Chapter 01Records · Practical note
What to change on move-in day: locks, garage opener and codes
Work in this order. Count and test every key, remote and fob you were handed. Have the locks changed. Clear the garage opener's memory, then add back only the remotes, keypad and car buttons you keep. Set new codes on any keypad, smart lock or alarm. Cut copies last, from the new keys, and write it all in the key log.
Source: Hayward Police, Home Security Tips, checked October 11, 2026; Chamberlain Group support, How To Erase Remote Control And Keypad Access, checked October 11, 2026.
- Hayward police: have the locks changed whenever you moveLocks first Hayward Police, Home Security Tips, October 11, 2026
- Holding LEARN on a Chamberlain opener erases every old remote and keypadAbout 6 seconds Chamberlain Group support, How To Erase Remote Control And Keypad Access, October 11, 2026
- Cut spares from the new keys, never the old onesCopies last Arithmetic from the figures on this page
Why the order matters
When you buy or rent a home, you have no way to know how many keys, remotes and codes are still out there. The seller may have lent one to a dog walker or a contractor, and a past tenant may have cut copies for friends. Hayward's police department puts it in one line: whenever you move to a new home, have the locks changed.
Source: Hayward Police, Home Security Tips, checked October 11, 2026.
Doing the jobs out of order wastes work. Copies cut from the old keys are wasted once the locks change. Remotes you add back before clearing the opener get wiped along with the old ones.
The five jobs, in order
Count and test what you were handed
Lay out every key, fob, garage remote and code card. Try each key in each lock and set aside any that fit nothing. Write down how many of each you got. Renters hand these same ones back at move-out.
Have the locks changed
Book a locksmith, or have the locks rekeyed so your old hardware takes new keys. If you rent, the landlord owns the locks, so ask before anything changes and keep their answer in writing.
Clear the garage opener
Find the LEARN button on the opener's motor unit. On a Chamberlain or LiftMaster, hold it until the light turns off, about six seconds, and every old remote and keypad is erased. Other brands use other buttons, so check your manual.
Add back what you keep, then set new codes
Program each remote, the wall keypad and your car's built-in buttons again. Then give the keypad, any smart lock and any alarm a new code of your own, following that device's manual or app.
Cut copies and fill in the log
Now cut copies from the new keys. Put every key, remote and code in the log: how many, who has one and where the code is kept. Never the code itself.
Source: Chamberlain Group support, How To Erase Remote Control And Keypad Access, checked October 11, 2026.
Why clear the opener
Chamberlain's own support page names moving into a new house as a reason to erase remote and keypad access. Whoever lived there before may still have a remote in a car or a drawer.
Source: Chamberlain Group support, How To Erase Remote Control And Keypad Access, checked October 11, 2026.
What usually gets missed
- The car buttons. Clearing the opener wipes the buttons in your own car too, so add them back with the handheld remotes.
- The side door and the door from the garage into the house. People change the front lock and forget the doors they use most.
- Mailbox, shed, gate and window locks. Count them on day one, even if they wait until later.
- The hidden key. Walk the porch, planters and door ledges. Hayward's police say never to leave a key under a doormat, in a flowerpot or on a door ledge.
- Codes printed in a manual or taped inside a cabinet. Once you have set new codes, take the old ones down.
Source: Hayward Police, Home Security Tips, checked October 11, 2026.
Let the tool do the arithmeticKeys, codes and remotes logThe key log adds up how many copies to cut for each lock and how many remotes you still need, and lists what to change if you just moved in.Example: 9 copies, 4 full sets (4 locks, 2 people, 1 remote to get)Open the toolIf you rent
The locks and the opener belong to the landlord. Count and test what you were given, write the number on your move-in record, and ask in writing before you change a lock, clear an opener or add a smart lock. You can still set new codes on anything that's yours, and you can still keep the log.
Checklist to print
Tick these in order on move-in week:
- Count every key, fob, remote and code card
- Test each key and set aside any that fit nothing
- Write down how many of each you got
- Book the lock change (renters: ask the landlord)
- Check porch, planters and ledges for a hidden key
- Clear the garage opener with its LEARN button
- Add back the remotes you keep
- Add back the wall keypad
- Add back the buttons in each car
- Set new keypad, smart lock and alarm codes
- Take down old codes taped up or written in manuals
- Cut copies from the new keys
- Fill in the key log: who has one, code kept where
Tips and tricks
- Tip 01
Do it before the boxes
Book the lock change for move-in day or the day after. Once the unpacking starts, it slides.
- Tip 02
Keep the opener manual with the log
You'll want the add-back steps again the next time you buy a remote or change cars.
- Tip 03
Label the new keys at once
Use colored caps or tags, not your address. A ring of new keys that all look alike is how a wrong one gets copied.
- Tip 04
Toss the old keys
Once the new locks work, the old keys open nothing. Throw them out so they don't get mixed back in.
What we would do
Book the lock change, then clear the opener tonight
The lock change needs a booking, so make that call first. The opener takes a minute and a reach to the motor unit, so do it the same evening. Then add back your own remotes and the car, set new codes, and cut copies only from the new keys.
Questions
Should I change the locks when I buy a house?
Hayward's police department says to have the locks changed whenever you move to a new home. You can't know who still has a key from the seller's time there.
Source: Hayward Police, Home Security Tips, checked October 11, 2026.
How do I reset the garage door opener after moving in?
On a Chamberlain or LiftMaster opener, press and hold the LEARN button on the motor unit until its light turns off, about six seconds. That erases every remote and keypad. Then program back each one you want to use. Other brands differ, so check the manual.
Source: Chamberlain Group support, How To Erase Remote Control And Keypad Access, checked October 11, 2026.
Will clearing the opener stop my car's garage buttons working?
Yes, it clears everything the opener had learned, including the buttons built into your car. Add them back along with the handheld remotes, using your car manual's steps.
Source: Chamberlain Group support, How To Erase Remote Control And Keypad Access, checked October 11, 2026.
Should I cut spare keys before or after changing the locks?
After. Copies of the old keys stop working the day the new locks go in, so wait and cut spares from the new keys.
I rent. Can I change the locks myself?
The landlord owns the locks, so ask first and get the answer in writing. You can still count what you were given and keep your own log.
Part of a system
This page is one part of a bigger job. The system page puts the parts in order.
The tool and more guides
Chapter 01Keys, codes and remotes logCount the full sets of house keys you need, the copies to cut for each lock and the garage remotes to get, then print a log of who has what.Open the tool
ProblemNo size printed on my air filter: how to find itThe print on the frame is gone or the slot is empty. Measure the opening, round to the nearest inch, and know when you need a custom size.Read the guide
Practical noteFilter change reminders that actually stickA monthly look on a fixed day, the date written on the frame, a 60 to 90 day change window, and the next filter already on the shelf. Set up in ten minutes.Read the guide- Chapter 01All records toolsPrintable home records with a calculator behind each one: appliance and warranty log, HVAC filter sizes and change dates.Open the chapter
Sources
- Home Security Tips, City of Hayward Police Department (California). Checked October 11, 2026.
- How To Erase Remote Control And Keypad Access, The Chamberlain Group (Chamberlain and LiftMaster garage door openers). Checked October 11, 2026.
Every outside number on this page names its source and the date we checked it. See them all on the sources page. Spotted an error? Tell us.