Awning Remote Not Working: 9 Checks Before You Call
If your awning remote has stopped working, the fault is usually the remote’s battery, a motor that has overheated, or a motor that has lost its pairing with the remote. All three are fixable at home in minutes. A dead motor or a failed control board is less common, and a few simple tests tell you which one you have.
This guide goes in the order we would check on a visit: cheapest and quickest first, so you don’t buy a new remote or motor you don’t need. It covers electric awnings with a radio remote, the type fitted to most UK patio and shop awnings.
TL;DR
Check the remote’s LED first. No light when you press a button usually means a flat battery. A light with no movement points to the motor or its pairing.
If the awning has just been used repeatedly, wait 30 minutes. Motors have a short duty cycle and cut out to protect themselves.
Switch the power off and on at the motor. If it twitches (“jogs”), it has power and probably only needs re-pairing.
No jog, no movement and a good supply means a likely motor or electronics fault. Stop there and get it looked at.
Never force a stuck awning by hand while the motor is engaged. It can damage the arms and fabric.
Table of Contents
Start with what the remote is telling you
Press any button and watch the small LED on the remote. It tells you more than anything else you can do in the first ten seconds.
What you see | What it usually means | What to do next |
No light at all | Flat or badly seated battery | Replace the battery, check the polarity |
Light flashes, awning does nothing | Remote is fine; motor has no power, is overheated or has lost pairing | Go to the power, cooling and re-pairing checks below |
Light works, but only some buttons respond | Worn button contacts inside the remote | Try a second remote, or have the buttons repaired |
Works close up, fails from your usual spot | Range or interference problem | Try next to the awning, then move back |
Awning moves a little, then stops | Limit settings, a blocked arm or a sensor override | See the later sections |
The brand matters for the exact procedure. Many UK awnings use a Somfy RTS radio motor, but others use different systems, so check the handset’s label or your manual before you press any combination of buttons.
Check 1: the battery, properly
It sounds obvious, but it is the most common cause. If the LED stays dark, fit a fresh battery from a new packet, not one left in a drawer. Check the + and - sides match the diagram, and that the contacts are clean and not loose.
A remote that has been left on a sunny window ledge or in a hot car can also behave oddly. Let it cool, then try again.
One warning. If you swap the battery while standing at the awning and the motor still doesn’t respond, don’t assume the new battery is faulty. Move on to the checks below.
Check 2: has the motor overheated?
This catches out a lot of owners. Most awning motors are built for short bursts of running, often around four minutes. If you have opened and closed the awning several times in a row, perhaps adjusting it for the sun, or a wind sensor has been triggering it back and forth, the motor can enter thermal protection. Somfy’s support guidance describes this protection mode and says it typically lasts 15 to 30 minutes, during which the motor ignores the remote whatever the battery state.
So if the awning was working a few minutes ago and has just gone quiet:
Put the remote down.
Wait a full 30 minutes.
Try one press of the open or close button.
If it moves, nothing is broken. Try to make fewer, longer movements in future, and ask why the awning was cycling so much. A wind sensor set too sensitively is a frequent culprit.
Check 3: does the motor have power?
The remote can only send a signal. The motor still needs mains electricity. Work through this list:
Is the wall switch, fused spur or plug socket that feeds the awning switched on?
Has a trip occurred on your consumer unit? A tripped RCD or circuit breaker is common after storms.
If a plug-in lead is used, is it fully seated? Has water got into an outdoor connector?
Do other things on the same circuit work?
If a breaker trips again as soon as you reset it, leave it off. That points to a wiring or water ingress problem on the awning’s supply, and it is a job for a qualified electrician or the installer, not for DIY. Do not open the motor head or junction boxes yourself.
Check 4: the jog test
This is the most useful diagnostic for a radio motor. Switch the power to the motor off, wait a few seconds, then switch it back on, and watch the awning.
It jogs, a quick in-and-out twitch. Somfy explains that this shows the motor has power and is often just out of sync with the remote. Do not assume the hardware is faulty until you have tried re-pairing.
It does nothing at all. There is probably a fault in the supply or in the motor’s electronics. Check the supply again, then get it looked at.
That result decides your next step, so note it before you do anything else.
Check 5: re-pairing the remote
Radio awning remotes are paired to the motor’s memory. A power cut, a surge, a motor swap or a replaced handset can all break that link. Re-pairing is brand-specific, so follow your own manual. For Somfy RTS motors the process involves the small programming (P2) button on the back of the handset, and it is time-sensitive: the steps often need to be completed within a few seconds of the motor being powered up.
Some practical points we would pass on:
Have the handset in your hand, at the awning, before you switch the power back on. If you fumble, you will run out of time.
Do one handset at a time. If you have several remotes or several awnings, unplug the others from the mains so you don’t pair or change the wrong one.
If a step needs you to hold the “my” button, Somfy’s guide says to hold it for about 8 seconds with the light blinking the whole time. If the light stops blinking, stop and start again.
Don’t repeat the procedure endlessly. If it fails three times, the motor may not be accepting commands, and a further reset attempt rarely changes that. Somfy also has a separate guide for a motor that won’t reset to factory mode.
If the awning only moves while you hold the button down, that is a different symptom with its own fix. Somfy has a step-by-step page for it.
Check 6: is the remote itself failing?
Buttons wear out. If the LED lights but one direction never works, or a button works only when pressed hard at an angle, the contact under the button may have gone open circuit. In that case you do not necessarily need a new handset. A specialist electronics repair service has documented a Somfy Telis Soliris handset fixed for a button that worked only intermittently, and button repairs of this kind can cost far less than a proprietary replacement. Compare quotes before you buy a new one.
If you have a spare remote, or a wall switch controlling the same motor, try that. If the spare works first time, the original handset is your problem and the motor is fine.
Check 7: wind and sun sensors
Many awnings have a wind sensor, and some also have a sun sensor. A sensor can tell the motor to retract and hold. If it has been triggered, or its batteries have run flat, the awning may seem to ignore the remote.
Look for dirt, cobwebs or bird droppings on the sensor.
Check whether the sensor has its own battery, and whether it is solar powered and has been shaded or covered.
Check the sensor has not been knocked or twisted out of position.
If the awning only refuses to extend on breezy days, that may be working as designed.
If you suspect the sensor but are not sure, ask whoever installed the awning to check the settings. Do not bypass a wind sensor to get the awning out. It is there to protect the fabric, frame and anyone sitting underneath.
Check 8: range, interference and obstructions
Try the remote standing right beside the awning. If it works there but not from the kitchen, you have a range issue. Thick walls, metal doors, new Wi-Fi or smart-home equipment near the receiver, and a low battery can all reduce reach. Replace the battery first, then try different positions.
Also look at the physical side. Check that nothing is blocking the arms, that the front bar is not caught on a gutter or a plant, and that the fabric has not jammed or twisted on the roller. A motor that stops partway is sometimes just doing its job after meeting resistance.
Check 9: manual override
If the motor is dead and the awning is stuck open ahead of bad weather, most electric awnings have an emergency crank point. Use only the manufacturer’s crank, and only if your manual says to. Turn the power off first. Go slowly and stop at any resistance. If it will not move, leave it and call someone. Wind damage to a half-extended awning will cost far more than a call-out.
When it is the motor, not the remote
It is probably the motor or its control electronics if:
there is no jog on power-up, and the supply is confirmed good;
the remote LED is bright and a second remote does nothing either;
re-pairing fails repeatedly;
you hear a hum or click but nothing turns;
the awning only works some days, and the pattern follows rain or damp.
Somfy’s own advice is that no response at all is a likely sign of a mains or internal electronics failure. Motors do wear, and moisture can get in over the years. A replacement is often more sensible than a repair on an older unit, but the right answer depends on the age and make of the awning, the state of the fabric and frame, and whether the motor can be matched. We cover the repair, recover or replace question in our guide to awning repair costs, and we go through the practical side of a failed motor in our awning motor guide.
We won’t quote a motor price here, because it depends on the model, the torque required and the control system. If a firm quotes you, ask for the motor, the labour and the new handset to be itemised separately.
Our view: fix the cause, not the symptom
We supply, install and repair retractable awnings, pergolas and verandas across Yorkshire, Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire, and a good share of the calls we hear about start with “the remote has stopped working”. Our experience is that the remote is rarely the real story.
The repeat offenders are motors tripping on thermal protection because a sensor keeps cycling the awning, remotes that have been re-paired in a rush and now control the wrong unit, and fabric or arms that have become stiff and make the motor work harder than it was designed to. Replacing the handset fixes none of those.
So our advice is to spend ten minutes on the checks above before you spend any money. If you reach the jog test and the motor does nothing, stop and call a professional. Poking at mains wiring outdoors is not worth the risk, and a wrong guess can turn a cheap fix into a dearer one.
We would also say that a motor that has failed is a good moment to look at the whole awning. If the fabric is faded or the frame is tired, it may be worth costing a repair against a new installation before committing to either. Regular care also cuts down the chance of a motor struggling, and our maintenance guide for retractable awnings sets out what to do each season.
— Andrew
Need it looked at?
If the checks have not solved it, or you would rather not work near mains wiring, our awning repair and maintenance service covers diagnosis, motor and control repairs and servicing. If the awning is past its best and you are weighing up a new one, take a look at our retractable awnings or residential awnings and canopies. We offer a free quote, and our approach is advice without pressure.
When you get in touch, it helps to have the make of the awning, roughly how old it is, what the remote LED does and whether the motor jogs. That lets us tell you quickly whether it sounds like a simple fix.
Stopping it happening again
Keep spare batteries for the remote and note the type.
Give the motor rest: avoid repeated open and close cycles, and let it cool if it stops.
Keep the remote somewhere dry, cool and out of direct sun.
Wipe sensors and check the arms and fabric for debris a couple of times a year.
Photograph the motor label and the remote’s model number now. It saves time when you need parts or help.
Have the awning serviced regularly. Our maintenance checklist gives a sensible routine.
FAQ
Why has my awning remote stopped working after I changed the battery?
The most common causes are a battery fitted the wrong way round, loose contacts, or the motor having lost power or pairing while you were working at it. Check the LED lights when you press a button. If it does, run the jog test and try re-pairing the remote to the motor.
My electric awning won’t retract. What could be the problem?
Check for thermal protection after heavy use, a tripped breaker, a flat remote battery and an active wind or sun sensor. If the motor does not jog on power-up, it may have failed. Use the manual crank only if your manual allows it, and call an engineer if it will not move.
Do I need a new motor if the remote is dead?
Not necessarily. A remote with no LED usually needs only a battery, and a motor that jogs is generally still working and may only need re-pairing. A new motor is more likely if there is no jog, the supply is good and a second remote does nothing.
Can I use any remote with my awning motor?
No. Remotes must use the same radio system as the motor and be paired to it. Check your motor’s make and model before ordering a replacement handset, and be wary of a cheaper compatible one you can’t confirm will pair.
How long should I wait if the motor has overheated?
Give it 30 minutes before trying again. Somfy says protection typically lasts 15 to 30 minutes, and pressing buttons in the meantime will not speed it up.
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