Short answer: pull the red emergency release cord hanging from the opener’s trolley to disconnect the door from the motor, then lift the door by hand using the handle, not the panels. It should move fairly easily and stay in place partway open if the springs are working correctly. Reconnect the release once power is back by closing the door manually first, then pulling the cord toward the opener until it clicks back into the trolley.
Step by step
- Close the door first, if it is not already closed. Disconnecting the opener while the door is open removes the motor’s support, and a door with a failing spring can drop suddenly
- Find the emergency release cord. It hangs from the trolley, the part that rides along the opener’s rail, usually with a red handle
- Pull the cord straight down and toward the door. This disconnects the trolley from the opener’s drive mechanism, freeing the door to move by hand
- Lift the door using the handle on the bottom panel, not by grabbing the top or a middle panel, which is harder to control
- A properly balanced door will lift smoothly and stay wherever you leave it, held by the spring tension rather than needing to be forced
If the door feels heavy or will not stay open
A properly balanced garage door should feel light enough to lift with one hand and should stay in place when released partway. If yours feels heavy, drops on its own, or fights you, do not force it. That points to a spring problem, and a door with weak or broken springs is not just hard to lift, it can also fall unexpectedly. Get it closed if you can do so safely, and leave it alone until the springs are checked.
Reconnecting the opener once power is back
- Close the door manually so it is fully seated in the frame
- Pull the emergency release cord toward the opener motor, which re-engages the trolley with the drive mechanism. You should hear or feel it click into place
- Test it with the wall button or remote before considering it done
If the opener does not respond after power is restored and the trolley is reconnected, check that the opener itself is receiving power, an outage can occasionally trip a breaker or a GFCI outlet that does not reset on its own.
A few things not to do
- Do not pull the release cord while the door is open unless you are prepared for the door’s full weight to be on the springs and cables alone with nothing backing up the opener
- Do not force a door that will not budge. A door that will not lift by hand at all often has a bigger problem than a power outage, such as a broken spring or a bent track
- Do not leave the door manually operated for an extended period without a working automatic lock or lockable slide bolt, since manual operation bypasses the opener’s built-in locking
Frequently asked questions
Why does my garage door have a manual release at all?
It is a required safety feature on residential openers, precisely so the door can still be opened by hand during a power outage or if the opener itself fails, without needing to break anything.
Is it normal for the door to feel heavy when opening it manually?
No. A correctly balanced garage door should lift with one hand and stay in place when you let go partway. If it feels heavy or drops on its own, the spring system needs to be looked at, do not keep forcing it open by hand.
Can I damage my garage door by using the manual release?
Not from normal, occasional use during an outage. The main risk is pulling the release while the door is open on a door with a weak or failing spring, which can cause it to drop suddenly.
What if I pull the cord and the door still will not move?
That usually means something mechanical is wrong beyond the power being out, such as a broken spring, a snapped cable, or a door off its track. Stop and have it looked at rather than forcing it.
Need help after an outage or a stuck door?
If your garage door will not move manually, or it moved but now will not reconnect to the opener properly, call Discount Door Service at (520) 579-9084 or request service online. If it turns out to be a spring issue, see our spring repair page for what that involves.
