outage

On most modern openers, an outage doesn't erase remotes. Chamberlain notes that unplugging its openers does not erase programmed remotes and keypads. If a remote stopped working after the power came back:

• Replace the remote battery first.
• Make sure the wall control isn't in lock mode.
• If it still won't work, reprogram it using the learn button. Our guide on programming remotes, keypads and car buttons has the steps.

Wireless keypads have their own batteries and usually keep their code, but a surge can still scramble things. Smart openers may need to reconnect to Wi-Fi once your router is back up.

Battery backup openers

A battery backup lets the opener keep working for a while without house power. Manufacturer figures:

• LiftMaster says its integrated backup provides about 24 hours of standby or roughly 20 full cycles, and the battery typically lasts one to two years.
• Genie says its battery backup provides up to 50 cycles in the 24 hours after an outage, with the lights off and the door moving slower, and recommends testing it every six months.

California has required battery backup on residential openers sold or installed there since July 1, 2019 (Senate Bill 969). New York has no such rule, but for homes on the North Shore that rely on the garage to get a car out during storms, it's a practical upgrade. A backup that has started beeping usually needs a new battery; see why your opener is beeping.

Thinking about an upgrade? Our opener installation cost guide covers battery backup add-ons, and you can learn about opener installation.