How to Program Your LiftMaster by Chamberlain Garage Door Opener

Home Sweet Home! It’s been a heck of day! You dearly miss those summer evenings when the sun set so late, and you had so much more energy! Now, when you finally get home, it’s pitch black and so cold outside! You press your garage door opener remote’s button. And nothing happens. You try and try again. Until you finally admit something’s wrong. But not with your door opener remote. You checked it a while ago. It’s even worse than that. You have to reprogram your LiftMaster or Chamberlain garage door opener!

A garage by night, with 2 single garage doors. Their design is North Hatley LP, Their color is  Moka Brown, and they have 8 lite Orion windows

Psst! You could really relate to this story but what you’ve really, really liked about it is the picture of these 2 single garage doors? They are in the North Hatley LP Design, Moka Brown color, with 8-lite Orion windows.

Or you’ve bought a brand new LiftMaster Chamberlain garage door opener and you’ve decided to install it yourself? Or maybe you had to replace the logic board of your LiftMaster Chamberlain garage door opener and you now must reprogram the travel? Here is the simplest and safest way to do it.

An image of man holding a "Be Aware" memo

Before Starting, Are You Really Up to This Task? Consider Yourself Warned…

Before reprogramming your LiftMaster Chamberlain garage door opener yourself, here is life-saving information you must consider:

  • Bad or not-precise enough adjustments you make to the garage door travail limits will interfere with the functioning of the safety reversal system.
  • If your garage door opener needs too much force to close your garage door (because the garage door tracks are dirty or stuck in ice, for example), it will interfere with the functioning of the safety reversal system.
  • If your garage door opener is an old model, you should NEVER EVER use the force adjustments to make up for a binding garage door.
  • After reprogramming your garage door opener travel, YOU MUST TEST your garage door opener safety reversal system.
  • Make sure your SUV, pick-up truck or any other high vehicles won’t get damaged. Test your garage door to see if it fully opens and provides all the clearance you need.

Without a well-functioning safety reversal system, people, especially small children, could be SERIOUSLY INJURED or KILLED BY A CLOSING GARAGE DOOR. If you are not a skilled and experienced handyman or handywoman, you should NOT do this yourself. Contact certified LiftMaster Chamberlain installers and technicians near you.

Never forget that your garage door is the largest moving object of your house. It’s wall that open and close! Garage doors’springs are under extreme tension. Furthermore, how much do you really know about motors and how they work?

A picture of a certified LiftMaster Chamberlain installer reprogramming a garage door opener.

A certified LiftMaster Chamberlain installer reprogramming a garage door opener.

12 Steps to Program the Travel on a LiftMaster Chamberlain Garage Door Opener equipped with MyQ

  1. Make sure your garage door is closed but not disengaged and your trolley is near the garage door.

    A picture of a garage door opener trolley and emergency release cord

  2. Find your garage door opener adjustment buttons. Their place may vary depending on your LiftMaster or Chamberlain garage door opener model. Look at the picture below to help you out.

    A picture of different garage door opener models with the emplacement of their adjustment buttons

  3. Press and hold the black square button until the UP Arrow begins to flash or you hear a BEEP > This means your opener can now be set in the OPEN POSITION.
  4. Press and hold the UP or DOWN Arrows until your garage door is fully open > This is your desired UP Position.
  5. Press and release the black square button > The garage door opener lights will flash 2 times and the DOWN Arrow will start to flash. It means your opener OPEN POSITION is now LOCKED and your door opener is ready to set the CLOSE POSITION.
  6. Press and hold the DOWN Arrow until your garage door is fully closed.
  7. Press and release the black square button to indicate to your opener that your garage door is in the DOWN position you desire > The garage door opener lights will flash 2 times and the UP Arrow will start to flash. It means your opener DOWN POSITION is now LOCKED and your door opener is ready to set the force programming mode.
  8. Press and release the UP Arrow. When the door travels to the programmed UP position, the DOWN Arrow will begin to flash.
  9. Press and release the DOWN Arrow. The door will travel to the programmed DOWN position. Programming is now complete.

    GOOD TO KNOW

    • If the garage door opener lights flash 5 times during the steps to Program the Travel on a MyQ Garage Door Opener, the programming has timed out.
    • If the garage door opener lights flash 10 times during the steps to Program the Travel on a MyQ Garage Door Opener, the safety reversing sensors are misaligned or obstructed.
    • After aligning or clearing the sensors, do a complete up and down garage door cycle using your remote control. Programming will be complete.
    • The yellow round button is only used to program your garage door accessories. Never-ever use it for programming your opener travel.
  10. You’re not done yet! After you do ANY adjustments on your garage door opener, the safety reversal system MUST be tested. Here is how the company US Inspect recommends to do it.
  11. Using your remote control, your smartphone or your keypad, close your garage door.
  12. Your garage door must reverse when stricking the 2x4.

Instead of Programming Your Worn-Out Garage Door Opener and Putting Your Family at Risk, it Might be Time to Replace Your Opener?

Sounds way too dramatic? Does it leave you feeling we want you to buy something you don’t need by instilling fear in you? Well, think again!

Here are 2 important innovations in LiftMaster and Chamberlain garage door opener technology, one in 1993 and the other in 2012, you should know about.

An image with the quote "Focus on facts, not fears".

Your LiftMaster or Chamberlain garage door opener was manufactured before 1993? Whoops! You should NOT reprogram it. You must replace your garage door opener because it is a really big safety hazard for your family. It’s a fact.

Since 1993, garage door openers made in the US and Canada have had to include 2 reversal systems designed to protect you and your loved ones.

Before that, it really was the Far West. Everybody was on their own. There was no requirement for manufacturers to prevent garage doors from closing on objects like your kids!!! Kids are kids. You can’t expect them to remember everything when they’re busy playing. Besides, why would they have to think about these things when simple innovations could protect their lives, right?

The 2 must-have reversal systems on your LiftMaster Chamberlain garage door opener

  • The 1st one is mechanical: if the bottom section of a descending door hits an object, the motor detects the resistance and the door reverses.
  • The 2nd one is photoelectric: it consists of 2 units installed about 6 inches from the floor, on each side of the door. One unit emits an infrared beam, invisible to the naked eye. The other unit is a receiver. If something breaks the beam while the door is closing, the opener motor automatically stops and then reverses direction and opens the door.

An image of 2 little girls breaking a garage door opener photo-cell safety beams, causing the garage door to stop closing and reversing its direction.

These little girls are having so much fun they forget about safety. Even though their parents keep repeating themselves. How strange, how unusual, wouldn’t you say? Thanks to the garage door opener photocell safety beams, when the big sister breaks the beam while entering the garage as the garage is closing, the garage door opener stops on spot and change its direction to open the door. No injuries. No drama. Just kids being kids. You’ve got to love technology!

Not convinced you need to replace your garage door upgrade yet? Learn more about photocell safety beams and learn which urban legend about planes opening garage doors has been proven to be true.

Your LiftMaster Chamberlain garage door opener was made after 1993? So, you’re feeling relief right now and you’re already thinking about the guitar you will buy since you don’t have to invest in this so much adult stuff.

Well sorry to burst your bubble and ruin your guitar plan. But 2012 was another milestone year you really should be aware of.

An image of The Security+2.0 label you should look for on your garage door opener

To make sure your garage door opener has rolling code technology, look for the label on your Chamberlain, LiftMaster or Craftsman garage door opener.

Since 2012, Chamberlain’s garage door openers have had another great innovation, Security+2.0. This rolling code technology protects your house against intruders by generating a new security code every time you use your remote control to open and close your garage door.

A unique algorithm "rolls" the remote control's code to one of more than 100 billion possible codes after each use. The previous code will be rejected, and the opener will only respond to the new code. Since the same code cannot be used more than once, stolen remote controls are therefore useless to intruders.

How to find the year your LiftMaster or Chamberlain opener was made?

An example of a garage door label and where it can be found on different garage door opener models

Here are the main models of LiftMaster or Chamberlain garage door openers with their sticker locations and the information you can find on it.

Your garage door opener should have a sticker with a lot of important information written on it like the model and serial numbers – those are really handy when you call your local garage door specialist.

By looking at the MFG Date, meaning manufacturing date, you will learn what year your garage door opener was made.

If your garage door opener is a Chamberlain, but not a LiftMaster model, this FAQ could help you.

That’s it. You Must Replace Your Garage Door Opener. NOW. But where to start?

You don’t know anything about garage door openers or motors in general. And you don’t seek to become the next Wikipedia of door openers. Here is how to narrow down your choices in a blink.

Is the ceiling of your garage pretty low or cathedral? Do you want to put storage above your garage door? Maybe your house’s design includes windows over your garage door?

A picture of house with a garage door in the Vog Design, 9' x 8' size, Black Color, with the Left‑side Harmony window layout

This elegant, modern garage door in the Vog Design has windows above it. That’s why a wall mounted LiftMaster 8500W garage door opener is necessary. Indeed, this residential Jackshaft-type opener is the perfectly engineered solution to fit your specific garage requirements. It mounts easily on the wall (right or left side) beside the garage door and comes with a remote 1500-Lumen light that can be positioned anywhere in the garage.>/em>

Is your garage attached and your garage door below a bedroom or the living room? Near the kitchen, maybe?

A picture of a garage with bedrooms over it and a single garage door in the Prestige XL Design, Chocolate Walnut Color, with Pinhead windows

Really like this 1-car garage door? It is the Prestige XL Design, Chocolate Walnut color, with Pinhead windows.

It means your garage door opener needs to operate QUIETLY. So, garage door openers operating with a chain are a BIG NO-NO! They are a bit cheaper, but way noisier! You’ve got to choose a garage door opener operating with a rubber BELT .

You might think we’ve presented things worse than they are. However, you’ll be really angry at yourself when you’ve just fallen asleep, and the garage door wakes you up.

These are 2 rubber belt driven LiftMaster garage door openers to consider:

A picture of the LiftMaster 87504-267 garage door opener, belt operation, with integrated camera and 2-way audio, Wifi, and a battery backup

The LiftMaster 87504-267

Replacing the former and very popular LiftMaster 8550, this garage door opener operates with a rubber belt-drive system, has a battery backup, a built-in camera, 2-way audio and the MyQ app. It means when you operate your garage door on your smartphone or any electronic devices, you SEE what happens in your garage. You can even HAVE A CONVERSATION with people in your garage.

Not much into technology? Don’t want to see and hear what’s happening in your garage on your smartphone? Then the LiftMaster 84501 is also a rubber belt-drive garage door opener. It operates smoothly and has the MyQ app too, but does NOT include a battery backup.

An image of the  LiftMaster 84501 garage door opener

Have the Talk.

Everything You Want to Know About Overhead Doors & Garage Door Openers. Why Not Asking the Experts?

Purchasing a garage door or a garage door opener is not something we do every day.

In fact, most of us will do it only once or twice in our lifetime.

Not like a pair of shoes that stays in our closet forever because they’re sooo uncomfortable, yet we don’t lose sleep over this bad investment. Because an overhead door and a garage door opener are a bigger investment, and they necessitate construction work too, they should be considered more carefully.

If you choose right, they will last up to 25 years. They will add curb appeal to your home and will have a great resale value too. So how about taking the time to talk to your local GARAGA dealer first?

They are indeed experts in garage doors and garage door openers. They have extensive experience, and they love helping you find the perfect garage door system at the right plus for you.

Find the door of your dreams already? Ask us for a quotation by email.

You’d like to shop online a bit first? You can browse our residential photo gallery. Do you like interactive design apps? If so, grab your smartphone and try our Design Centre. You’ll have fun building your dream door.

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