Should You Add a Wireless Garage Door Keypad?

Before choosing and installing a garage door keypad, you might have a few questions. You’ve come to the right place. We cover what you need to know before buying a garage door keypad. This article is specific to LiftMaster keypad systems.

At Doorvana, we want to help you learn about garage doors, openers, and accessories to outfit your home with the best and most reliable equipment.

What is a garage door keypad?

A keypad is an external hardware piece with a numerical pad and a sliding plastic cover. The unit pairs with your garage door opener to open and close your door with a PIN code instead of a physical remote.

Does a keypad work with every garage door opener?

The short answer is no. Your opener needs to meet a couple of criteria to work with LiftMaster wireless keypads. If your garage door setup doesn’t meet these standards, you’ll need to upgrade your opener before adding a keypad.

• Your garage door must have photoelectric sensors installed. There are sensors at the bottom of both sides of your garage door, secured to the rail.
• Your garage door opener needs to have been manufactured after 1993. If your opener were built before 1993, the technology wouldn’t work together. (If you have a nearly 30-year-old garage door operator, congratulations on it making it this far!)
• Your opener can’t use dip switches. Dual inline package openers came before the rolling codes today’s garage door openers use. The rolling codes are nearly impossible to duplicate or bypass.

Can a keypad work with two or three garage doors?

Yes, the 878Max and the 877LM can pair with more than one garage door opener. You’ll create a separate pin to pair with each opener so that you can operate the doors individually.

The 387LM universal keypad pictured below works with only one opener.

Is a garage door keypad wired?

No, all keyless entry systems are wireless. If you’re wondering do they have a battery, the answer is yes. The 387LM, 878Max, and 887LM keypads are powered by one 9V battery.

Why buy an external keyless entry system for your garage?

• Convenience. An external keypad lets you access your home without a key to the front door or a garage door remote. Keypads are perfect for kids coming home from school or letting your in-laws look in on your home while you’re away.
• Redundancy. If your garage door remote battery goes out, you’ll need a way into the garage. An external keyless entry system ensures you can get into the garage even if your remote stops working.
• Guest Access. Excluding the 387LM, the keypads let you grant codes for friends or home service workers. Say you have work done at home and don’t want to give someone a key to your front door. Providing a temporary guest code to your keypad system is an excellent way to provide someone with short-term access to your home.

How much are these systems?

Wireless keypads are around $60 – $100 plus the labor of your local garage door service company. It’s safe to say most garage door wireless keypad installs cost between $200 – $300. If you add two systems, the second one won’t be as expensive as the first one because the first one should cover the initial trip charge.

Which keypad should I buy for my garage?

To help answer that question, we built a side-by-side comparison of the three LiftMaster wireless entry systems, complete with photos, specs, and pricing.

Looking for garage door keypad installation near you?

If you’re ready to add a new keypad to your garage, call us at 817-500-5988 or submit a form to schedule your installation. If you still have keypad questions, please let us know. We’re here to help.

P.S. We only install in the Dallas, Fort Worth, Texas metro area.