Short answer: a smart garage in 2026 does four things: it tells you when the door is open, lets you see and talk to whoever is in the garage, lets packages go inside instead of sitting on the porch, and stops the door before it closes on a car, a kid or a pet. Here is what each piece does and which ones are worth it in a Twin Cities home.
1. Know when the door is open (and close it from anywhere)
A myQ-connected LiftMaster opener sends an alert to your phone when the door opens or is left open, and lets you close it from anywhere. Timer-to-close shuts it automatically after a few minutes, so a door left open overnight stops being a worry. This is the first upgrade I recommend to almost every customer. More in my smart opener guide.
2. See and talk to who’s in the garage
Some LiftMaster openers now have a camera built right into the opener. The LiftMaster Elite 87504-267, for example, has a 140-degree wide-angle camera with two-way talk, viewed in the myQ app (product details). Good for checking that the door really closed, seeing a delivery, or talking to the kids when they get home.
3. Packages inside, not on the porch
With Amazon Key In-Garage Delivery, a Prime member with a myQ (or other supported) smart garage can have packages left inside the garage. The driver scans the package, Amazon opens the door one time, the package goes in and the door closes. Amazon lists it at $1.99 per order, or free when you group deliveries on one Amazon Day (Amazon).
4. Stop the door before it hits something: full-coverage sensors
The safety sensors on almost every opener are one beam a few inches off the floor. They protect feet and pets, but they cannot see an open trunk, a hatch, a bike rack or a bumper sticking out higher up. That’s how people close the door on their own car.
Infinity Shield: full-height garage door sensor. Infinity Shield replaces the standard sensor with a full-coverage one. According to the company, it uses 25 patented beams across the whole door opening, stops the door before it hits anything, and adds a parking-assist beeper while a car is in the door’s path. They say it works with all major opener brands and installs on the existing rails and wiring.
Great for tall SUVs and trucks, cars with power hatches, EVs parked close to the door, and homes with small kids. Ask David whether it fits your opener and garage.
5. Keep working when the power goes out
Many LiftMaster models have battery backup built in or as an add-on, so you can still get the car out during a storm outage. On the wall-mount LiftMaster 98022 it’s built in.
Which upgrades are worth it?
| Upgrade | Best for |
|---|---|
| myQ alerts + timer-to-close | Almost everyone |
| Camera opener | Families, frequent deliveries, rentals |
| In-garage delivery | Prime members with porch-theft worries |
| Full-coverage sensor (Infinity Shield) | Tall vehicles, power hatches, EVs, small kids |
| Battery backup | Anyone who can’t afford to be stuck during an outage |
Smart opener installs by David (not stock photos)
Driving an EV? See EVs, garages and Minnesota winters.
Common questions
Can a garage door opener have a built-in camera?
Yes. For example, the LiftMaster Elite 87504-267 has a built-in 140-degree wide-angle camera with two-way talk, viewed through the myQ app. David can tell you whether a camera model makes sense for your garage.
How does Amazon in-garage delivery work?
You need Amazon Prime and a compatible smart garage such as myQ. The driver scans the package, Amazon verifies it and opens the door one time, the driver leaves the package inside and closes the door. Amazon lists it at $1.99 per order, or free when you group deliveries on one Amazon Day.
Why does my garage door sensor not see an open trunk?
A standard safety sensor is one beam a few inches above the floor. It protects feet, pets and kids, but it cannot see an open hatch, a bike rack or a bumper sticking out higher up. Full-height sensors like Infinity Shield are made to cover the whole opening.
Can I add smart features to my old opener?
Often yes, with a myQ smart garage add-on, but if the opener is old and acting up, a new myQ opener is usually the better investment. See how long openers last before deciding.
Written by David Tuito, owner and technician of David’s Urgent Garage Door, St. Louis Park, MN (family-owned since 2019, MN State Contractor Registration #IR790255). Product details come from the manufacturers’ published information; not sponsored.