How To Program Your Subaru Garage Door Opener (With And Without A Remote)
If you drive a Subaru and live in a house with a garage door, programming the built-in garage door opener is an easy way to save time. While your garage door likely already has a remote, using your vehicle’s integrated system means no more fumbling with a separate remote. All you have to do is press a button on your car’s rearview mirror. Most new Subaru models, like the 2025 Subaru Outback, include HomeLink, standard on some trims and optional on others, which lets you control your garage or gate with the touch of a button.
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HomeLink is a wireless control system built into your vehicle that makes it possible to operate garage doors, gates, and even home lighting or security systems directly from your vehicle — no additional remotes needed. It features three programmable, backlit buttons, allowing you to replace up to three separate remotes with a single built-in interface, resulting in a lot less clutter in your car. The system works with a wide range of garage door openers and RF-controlled devices, so there’s a good chance it’ll be compatible with the setup you have at your home. Programming the garage door opener is easy and can usually be completed in a few minutes.
How to program your Subaru garage door opener using a remote
While there are many gadgets you can use to upgrade your garage, at its most basic, it’s a place to park your car. As such, you want to be able to get in and out of it easily, and that’s why garage door remotes have become a must-have device. If you still have your garage door opener’s remote, you can quickly program it to work with your Subaru’s HomeLink system. If you’re training your HomeLink for the first time, you may want to clear your HomeLink by pressing and holding the outer two HomeLink buttons for 10 seconds. You should release them once the indicator light goes from solid to flashing rapidly. There’s no need to repeat this step when training other buttons.
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Follow these steps to program your Subaru garage door opener with a remote:
- Press and release the HomeLink button that you want to program. The indicator orange light will begin flashing slowly.
- While the orange light is flashing, hold your garage door remote 1-3 inches away from the HomeLink button you want to program.
- Press and hold the button on the remote until the light changes green.
- Press the HomeLink button you’re programming.
- If the indicator light stays green, you’ve successfully programmed the HomeLink button and will be able to open your garage.
These steps won’t work with all garage door openers and will vary depending on the manufacturer. If the green light is flashing rapidly after you’ve tried to program one of the HomeLink buttons, try firmly pressing the HomeLink button for two seconds and then releasing it; do this three times. If this works, you’ll be able to open and close your garage door.
Programming your Subaru garage door opener without a remote
From blinking lights on your garage door opener to pairing it with your Subaru’s built-in HomeLink® system, setup can sometimes feel like solving a high-tech puzzle, but it gets easier once you know the steps. If you’ve misplaced your remote or prefer not to use it, you can still program HomeLink using your garage door opener’s “Learn” button instead. In fact, some garage door openers, particularly those with rolling code technology, may require this method, even if you have the original remote.
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If you’re training the HomeLink system for the first time, you may want to clear it before attempting the programming steps. You can do this by pressing and holding the two outer HomeLink buttons until the indicator light flashes rapidly, then releasing them. You don’t need to repeat this step when you program the remaining buttons. Having someone stay in the vehicle to press the HomeLink button can make programming without a remote much easier.
Follow these steps to program your Subaru garage door opener without a remote:
- Find and press the “Learn” or “Smart” button on your garage door opener motor unit.
- If nobody’s helping you, return to your vehicle within 30 seconds of activating your opener’s learning mode.
- Press and hold the HomeLink button you want to program for two seconds, then release. Repeat this step three times.
If the pairing was successful, your garage door should close once you’ve completed these steps. Go through these steps a second time if your garage door doesn’t pair with HomeLink the first time. After you’ve set it up, you’ll be able to control your garage door from your Subaru without any extra remotes.
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