How to Erase All Remote Codes From Your Garage Door Opener
To erase all remote codes from your garage door opener, find the small "Learn" button on the back of the motor unit (next to the hanging antenna wire) and press and hold it for about 6 to 10 seconds, until the indicator LED next to it goes out. That single action wipes the opener's memory clean, deactivating every remote, keypad, and car-button (HomeLink) that was ever paired to it. You'll then need to re-program any devices you want to keep using, since the opener no longer recognizes them.
Step by step
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1
Grab a ladder and locate the motor unit's Learn button
The reset happens at the opener itself, not on a wall switch or remote. Set up a sturdy ladder under the motor unit hanging from your garage ceiling. Look on the back or side panel, usually right next to the hanging antenna wire and the spots where you'd wire a wall console. The Learn button is a small square or round button, often colored (purple, yellow, orange, red, or green depending on the brand and year), with a tiny LED light beside it.
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2
Press and hold the Learn button until the LED turns off
Press the Learn button and keep holding it down. After about 6 seconds the LED next to it will blink off (some LiftMaster, Chamberlain, and Craftsman units take up to 10 seconds). The moment that light goes dark, the opener has dumped its entire memory. Quick tip: a single short tap does the opposite, putting the opener into learn mode to ADD a device, so the key here is the long press-and-hold.
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3
Confirm the old remotes are dead
Climb down and test a remote or keypad you know was working. If nothing happens when you press it, the erase worked and every previously paired device is now locked out. If a remote still opens the door, you didn't hold the button long enough, so head back up and repeat the press-and-hold.
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4
Re-program the remotes and keypads you want to keep
Now your opener is a blank slate, so any device you still use has to be re-paired. Tap the Learn button once (the LED comes on and stays lit for about 30 seconds), then within that window press the button on your remote, or enter your chosen PIN on the keypad and press Enter. The opener lights or clicks to confirm. Repeat for each device, retapping Learn before each one.
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5
Reconnect your car's built-in buttons (HomeLink or Car2U)
Your vehicle's overhead buttons were erased too. Re-train them by holding the in-car button while triggering learn mode on the opener. On many newer rolling-code openers you also have to press the Learn button one final time after the car button blinks to lock in the connection. Check your car's manual for the exact sequence, since it varies by automaker.
When to call a pro
If you can't find or reach the Learn button, the LED won't respond, or you're erasing codes because of a security concern like a lost remote, stolen vehicle, or a move-in and you want certainty every old device is locked out, call a local Garage Door Pros technician to handle the reset and re-programming for you.
Call (888) 290-7421Frequently asked
Why would I want to erase all my garage door remote codes?
The most common reasons are security-related: you lost a remote or had one stolen, you just bought a home and don't know who else might have an opener, you sold or returned a car with a programmed HomeLink button, or a former roommate, contractor, or ex still has access. Wiping the memory is the only way to guarantee that every old device, including ones you can't physically get back, stops working.
Will erasing the codes also wipe my wall keypad and the wall button inside the garage?
It erases the wireless keypad (the one with the PIN pad mounted outside by the door), so you'll need to set a new code for it afterward. The hardwired wall button inside your garage is different, it's connected by physical wires, not a code, so it keeps working without any re-programming.
Is there a way to remove just one remote instead of all of them?
Unfortunately, no. The Learn button is an all-or-nothing reset, so it clears the opener's entire memory at once. If you only need to deactivate a single lost remote, your only option is to erase everything and then re-pair the devices you still have on hand.
I held the Learn button but the door still opens with my old remote. What went wrong?
Almost always it means you didn't hold the button long enough, or you let go right when the LED first flickered instead of waiting for it to go fully dark. Go back up, press and hold a clean 10 seconds, and watch the LED turn off completely. If it still won't clear after a couple of tries, the Learn button or logic board may be failing and it's worth having a pro take a look.
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