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The garage is the forgotten door of the house. It is often full of expensive tools, bikes and a second fridge, it usually connects straight into the home, and its door is opened by a remote that lives on a car visor. Many people lock the front door every night and leave the door from the garage into the house unlocked.
This guide covers how garages are actually broken into and the fixes that stop each method, from a free zip tie to a smart opener that tells you when the door is open. Every product pick is a current best seller on Amazon.
Quick answer
- Biggest risk: a garage door left open. A smart opener alerts you and closes it from your phone.
- The 6-second trick: thieves hook the emergency release through the top of the door. A zip tie or release shield stops it.
- Lock the inside door from the garage to the house with a deadbolt, every time.
- Take the remote out of the car parked outside.
Our picks at a glance
Chamberlain myQ Smart Garage Control
Phone alerts · close remotely · works with most openers
One of the highest-volume home security products on Amazon. Tells you when the door opens and lets you close it from anywhere, which fixes the most common garage security failure.
Watch out for: Check compatibility with your opener before buying.
See current price →Heavy-duty garage door side lock
Steel bolt · mounts on the track · padlockable
Locks the door to the track from inside so it cannot be lifted, even if the opener is bypassed. Use it when you are away for longer periods.
Watch out for: Remember to unlock it before using the opener, or you can damage the motor.
See current price →Wyze Cam v4
2.5K · night vision · indoor/outdoor
A top seller that works well inside the garage or covering the driveway, and records locally to a memory card.
Watch out for: Garages get hot and cold; check the operating temperature range.
See current price →Solar motion sensor light
No wiring · bright LED · motion-activated
Solar motion lights sell in very high volume. Mount one over the garage door and another by any side door.
Watch out for: Needs direct sun on the panel to charge.
See current price →How garages actually get broken into
The door is simply open
By far the most common garage break-in requires no skill at all. Someone forgets to close the door, or it reverses after hitting something, and a passer-by walks in. In the UNC Charlotte survey of 422 incarcerated burglars, most said they entered through open windows or doors or forced them open, and many described their burglaries as unplanned and spur of the moment.
The emergency release is “fished”
Automatic garage doors have a red emergency release cord so you can open the door by hand in a power cut. On many doors, a thief can push the top of the door inward slightly, slide a bent coat hanger through the gap, hook the release and pull. The door is then free to lift by hand. Local news stations across the U.S. have shown the trick being done in seconds.
The remote is stolen from the car
A remote clipped to the visor of a car parked in the driveway is a key to the house. Break into the car, take the remote and the registration (which shows your address), and the garage opens.
The side door is forced
Many garages have a side or rear door with a cheap knob lock and no deadbolt. It is out of view and often weaker than the front door of the house.
10 ways to secure your garage
1. Get alerts when the door is open
A smart garage controller such as the Chamberlain myQ adds a sensor to the door and connects your opener to your phone. You get an alert when it opens, can check it from anywhere and can close it remotely. Many also let you set a schedule to close the door automatically at night.
2. Block the emergency release
Zip-tie the release lever so it takes a firm, deliberate pull to break the tie, which you can do in an emergency but a coat hanger cannot. Garage door shields that cover the release are another option. Never remove the release cord entirely; you need it if the power fails or someone is trapped.
3. Lock the door to the track when you travel
A side lock or slide bolt on the track stops the door from moving at all. Use it when you are away for several days, and always unplug the opener or remove the lock before using the remote.
4. Deadbolt the door into the house
Treat the door between the garage and the house as an exterior door. It should be solid, have a deadbolt and be locked every night. If a thief gets into the garage, this door is all that stands between them and your home. Our smart lock vs deadbolt guide covers the options.
5. Take the remote out of the car
Use a keychain remote or your phone instead of a visor remote, especially for cars parked outside. If you keep a visor remote, never leave the registration in the glovebox with your home address on it.
6. Upgrade the side door
Add a deadbolt to any side or rear garage door and reinforce the strike plate with long screws. The same rules apply as for your front door; see door and window security.
7. Cover or frost the windows
Garage windows let thieves see whether a car is inside and what is worth stealing. Frosted film or simple blinds remove the shopping list.
8. Light it up
A motion light over the garage door and side door makes it harder to work unseen. Solar models need no wiring.
9. Add a camera
About half of the burglars in the UNC Charlotte survey said outdoor cameras would deter them. A camera covering the driveway and garage door also records anyone who tries the door.
10. Change old opener codes
Very old garage openers used fixed codes that can be copied. Modern openers use rolling codes that change every time. If your opener is decades old, replacing it is a real security upgrade, and most new models come with smart features built in.
Protect what is inside the garage
Even with a secure door, assume someone may one day get in, and make what is inside harder to take. Bikes, e-bikes, power tools and lawn equipment are the usual targets because they are easy to sell. Lock bikes to a floor or wall anchor bolted into concrete, not just to each other. Keep power tools in a locked cabinet or toolbox, and record serial numbers and photos of anything valuable so you can report it and claim on insurance. Do not store ladders where they can be reached from outside; a ladder is an invitation to an upper-floor window.
Garage refrigerators and freezers are a quieter risk. A garage that holds alcohol, medicine or firearms needs extra care. Firearms should always be in a locked safe, never on a shelf or in a vehicle parked in the garage. Our home safe guide explains fire and burglary ratings.
If your garage is broken into
- Do not go in if you think someone may still be there. Call the police from somewhere safe.
- Save any camera footage before it is overwritten.
- Make a list of what is missing with serial numbers and photos.
- Report the theft to the police and to your insurer.
- Change the opener code, reset the smart controller password and check how they got in before you fix it.
Garage security checklist
- Garage door closed every night (and alerts on).
- Emergency release zip-tied or shielded.
- Door into the house locked with a deadbolt.
- Side door has a deadbolt and reinforced strike.
- No visor remote in cars parked outside.
- Windows covered.
- Motion light and a camera on the driveway.
- Track lock used when travelling.
- Bikes and expensive tools locked to a wall anchor.
Frequently asked questions
How do I stop someone from opening my garage door from outside?
Block the emergency release with a zip tie or shield, keep the remote out of cars parked outside, and use a smart controller so you know when the door is open.
Can garage doors be opened with a coat hanger?
Many automatic doors can be opened by hooking the emergency release through the top of the door. A zip tie on the release or a release shield prevents it.
Should the door from the garage to the house be locked?
Yes. Treat it as an exterior door with a deadbolt and lock it every night.
Are smart garage openers secure?
Yes, when you secure the app account with a strong password and two-factor authentication. The alerts and remote close fix the biggest risk, which is a door left open.
Do garage door locks damage the opener?
They can if you run the opener while the lock is engaged. Unplug the opener or make the lock part of a travel routine.
Keep reading
- How to secure your home: the complete guide
- Home security while on vacation
- Best home security cameras
- Smart lock vs deadbolt
Sources
- UNC Charlotte — Through the eyes of a burglar (study of 422 incarcerated burglars)
- Denver7 — Criminals find a way to break into your garage; cheap ways to prevent it
Verified October 2026. Amazon sales signals checked October 2026.
How we choose and check gear: see our Editorial Policy.