There are plenty of reasons why a garage door remote may not work. However, in most cases, the garage door opener’s remote batteries are the culprit. You use the garage door opener remote thousands of times per year. So, every now and then, the battery on the garage door opener remote will die.
If you want to know how to change the battery in a garage door opener remote control, you’re in for a treat! The process of changing the battery is quite easy and it’s all about replacing the battery and reprogramming the remote.
Today, we’ll provide you with a detailed step by step guide that walks you through everything you need to know. Let’s hop in!
Changing the Batteries in a Garage Door Opener: A Step by Step Guide
Table of Contents
The following guide should apply to the majority of garage door opener remotes out there. Here’s how to pull this simple job off:
Step 1: Gather Necessary Tools
To avoid going back and forth looking for all the necessary items for the job, you should make sure that all the items are within arms reach throughout the process.
Luckily, in a remote control’s case, you’re likely to not need any special tools to open it.
If you have a new garage door opener remote, you’ll only need to slide or remove the battery cover to expose the battery housing.
To save yourself the trouble, make sure that you bring along a small flat-headed and a small Phillips screwdriver.
Step 2: Open Your Garage Door Remote
In the majority of cases, the battery of the garage door opener remote is located on the back, opposite to the side where the buttons are found. If you find the cover, simply slide it over using your thumb and you’ll find the batteries there.
If you can’t find any battery covers on the back of your remote, or the model is a bit old, you’ll need to pop the entire remote open to reach the batteries. This is also true in the case of long-lasting batteries that take a very long time to die.
In that case, check for any screws on the remote. If there are any, you’ll need a compatible screwdriver to remove them. In that case, a small Phillips screwdriver should do the trick.
If there are no visible screws on any side of the remote, such as in Chamberlain remotes, you’ll need a small flat head remote to split the remote open.
Simply follow the seams between the two parts of the remote until you find a relatively wide spot that is designed for popping the remote open.
Insert the flat-headed screwdriver in while holding it in your palm then gently twist it upwards, and you should be in.
If you’re unsure about the method to open your remote, make sure that you follow the instruction manual on how to locate the batteries.
Step 3: Identify the Battery Type and Number of Batteries Needed
Unfortunately, there are a wide variety of battery types that handheld devices may use. In an ideal scenario, you’d know the type of battery needed for the remote as well as how many to replace. In that case, you may skip this step altogether.
But, if you don’t know, here’s how to identify the battery. In the majority of cases, garage door remotes will be powered by a single-cell battery.
Single-cell batteries are these circular batteries that look like a coin. However, there are plenty of types of coin batteries out there, so it’s necessary that you know the right type of battery you need for replacement.
In most single-cell batteries, the type is engraved in clear characters in a sequence that starts with the letters “CR”.
Typically, the type of batteries used in garage door remotes is “CR-2032”, which is the 3 volts variety.
In rare occasions, other types of batteries might be used, such as AAA batteries, which are the thin batteries used in most other remotes. Also, AA remotes are typically used in very old garage doors.
Now that you know the type of battery, you can buy similar batteries for replacement. A good rule of thumb here is to get double the amount needed for the remote, so you have a spare for when that happens again. Multiple rechargeable batteries are also a great option.
Step 4: Replace the Batteries
With the new batteries in hand, you can easily replace them in the remote. Make sure that you put them on the same side as the old ones were.
Once the batteries are in place, simply place the cover again or close the 2 halves of the remote together.
Step 5: Reprogram the Remote
With everything in place, you only need to reprogram the remote in order to pair it with the garage door.
In modern remotes, this should be as simple as clicking the “pair mode” button and letting the garage door remote do the job for you.
Some types require you to hold them down for a few seconds until the remote starts blinking then releases the button so that they can pair.
How to Tell that the Batteries Need to Be Changed in a Garage Door Opener
In the majority of cases, the garage door opener won’t stop working all of a sudden. Instead, the range at which the garage door opener remote works will start to decrease.
For that reason, the most obvious sign that you need to change the battery is when you need to press the button several times or extend your arms before they work.
Some modern remotes might have an indicator light that starts blinking or beeping when the battery is about to die.
How Often Should You Change the Garage Door Opener Battery
The answer here depends on a lot of factors. However, most garage door openers are designed to last for a couple of years, give or take.
In a household with multiple garage users, the battery might drain faster. Cold weather is also known for depleting the battery juices quicker.
Conclusion
There you have it! A complete guide that shows you how to change the battery in a garage door opener!
As you can see, the steps are pretty simple and it should work for most remotes out there. However, if a specific part of the guide doesn’t apply to your remote, don’t panic! Simply, you check for it in the garage door opener’s manual.
