Garage Door Won’t Open? Here’s Why, and What to Do
A door that won’t open has a handful of likely causes. Here’s how to narrow it down before you call anyone.
1. You Heard a Loud Bang First
A sharp bang followed by a door that won’t budge, or an opener that strains without lifting it, is almost always a broken spring. This is a safety issue, not a nuisance. Stop using the door and see our spring repair page for what happens next, or the torsion vs. extension guide if you’re not sure which type you have.
2. The Opener Runs, But the Door Doesn’t Move
If you hear the motor working but the door stays put, the trolley has likely disconnected from the drive chain or belt, sometimes intentionally via the emergency release cord, sometimes from a worn connector. See our opener repair page for the full diagnosis, or check our brand-specific pages for LiftMaster, Chamberlain, or Genie units.
3. Nothing Happens at All, No Lights, No Sound
Check the breaker for your garage circuit first, and confirm the opener is plugged in. If power is confirmed but the opener is still dead, the motor or circuit board may have failed. See our opener repair page for next steps.
4. The Door Looks Crooked or Won’t Budge Manually
If the door is visibly off track or stuck at an angle, a cable has likely snapped or a roller has jumped the rail. See our off-track repair page, or our cable repair page if a cable is visibly loose or dangling.
Still Not Sure? Let the Tool Narrow It Down
Answer two quick questions in our free troubleshooting tool, or see common repair scenarios for real examples of how these situations get resolved. If it feels urgent, see our emergency repair page. If the power is out, see our manual release guide.