Genie Garage Door Openers - Features and Accessories Overview

Published on: October 6, 2021   

When purchasing a new Genie garage door opener there are many factors to consider.  What accessories are included?  How many remotes or keypads will I need?  Is my garage door opener Wi-Fi enabled so I can control it with my phone?  Is a battery backup included?  It can be tricky to understand what features are included and what to look for in a garage door opener.  Here we will discuss features that can be included in Genie garage door openers, so you are able to make an informed decision on what garage door opener fits your needs.

Wi-Fi Enabled

Genie garage door openers with Aladdin Connect Wi-Fi integration allow you to use your smartphone to open and close your garage door from anywhere.  Your Aladdin Connect will connect your garage door opener to your home’s Wi-Fi. According to Statista, the percentage of adults in the United Sates who own a smartphone has doubled since 2011.  85% of adults now have a smartphone in 2021.  Put your smartphone to good use with the Genie Aladdin Connect smartphone garage door controller!  You no longer need a physical garage door opener remote.  Simply use your Aladdin Connect app to virtually open, close, and monitor your garage door opener – from anywhere! The Aladdin Connect app is free, so no monthly premiums or fees.  Create Aladdin Connect Virtual Keys which allow you to give garage door access to certain people and certain times.  Optional alerts tell you every time the garage door has been opened and closed. 

There are two ways to have Aladdin Connect access. You can purchase a garage door opener with integrated Aladdin Connect built into the unit itself.  Genie has 24 garage door openers that include Aladdin Connect for purchase in a retail store or from a professional dealer.  Look for key words on the garage door opener box such as “Connect”, “Smart Garage”, or “Wi-Fi Enabled” to determine if your opener has smartphone capabilities. You can also select “Wi-Fi” under the Genie product selector to view Genie garage door openers with Wi-Fi included.

Another option is to purchase an opener without Aladdin Connect included and to purchase a Genie Aladdin Connect retro-fit kit to upgrade your garage door opener to be “smart”!  The retrofit kit will connect to your existing garage door opener and is installed in about 30 minutes for just over $50.  The retro-fit kit will work with most garage door openers made since 1993.

Please note that if you purchase an integrated Aladdin Connect OR the retro-fit kit, each will include one garage door sensor to control one door.  This means if you have more than one garage door that you would like to open with your Aladdin Connect you will need to purchase a sensor for each door found here.  The Aladdin Connect can control up to three garage doors. 

Battery Backup

Back in the day during a power outage, the garage door opener was manually opened from the inside of the garage by first pulling the red emergency release cord.  All garage doors are still required to have an emergency release cord, however, having a battery backup allows you to open your garage door automatically from either the inside or outside of your garage.  Your remotes and keypads will still work during a power outage, thanks to the help of a Genie garage door opener battery backup! Genie battery backups will allow you to open and close your garage door up to 50 cycles within the first 24 hours of a power outage. 

You can purchase a Genie garage door opener with integrated battery backup by looking for wording on the packaging such as “Built-In Battery Backup” or “Ultra-Quiet Battery Backup.”  Select “Battery Backup” under “Features and Options” of the Genie product selector to view all models that have integrated battery backup.  Learn more about battery backup options for your Genie garage door opener here.

Accessories

All Genie garage door openers sold must include a set of Safe-T-Beams.  Safe-T-Beams place an invisible infrared beam across the opening of your garage door.  If an object passes through the beam while the garage door is closing, the door will automatically reverse.  This is to ensure maximum safety when using your garage door opener.

Every Genie garage door opener includes at least one garage door opener remote.  Some models include 2 remotes.  The most common garage door opener remotes included with Genie openers include the model G3T-R (3-button remote) or the G1T (1-button remote).  You can learn more about all the Genie models of Genie garage door opener remotes here. 

Some Genie garage door openers include a wireless keypad.  The wireless keypad allows you to access up to 3 garage doors from the outside by entering your PIN.  Some Genie garage door openers also include a wall console or a push button to access your garage door from the inside of the garage.  The wall control panel has a vacation lock as well as a light control button to control your garage door opener lights independently.

Genie garage door openers may use either 1 or 2 lightbulbs, depending on the model.  Some openers include Genie’s LED garage door opener lightbulbs.  The Genie LED bulbs are specifically designed for garage door openers and create little to no radio frequency to interfere with wireless devices (such as your garage door opener).  The Genie LED bulbs are made to withstand the harsher environment of the garage and are cold weather tested (up to -22F), damp location rated, and vibration and shatter resistant.  With 3 hours of use per day, the Genie LED bulb life expectancy is 22.8 years.  Genie garage door openers with LED integrated lighting do not require any lightbulbs.

Drive/Horsepower

There are 4 different drive types for Genie garage door openers.  Genie screw drive garage door openers are ideal for heavy doors and easy to maintain.  Genie chain drive garage door openers are the most common and least expensive.  They are a classic and known for their durable design.  Genie belt drive garage door openers are the quietest garage door opener and are perfect for attached garages close to living spaces. Genie wall mounted garage door openers, also known as a jackshaft garage door opener, are ideal for garages with little overhead space since the wall mount will free at least 48” of ceiling space.   Wall mount garage door openers also have higher security features such as the Safe-T-Pulse system which checks for cable slacks and stops the door from closing if any issues are found.  Click here for more information on Genie garage door opener drive types.

In the product name of your Genie garage door opener you may see “HPc.”  This stands for horsepower comparable.  Genie residential garage door openers range from ½ HPc to 2 HPc.  Higher HPc garage door openers are ideal for heavy doors as they will operate with less effort and there will be less wear and tear on the garage door opener motor.

Features

All Genie garage door openers feature HomeLink and Car2U integration.  HomeLink and Car2U are garage door opener remotes that are integrated into the roof or visor of certain vehicles which eliminates the need for a garage door opener remote.   

Genie garage door openers also feature GenieSense monitoring and diagnostic technology which delivers the power needed at every moment for the garage door.  GenieSense will monitor the operation of the garage door and stop operation when significant changes occur.  These features improve overall safety and minimize noise and wear and tear on the garage door.

Intellicode technology is integrated into all of Genie garage door openers.  Every time your Genie garage door opener remote is pressed a code is sent to your garage door opener which tells it to open.  Intellicode technology changes the access code of your garage door opener remote every time you use it.  This feature makes your Genie garage door opener very secure since it would be nearly impossible for hackers to guess your garage door code and open your garage door.  

Garage Door Height

Genie garage door openers sold at retail locations or for the DIYer are made for 7’ tall garage doors.  The height of your garage door is the distance from the floor to the top of the garage door opening.   If you have a DIY/Retail Genie garage door opener and your garage door is 8’ tall, you will need an extension kit.  Genie professionally installed garage door openers from your local Genie dealer can accommodate garage doors from 7’ up to 14’ in height.  Learn more about extension kits here.