Chamberlain removes API access from new and existing garage door openers

"If companies can modify internet-connected products and charge subscriptions after people have already purchased them, what does it mean to own anything anymore?" - Brian X. Chen, The New York Times^[1]

Prior to locking down third party support, Chamberlain shipped myQ-enabled garage door openers that supported third party control via a cloud only API; many consumers utilized this API to integrate their garage door opener with other platforms like Home Assistant. With the myQ app, the range of integrations you're allowed to use is limited.^[2]

Chamberlain requires subscriptions for some of these features, such as opening your garage door from your car^[3]. In addition to this, they have targeted ads on the myQ app, collect your personal data, share your data with their affiliates, and get payments from their partners. Removal of API access has since broken any third party ways to get around this^[4], meaning you must use their myQ system if you want any of their promised cloud features.

In late 2023, Chamberlain removed third party API access of their garage door openers.^[5] Their official reason was that third party applications were creating a DDoS-like strain on their servers. However, this is likely not the real reason behind the removal, because this strain can be mitigated by enabling local access. There was also a sudden increase in data collection and ads on the myQ app after this happened.

Since the removal of this API access, the myQ app has been required to use or set up smart features on supported Chamberlain garage door openers.^[6]

Chamberlain has been met with severe backlash over this change due to consumers losing API access that may have influenced their purchase decision. However, this inspired some to create aftermarket solutions that restore a similar level of control or better to their garage door opener.^[7]

Thankfully, there are options available that bring back local control to existing Chamberlain garage openers and bypass the need for the myQ app. One example is ratgdo^[7], a microcontroller developed by Paul Wieland, that takes back control of your garage door opener; it does so by connecting directly to the garage door opener's dry contacts, allowing the ratgdo to then offer its own connection via ESPHome. There are also other options made by companies such as Meross that achieve similar goals.^[8]

However, it is important to note that these devices currently do not work on Chamberlain's new Security+ 3.0 platform. This is due to a physical hardware change resulting in no data being transmitted over wires, only power, and instead relying fully on wireless protocols for communication.^[9]

You can read the New York Times article^[1] for more info on the troubles faced with Chamberlain garage door openers, as well as The Verge article^[9] for Chamberlain's continued push against local control with Security+ 3.0.