Key Takeaways
- Somfy motors and remotes use a consistent process across every task — select a channel, enter programming mode, and confirm with a “jog” (a brief motor movement and sound).
- Resetting the circuit board is often the first, simplest fix when a system stops responding — it clears the board's memory so motors can be reprogrammed from scratch.
- Multiple motors can share one remote channel, effectively creating an “all” button that opens or closes an entire system with a single press.
- Adding a second remote to an existing system is a copy operation, not a new setup — programming transfers from a working remote to a new one on a matching channel.
A motorized louvered roof or shade system runs on Somfy motors controlled through a circuit board and a handheld remote. Most of what looks like a malfunction — a channel that stops responding, a second remote that won't sync, a motor that seems “stuck” — is actually a programming issue with a known fix, not a hardware failure. Breslow has documented four of the most common of these tasks on video: resetting the board, programming motors from scratch, adding or copying a second remote, and programming a simpler single-motor system. This guide walks through all four, in the order an owner is most likely to need them.
Before You Start: The Two Ideas Behind Every Task
Every task below relies on the same two concepts. First, the jog — a brief, deliberate movement of the motor, accompanied by a short noise, that confirms the system received a command. Owners will see and hear this constantly during programming: it means “got it,” not “something's wrong.” Second, the channel — each motor is assigned to a numbered channel on the remote, and the remote only talks to whichever motor is programmed to the channel currently selected. Nearly every troubleshooting step comes down to getting the right channel selected before pressing anything else.
Resetting the Circuit Board
When a system starts acting unpredictably — not responding, or responding to the wrong channel — the first step is often a full reset of the circuit board itself. In the video below, a Breslow technician demonstrates the process on a two-motor board: pressing and holding the program button until every indicator light blinks and both motors give a confirming jog, which clears prior programming so the board is ready to be set up again from a clean state.
Programming Motors to a Remote
With the board reset, each motor gets programmed to its own channel individually. The process is the same for each: select the channel, press the program button until the motor's indicator light flashes, then press the remote's up and down buttons together to enter programming mode. From there, the technician checks that the up button actually moves the motor outward (reversing it with the center “my” button if it doesn't), then triggers limit discovery so the motor learns its own fully open and fully closed positions. The video below walks through programming a full two-motor circuit board this way, plus how to combine both motors onto one shared channel afterward.
Programming a Single-Motor System
Not every accessory needs two motors — a single retractable screen or a smaller shade often runs on just one. The programming logic is identical to the two-motor process, just without the extra step of selecting between S1 and S2 on the board. Select the channel, enter programming mode, confirm direction, run limit discovery, then lock in the programming by holding the “my” button and, finally, the back button on the remote itself.
Adding or Copying a Second Remote Control
A common request from owners is a second remote — one for each side of the house, or a spare for a family member. This doesn't require reprogramming the motor at all. Instead, programming is copied from the working remote to the new one: select the channel on the original remote, flip it over, and hold the back button until the motor jogs, confirming the channel's programming is “live.” Then repeat that same sequence on the new remote, set to the same channel, and it operates the same motor. The same copy method also lets an owner combine several motors onto a single shared channel on one remote, for a one-button “all open” or “all close” function.
When to Call Service Instead
These four tasks cover the programming issues Breslow sees most often from owners, and most are resolvable in a few minutes without a service visit. That said, there's a point where troubleshooting on your own stops making sense: if a reset and reprogram don't resolve the issue, if a motor won't complete limit discovery no matter how many times it's tried, or if there's any doubt about the wiring itself, it's time to stop and call in a technician. Breslow services every system it installs for the life of the product — requests can be submitted anytime through the service page, and general system care is also covered on the maintenance page.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean when a motor "jogs" during programming?
A jog is a brief, deliberate movement of the motor — the pistons or louvers shift slightly and make a short noise. It's the system's way of confirming it received a command, whether that's entering programming mode, locking in a channel, or finding its open and closed limits.
Can one remote control operate more than one motor at once?
Yes. Multiple motors can be programmed onto the same channel, effectively creating an “all” button, by copying each motor's programming from its own channel onto a shared channel using the remote's back-button copy function.
How do I add a second remote control to an existing motorized system?
Programming from an existing, already-working remote is copied onto a new remote by putting the original remote into its channel, holding the back button until the motor jogs, then repeating that same process on the new remote set to the same channel.
When should I call Breslow's service team instead of troubleshooting a motor myself?
If a reset and reprogram don't resolve the issue, if a motor won't find its open or closed limits, or if there's any doubt about wiring or the circuit board itself, it's time to call in a technician rather than continue troubleshooting.