If you’re like most homeowners, you have at least one remote control for your garage door. And if you’re like me, that one remote often wears out or gets misplaced.
So can you buy a universal garage door opener remote? The answer is yes – and no. Let me explain.
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Can You Buy a Universal Garage Door Opener Remote?
If you want to buy a universal garage door opener remote, you can certainly find them for sale online and in many hardware stores. However, before making your purchase, you’ll need to confirm that the particular universal remote you’re interested in will work with your brand of garage door opener. Otherwise, it likely won’t be compatible and you’ll just be wasting your money.
There are a few different ways to determine whether a given universal remote will work with your garage door opener. The easiest way is probably to consult the owner’s manual for your opener. It should say somewhere within its pages whether or not the unit is compatible with universal remotes.
If you don’t have easy access to your owner’s manual see our guide below on the most common brands and the types of universal remotes they work with.
Top Garage Door Opener Brands and If They Work with Universal Remotes
Liftmaster and Chamberlain
You’ll be glad to know that both LiftMaster and Chamberlain offer models that are compatible with a variety of universal remotes. The two brands are owned by the same company, and they’ve even built their universal remotes.
However, it’s important to note that not all models of their garage door openers will work with all universal remotes. To see an updated list of which openers go with which remotes, go here.
Genie
Genie is another popular garage door opener brand, and they also have models that work with most universal remotes. You can find a full list of the types of universal remotes that are compatible with Genie openers here.
Craftsman
Craftsman is a brand owned by Sears, and their garage door openers will work with several different types of universal remotes. Liftmaster, Chamberlain, and Genie universal remotes work with most Craftsman garage door openers.
Linear
Linear garage door openers are made by the Nortek Control family of brands. The company makes a variety of different types of garage door openers, and most of them are compatible with LiftMaster, Chamberlain, and Genie universal remotes.
Just make sure the remote says Linear compatible in the name or description.
Stanley
Stanley garage door openers are compatible with most LiftMaster, Chamberlain, and Genie universal remotes. However, it’s easier to find a knock-off universal remote designed specifically for Stanley openers.
Sommer
If you have a Sommer opener, you’re in luck. Most LiftMaster, Chamberlain, and Genie universal remotes will work with your garage door opener.
Guardian
Guardian garage door openers will work with most LiftMaster, Chamberlain, and Genie universal remotes.
Overhead Door
Overhead Door is another popular garage door opener brand, and they offer models that are compatible with a variety of universal remotes. You can find more information on the types of universal remotes that work with Overhead Door openers on their website here.
Overhead Door bought Genie back in 1994 so most of their products are compatible.
Universal Remote For Most Brands
Overhead Door also built the One Remote To Rule them All which opens all of the brands shown above. You can find the list of all openers it works with here.
Note that it says Genie in the picture below because they own that brand as well.
Next Figure out How Many Buttons You’ll Need on The Universal Remote
You’ll need a separate button for each separate garage door to control and additional buttons for extra features like the lock function or controlling the garage light. Most universal garage door opener remotes have between 3 and 6 buttons.
Some brands of openers like Genie or Chamberlain also produce their own brand-specific garage door opener remote controls that come with built-in features like rolling codes for security or the ability to control multiple doors from a single unit. These are usually more expensive than your average universal remote but may be worth the extra cost depending on your needs.
Buy and Program Your New Universal Garage Door Opener Remote
Once you’ve determined which type of universal remote will work with your opener, the next step is to purchase the unit and program it to work with your opener.
Programming will vary depending on the unit but is generally pretty straightforward. The process usually just involves holding down a button on the opener itself and then pressing the button on the remote.
If you’re having trouble programming the remote, consult the opener’s owner’s manual for specific instructions. Some remote manufacturers also have online support resources that can help.
Final Thoughts
In short, yes – you can buy a universal garage door opener remote. However, before doing so, it’s important to make sure that the unit you purchase is compatible with your brand of the opener and that you understand how many buttons you’ll need to control all the doors in your home.
With a little research ahead of time, finding the perfect universal garage door opener remote for your home should be a snap.