What to Do When Your Garage Door Is Stuck (and What Not to Do)

First, Check the Simple Stuff

Remote batteries. It sounds basic, but a dead battery is one of the most common reasons a door "won't respond."
The manual lock. Some doors have a slide lock or a keyed lock on the track that can engage accidentally, especially after being bumped.
Obstructions in the photo-eye path. If the door won't close, check that nothing (including a low-hanging cord or hose) is blocking the sensor beam near the floor on either side.
Visible obstructions in the track. A stray tool, toy, or built-up debris in the track can stop a door mid-travel.

If the Door Won't Move at All

Most openers have a manual release — typically a red cord hanging from the trolley on the rail. Pulling it disconnects the door from the opener so it can be moved by hand. This is useful in a power outage or if you need to get a car out immediately, but only pull it if the door is fully closed or you're prepared to support its full weight — an open door with a failed spring can drop suddenly once disconnected from the opener.

What Not to Do

Don't force a door that's stuck partway — this is the fastest way to bend a track or damage a panel.
Don't disconnect the manual release on a door with a suspected broken spring or cable — you could be releasing an unsupported weight.
Don't attempt to adjust or remove a torsion spring yourself under any circumstances.
Don't keep pressing the remote or wall button repeatedly if the opener is straining or clicking without moving the door — this can burn out the motor.

When It's Time to Call

If you've checked the simple stuff and the door still won't move, or if you can see a broken spring, snapped cable, or bent track, stop trying to operate it and call for service. See our emergency same-day repair page for what we treat as priority calls.