How to Disable a Garage Door Remote If It’s Lost or Stolen

How to Disable a Garage Door Remote If It’s Lost or Stolen

Your garage is an extension of your home that serves an essential purpose. Having a garage door opener with a remote makes leaving and entering your home quick and easy. However, the remote can get lost or stolen due to different circumstances, causing you trouble.

Before you worry about who has access to your home, there are many ways to secure your house quickly after your remote is lost or stolen. You can follow these steps and take preventative measures to ensure your garage, home and family remain safe.

The Importance of Replacing Your Garage Door Remote

Your garage door remote is the primary key to your garage from the outside. In other words, whoever has access to your remote has access to your garage — which could be good or bad, depending on the situation. When your remote is missing, this becomes a cause for concern.

Replacing your garage door remote as soon as possible can help you:

• Protect your belongings: If your garage door opener gets into the wrong hands, a thief can have complete access to everything in your garage. Your garage likely hosts a lot of expensive outdoor equipment, especially your vehicles. Replacing your garage door opener can avoid this issue altogether.
• Keep your family safe: If your garage is attached to your house, an intruder can easily get in through the garage, threatening your family’s safety. Replacing your garage door remote as quickly as you can instantly makes the stolen remote useless so that your family and home stay safe.
• Regain convenience: While keeping your family and belongings safe is a top priority, having a working garage door remote is extremely convenient. Instead of having to get out of your vehicle to manually open the garage door when you get home from work, you will relish the ease of pushing a button — and likely not take it for granted again!

Steps to Deactivate Your Garage Door Opener

If you notice that you’re missing one of your garage door remotes and can’t find it anywhere, the first step you should take is to figure out how to deactivate that garage door opener. Once you’ve identified the brand and model of your garage door opener, follow these simple steps to disable the remote and re-program the new one to your system.

1. Reset the Codes

Garage door remotes operate by emitting a signal that connects to the garage door motor in your garage through a code. You will want to reset the code to erase the memory of the lost remote from your garage door opener.

You can disable the garage door opener by pressing the Smart Button on your motor for several seconds to void all the remotes connected to your home. It’s vital to deprogram your garage door opener and disconnect all programmed devices. Some remotes store the access code in a battery, so you need to reprogram the entire garage door opener system to reset the code completely. That way, no one can access your garage even if they have the remote.

2. Program Your New Remote

After disabling your garage door opener and removing the memory of the lost remote, your next step is to reprogram your garage door opener with a new control. You can reprogram your opener by following the instructions in the owner’s manual that came with your system. 

If you only had one remote, you can buy a replacement from your unit’s manufacturer. If your garage door opener operates using a wireless system, chances are you can connect your phone to your garage door opener through an app.

3. Adjust Existing Garage Door Remotes

This step is only necessary if you have to update your garage door opener system entirely. If this applies to you, be sure to grab all the remotes from your vehicles and follow steps one and two to program them to match. Doing so will save you a lot of hassle and frustration down the line!

Preventative Measures to Avoid Garage Door Remote Theft

Losing your garage door remote is often a frustrating mistake. You can follow several preventative measures to prevent it from happening or to ensure it doesn’t happen again. Here are a couple of tips you can follow to prevent someone from stealing your garage door remote:

• Deactivate the old system: When you move into a new house with a garage door opener, make sure to deactivate the old system instead of using it. When you reset the system or install a new garage door opener, you ensure the previous homeowners cannot access your home.
• Keep the remote hidden: If you keep your remote in your car, it’s a good idea to keep it hidden in a safer place or out of sight, like a glove compartment. Keeping the remote out of sight prevents anyone looking to steal a remote from targeting you.
• Go smart: With today’s technology, garage door remotes may often be considered a thing of the past. Certain garage door systems — such as Crawford Door Sales’ LiftMaster garage door openers — can be entirely controlled from your phone via Wi-Fi. This way, losing or having your remote stolen is no longer a worry — or a possibility!

Keep Your Garage Door Opener Remote Safe

After losing your garage door opener remote, you want to keep your Twin Cities home and garage safe and sound. If you need help deactivating and reprogramming your garage door, Crawford Door Sales can help. You can trust us for reliable garage door opener services. Call Crawford Door Sales to set up a service appointment today!

Are Wi-Fi Garage Door Openers Safe?

Are Wi-Fi Garage Door Openers Safe?

Using a garage door opener that connects to Wi-Fi aids in enhancing your home’s overall accessibility. Whether you’ve recently upgraded to a smart garage door or want to improve a model you’ve had for years, installing a Wi-Fi-connected garage door opener is a great way to get more from your door.

Features of Wi-Fi-Connected Garage Door Openers

Installing a Wi-Fi-connected garage door opener offers the following benefits for you and your home:

• Receive alerts: Our garage door openers connect to the myQ^® app and provide push notifications for openings, closings and hazards.
• Give guests access: Through the myQ^® app, you can give up to three people access to your opener.
• Use your phone as your opener: Control your garage door from anywhere with the myQ^® app.

What is a Wi-Fi Garage Door Opener?

Wi-Fi-connected garage door openers are some of the safest smart devices available. Similarly to other smart devices, these openers use advanced encryption to protect your privacy during data transmission.

While the odds of someone hacking a Wi-Fi-connected door opener are relatively low, you can enhance your garage door’s security by completing the following steps:

• Ensure your software is up to date: Device manufacturers frequently test their software for vulnerabilities. One of the best ways to take advantage of these tests is to update your garage opener as new software versions become available.
• Enhance your Wi-Fi network security: Improve network security by creating a strong Wi-Fi password and using a virtual private network (VPN).
• Secure your garage: Deter burglars and hackers with simple physical changes, like covering windows and upgrading lighting.

Top 10 Benefits of Wi-Fi-Connected Garage Door Openers

Wi-Fi-enabled garage door openers are an excellent home automation solution and provide advantages such as:

1. Enter and exit without buttons: The GPS in the myQ^® app will alert the door opener of your location and cause it to open as you approach the driveway.
2. Schedule openings and closings: With a Wi-Fi-enabled garage door opener app, you can pre-schedule when the door opens and closes.
3. Ensure you close your door: Receive alerts if you leave the garage door open, and check on your property throughout the day.
4. Interact with any guests: If you connect a security camera and microphone, you can see and speak with guests, delivery people and anyone else who may be entering and exiting your house.
5. Limit access to your garage: Authorize which guests can access your home for greater security.
6. Receive temperature alerts: Our Wi-Fi-connected garage door openers feature temperature-monitoring sensors that tell you if your garage reaches unsafe temperature levels so you can protect equipment or other sensitive items.
7. Get protection and comfort in the rain and snow: With the myQ^® app, you can open the garage door from your car or home with the smart opener to stay warm and dry during opening and closing.
8. Park your car perfectly: Many Wi-Fi-connected garage door openers feature complimentary laser guiding systems that show you where to park for a perfect fit.
9. Detect hazardous chemicals: If chemicals such as carbon monoxide and smoke reach unsafe levels, the myQ^® app will send you a notification so you can quickly address the issue.
10. Keep your property secure: Since a Wi-Fi-connected opener sends you an alert whenever the door opens, you can use it as a tool in your home security systems.

Are There Any Disadvantages of a Wi-Fi-Connected Garage Door Opener?

While Wi-Fi-connected garage door openers can be more costly and take longer to install than their traditional counterparts, they are an excellent addition to any home. Like most remote-operated garage door openers, Wi-Fi openers have battery backups so you can continue to operate your garage door in the event of a power outage and other emergencies.

How They Fit Into Your Smart Home Plans

A smart home is a convenient home setup where you can remotely control all appliances and devices through an internet connection using a mobile or networked device. By installing a Wi-Fi-connected garage door opener, you have another device on your wi-fi network you can easily manage from anywhere for greater convenience.

Invest in a Garage Door Opener in the Twin Cities Today

At Crawford Door Sales, we are proud to help elevate the security and convenience of your Twin Cities property with our LiftMaster^® Wi-Fi-enabled garage door openers. Our team can assist in all aspects of the setup and install additional features such as outside keypads and wall stations. Complete our online contact form to receive service, or call our team at 651-455-1221 for more information.