Gone are the days of manually opening and closing your garage doors. While we all have the luxury of opening our garage doors from our cars, technology doesn’t always work as planned. If you’ve got a Craftsman garage door opener, learning how to program it is crucial.
To program the Craftsman garage door openers:
- Locate the mounted garage door opener and find the Learn button.
- Press the Learn button for ten seconds, then release it. The button will light up for 30 seconds.
- Press the remote control and SRT button, and if the indicator flashes, the program is successful.
Craftsman garage door openers make your life easier, but it’s frustrating when they don’t work. In some cases, a little troubleshooting it’s all that you need to get it working again.
If you have to buy a new remote control, here’s a guide explaining how to program Craftsman garage door openers.

How To Program Craftsman Garage Door Openers
Craftsman garage door openers are currently manufactured by Chamberlain, so the steps to program them are similar. Older units will have a different procedure, however.
Most of the garage door openers stop functioning with the old remote, necessitating the purchase of a new remote. You will have to program the garage door opener all over again.
Here is a step-by-step guide on how to program craftsman garage door openers:
Step 1: Purchase A New Garage Door Remote
You must purchase a new garage door opener compatible with your Craftsman garage door openers.
Compatibility is vital as it facilitates communication between the opener and the remote. Ensure the remote control shares a manufacturer with the opener for easy compatibility.
Step 2: Get A Ladder And Climb Up To The Opener
It’s time to get down to business. Utilizing a ladder, climb up close to your garage door opener. The garage door opener is the box attached to the garage ceiling, so use a sturdy ladder.
Next, find the location of the panel on the device. While most garage door openers come with a panel at the back of the device, some have one on the side.
You can access the motor unit by pulling the panel open. The panel has hinges attached to the unit, allowing it to slide down when opened.
Step 3: Find The “Learn” Button On The Garage Door Opener
The “LEARN” button is crucial when programming your garage opener. The “LEARN” button establishes communication between the opener and the remote.
The location of this button revolves around the different models, but it’s usually close to the antenna in most garage door openers.
The wire of the antenna’s color matches the color of the button, so if the wire is yellow, the button will be yellow too.

Step 4: Press And Hold The “Learn” Button For A Few Seconds
Now that you’ve located the “LEARN” button, press and hold it for a few seconds before releasing it. The button will light up for 30 seconds. If it starts blinking, the opener is in learning mode and ready to receive instructions from the remote.
Step 6: Press The Remote Control’s “Open” Button And “SRT” Button Simultaneously
Find the “SRT” button on the back of the mounted garage door opener and press it. Pressing the remote control’s “Open” button and the “SRT” button simultaneously will signal the opener.
The opener will receive this signal and store it in its memory. The indicator on the opener will flash to show that it has received and stored the signal. Now, you can release the buttons.
Step 6: Test The New Remote Control
Before you put the ladder away and call it a day, you must test the new remote control. You can stand in front of your garage and press the “Open” button on your remote. If the door opens, it means you’ve successfully programmed the garage door opener. If it doesn’t open, repeat steps four and five.
How Can You Troubleshoot Craftsman Garage Door Openers?
If your opener doesn’t respond to the new remote control, you should check if you’re out of range.
The Craftsman garage door opener has a range of up to 100 feet. Beyond that range, the opener will not receive the signal from the remote.
Another possible issue is that the batteries in the remote might be weak and need replacing. Check the opener’s sensors if you’ve tried replacing the batteries and the opener still isn’t responding.
The sensors tend to be on either side of the garage door. If the sensors are dirty, they might not be able to pick up the signal from the remote.
You can clean the sensors with a cloth. If that doesn’t work, try realigning them. The sensors should be pointing directly at each other. If they’re not, the opener won’t be able to pick up the signal from the remote.
You can also check if there is power going to the reed switch. You will find the reed switch on the opener’s motor unit. You’ll need a multimeter to check if there is power going to the reed switch.
First, disconnect the opener from the power source. Then, adjust the multimeter to the “continuity” setting and touch the leads to the terminals on the reed switch.
If the multimeter beeps, it means there is power going to the reed switch. The reed switch might be defective and need replacing if it doesn’t beep.
Why Choose Craftsman Garage Door Openers?
Craftsman is a trusted brand when it comes to garage door openers. Some of the benefits of using Craftsman garage door openers include:
Security Features
Security features are the utmost critical things in a garage door opener. You want an opener that will deter burglars and keep your family safe. Craftsman openers are rich in security features. Some of the security features include:
- A timer-to-close feature automatically closes the door after a certain amount of time.
- An auto-lock- it locks the door when it’s closed.
- A wireless garage door opener keypad– allows you to open the door without a remote.
- A rolling code technology- changes the code every time you use it.
- An alarm- sounds when the door is forced open.
- Vacation mode that disables the opener when you’re away.
These features add a layer of security and will give you peace of mind knowing that your family is safe.
Easy To Install
Another benefit of using a Craftsman garage door opener is that they are easy to install. The openers come with detailed instructions that are easy to follow.
You don’t need to be a handyman or have special skills to install the opener. You can install the opener if you can read, understand, and follow instructions.
Full-Garage Lighting
Most garage opener manufacturers design door openers with a light that turns on when the door opens, and the light turns off when the door gets closed.
The light is usually not very bright and doesn’t do an excellent job lighting up the garage. That’s where the Craftsman comes in and carries the trophy home.
Craftsman garage door openers come with a bright LED light that does a good job lighting up the garage. The light is also adjustable, hence allowing you to set the LED light and stay on for a certain period – 30 seconds to four minutes.
Control Your Craftsman Opener With A Smartphone
You can control the opener with your smartphone using the Craftsman AssureLink app. The app is available for iOS devices and Android.
With the app, you can:
- Open and close the door.
- Receive alerts when anyone opens or closes the garage door.
- Set a schedule for the door to open and close.
- Add, delete and share users.
- Check the status of the door.
You often wake up to confirm if you closed the garage door, only to realize that you didn’t. What about letting the delivery guy or the handyman in when you’re not around? With the app, you can do all that and more. The app is free to download and easy to use.
Safety
Safety is crucial for a garage door opener since most openers risk injury.
Craftsman garage door openers have safety features that reduce the risk of accidents. Some of the safety features include:
- An infrared sensor that reverses the door if there’s an obstacle in the way.
- A pressure sensor that stops the door from closing if there’s an obstacle in the way.
- A door open indicator lets you know if the door is opening or closing.
- An auto-stop feature stops the door from closing if it’s not correctly aligned.
These safety features are essential and will go a long way in preventing injuries like crushed fingers or toes.
Efficiency
Lastly, Craftsman garage door openers are not hungry for power. The openers use a DC motor designed to consume less energy.
Also, the opener has a sleep mode that helps it save even more energy. It automatically activates the sleep mode when you don’t use the opener for a certain period – usually 30 minutes to an hour.
So, you don’t have to panic because the garage door opener is weighing on your energy bill.
Summary
It’s simple to program Craftsman garage door openers. You don’t need a handyperson or special skills to install or program the opener. It just requires more brains than physical labor.
But before programming the garage door opener, it’s essential to check for faults and repair them. Doing so will ensure that the opener works correctly and safely. Also, don’t forget to read the user manual before programming. It has all the information you need to get started.