Yellow vs purple learn button
These two colors look “close enough” in a store aisle. They are not the same radio generation. Buying the wrong one is the most common remote return in this family.
Yellow (round) ≈ Security+ 2.0 (roughly 2011+). Purple ≈ older Security+ at 315 MHz (roughly 2005–2014). Remotes are usually not interchangeable. Match the Learn button on your motor head — then check the product’s compatibility chart and your manual.
Side-by-side
| Yellow (round) | Purple / brown | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical technology | Security+ 2.0 | Security+ (rolling code) |
| Typical frequency | 310 / 315 / 390 MHz (tri-band) | 315 MHz |
| Common era | ~2011–mid-2020s | ~2005–2014 |
| Example remote searches | 893LM, 891LM, 875LM keypad | 373LM, 371LM, purple-compatible keypad |
| Will yellow remotes learn on purple? | Usually no — wrong generation. Use the finder; don’t force it. | |
Why people get burned
- Packaging says “Chamberlain compatible” without naming Learn color.
- The LED next to Learn is amber on both — that LED is not the key.
- Universal remotes can cover both if you pick the correct mode; OEM single-protocol remotes usually cannot.
- Faded purple can look brown; still treat it as purple-era, not yellow.
What to buy (honestly)
Search Security+ 2.0 / yellow Learn accessories (e.g. LiftMaster 893LM, 875LM). Confirm the listing says Security+ 2.0.
Search purple Learn / 315 MHz Security+ (e.g. LiftMaster 373LM). Avoid yellow-only Security+ 2.0 SKUs.
Orange/red and green
Still in the same brand family, but older:
- Orange/red — earlier Security+ (~390 MHz, late 1990s–mid 2000s).
- Green — Billion Code (~1993–1997); OEM remotes are scarce; universals that list green Learn are often the practical path.
See the finder tool for those colors. We cite uncertainty in the seed data on purpose — no “guaranteed fit” claims.
How to find the learn button if you haven’t looked under the light cover yet.
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