Advances in garage door opener technology have fortunately made many homeowners less reliant on the handheld remotes that, despite the greatest of care, can be so easily lost or damaged. That said, remotes are still a necessity for a great number of homeowners, and replacing a lost or damaged remote can be expensive and inconvenient when working through the manufacturer.

A common and less expensive solution is the universal remote, but these devices do come with some challenges. If you opt for this solution, the keys to success are to do your research before buying and read the instructions for the remote you choose.

Not one size fits all

When it comes to garage door remotes, universal does not mean it will work on any garage door opener. Older opening systems use DIP switches to set the codes, so the remote must also have DIP switches that can be set to match. Newer systems that use rolling code technology will have learn buttons that synch with the remote, but even that does not mean the universal remote will work for your brand of opener. When shopping for a universal remote, check that it lists your brand and model as one that is compatible with that remote.

Get the right features

Universal remotes today are available with more options than earlier designs, but it will likely take some research on your part to be sure the unit you choose will do the job. Remotes may have two, three, or four buttons that can be programmed to open multiple doors and a light in the garage or house separately. Some remotes may also use different technology, which may impact the programming depending on the color of the learn button on your garage door opener. This is especially important to know if you currently have a remote and you are adding a universal remote to your system, as the remotes may not be workable at the same time.

Programming steps vary

Your universal remote will likely be a bit more complicated to program than the remote provided by the manufacturer. Depending on the list of brands and models for which the remote is compatible, you may need to toggle through several choices to properly set each button to a door or light. Each remote is different and properly setting  yours may involve pressing and holding a button while toggling through the brands and models.

Universal remotes may also use different technology, which usually dictates a different set of programming steps based on your opener unit having a red learn button or a green learn button. You will need to ascertain which button and technology applies to yours before beginning the process.

Be sure to read through the instructions provided with your universal remote before beginning any programming to avoid inadvertently deleting memory in your unit.