Introduction
Automating your garage door is one of the most practical and convenient solutions in a smart home system. It not only simplifies everyday use—allowing you to control the door with a single tap or even remotely from your phone—but also enhances safety and efficiency. Smart controllers make it possible to integrate the garage door with other devices, so you can set it to close automatically when you leave home or open as you arrive. Modern solutions use Wi-Fi connectivity and increasingly support standards such as Matter, making them easy to integrate into different smart home ecosystems.
Requirements
Electric tools
Fit-for-purpose relay (e.g. Shelly Plus 1, Sonoff MINI-D etc.)
Important Safety Notice
Only garage doors that comply with the applicable European safety standards (e.g., EN 12453) are permitted to be motorized. Such doors must include mandatory protective features like obstacle detection, fall protection, end limit switches, and a manual release system. Motorization without these safety measures is unsafe and not allowed.
Installation with Sonoff MINI-D
WARNING:
Before starting the installation be sure of following all the safety rules of any electrical installation.
If you don't feel comfortable please ask for profissional help.
Make sure all wires are connected correctly.
In terms of installation, it’s quite simple.
With Sonoff MINI-D the user has two options to power up the module:
By AC (Alternating current) source
By DC (Direct current) source
For this guide, we will demonstrate the setup using an AC power source.
To power the module:
Connect the Live (L) wire to the terminal labeled L.
Connect the Neutral (N) wire to the terminal labeled N.
As shown in the diagram, the module receives AC power with the live wire connected to the L terminal and the neutral wire connected to the N terminal.
Wires to control the garage door
For this step, you'll need two wires that will connect the MINI-D module to the garage door motor.
Connect a wire from the COM terminal on the MINI-D to the COM terminal indicated on the garage door motor.
Connect the second wire from the NC terminal of the MINI-D to the corresponding terminal on the garage door motor.
NOTE: The installation may vary depending on the motor, so always consult the garage door motor’s manual.
Pairing the Device
Once the device has been installed and powered on, it needs to be paired with the chosen smart home application. In most cases, the device automatically enters pairing mode after the first startup. If this does not happen, pairing mode can usually be activated by pressing and holding a physical button on the device until an indicator light starts flashing.
The pairing process is typically completed in the mobile application by selecting “Add Device” or scanning a QR code provided on the product or in the manual. After detection, follow the on-screen instructions to connect the device to your Wi-Fi network or preferred smart home hub.
Once successfully paired, the device will appear in the app and can be configured according to your automation needs.
Proper settings
For proper garage door operation, you need to adjust some settings, such as Inching Settings and Switch Mode.
Inching function
The Inching function allows the relay to remain active only for a short, predefined period of time before automatically switching off. In practice, this creates a brief electrical “pulse,” which is ideal for controlling devices that require only a momentary signal to operate, such as electric locks, garage doors, automatic gates, or doorbells.
To enable the inching setting options in case of MINI-D follow these steps
Select the MINI-D that will be used on garage door and click on settings (3 dots).
Find and open the "inching settings" option.
Now, enable the inching setting, set the inching value to 0.5 and status "Auto-Off". After that, save the changes.
Switch Mode
In the Switch Mode option, the user should select the mode that best fits their setup. Here, it's possible to choose the switch type: Pulse Mode, Edge Mode, or Following Mode. The selected option will determine how the external switch behaves.
You can choose from three options in Mode menu.
Pulse Mode allows you to control devices with a short-duration action, meaning the device performs an action only while the switch is pressed. When you press the switch, the device performs an action (like turning on or off), but as soon as you release the switch, the action is undone. Pulse Mode is useful in situations where you need temporary or momentary control, without the device staying on or off after pressing the switch
Garage door switch: When you press the switch, the device (like a garage door opener) performs the action of opening or closing, but as soon as you release the button, the movement stops.
Edge Mode: the relay toggles its state (ON/OFF) every time the external switch changes position — regardless of whether the switch is currently in the ON or OFF state.
This mode uses signal edge detection, meaning it reacts to both:
a falling edge (when the switch goes from open to closed)
and a rising edge (when the switch goes from closed to open)
Following Mode: the relay status mirrors the physical state of the connected external switch. This creates a direct and synchronous relationship between the switch and the device, meaning the smart relay will always follow the manual switch's current state:
When the external switch is ON (closed) → the relay turns ON
When the external switch is OFF (open) → the relay turns OFF
Conclusion
Automating a garage door can be achieved in a straightforward, cost-effective, and reliable way. By completing the installation and configuration steps, the device is now connected to your network, set up in the application, and ready to provide secure remote operation.
This approach not only enhances everyday comfort but also brings your home one step closer to a fully integrated smart environment.
Furthermore, thanks to its compatibility with multiple smart home ecosystems, the device can easily work together with other components, allowing you to design personalized automation scenarios that suit your needs.