How to Open a Garage Door Manually Safely

Sometimes you need to open a garage door by hand: during a power cut, when the opener has failed or when a remote will not work and a car is inside. Most openers have a release cord for exactly this. It is safe only when the door is in good condition, so start by checking for the warning signs below.

Do not try it if you heard a bang, if the door looks crooked, if a cable is loose or frayed, if a spring has a visible gap or if a roller is out of its track. In any of those cases the door can be too heavy to lift or can drop when released. Stop and call instead.

If none of those apply, make sure the door is fully closed. Releasing a door that is partly open can let it drop. Keep people and pets clear and make sure you can see the whole door.

Find the release cord. It is usually a red rope with a handle that hangs from the trolley on the rail, close to the opener. Pull it straight down, and the door disconnects from the opener. You may hear a click.

Lift the door with both hands, using the handles or the bottom edge, and keep your fingers clear of the gaps between the panels. A well-balanced door lifts easily and stays where you leave it at about waist height. If it feels very heavy, springs back down or will not stay up, stop. That is a sign the springs are not carrying the weight.

When you close the door, lower it slowly and keep your hands on the handles, not on the edges of the panels. To reconnect the opener later, follow the manual for your model. With the door closed, the trolley usually reconnects by pulling the release cord toward the opener or by running the opener, depending on the model.

Never touch the springs, cables or the brackets nearby, even for a moment. If the door will not move easily by hand, your call is connected to an independent local service provider. Our Emergency Garage Door Repair and Garage Door Spring Repair pages explain what to look for.