Programming and controls · Rolling Shutter Guide
How do I add a Somfy remote, wall switch or key fob to my shutter?
On the Somfy remote that already runs the shutter, press and hold the small programming button on the back until the motor jogs. Then, on the new remote or wall switch (with its channel selected), press and hold its programming button until the motor jogs again. The new control is paired; the old one keeps working.
Key facts
- Adding a Somfy control needs a remote that already works; the same two-step press, done with a remote that is already paired, removes it instead.
- Roll-A-Shield supplies Somfy remotes with Somfy motors and Gaposa remotes with Gaposa motors; the two brands' remotes are not interchangeable in these steps. Roll-A-Shield data
- Remote-operated Roll-A-Shield shutters leave the factory with the remote already paired. Roll-A-Shield data
- With no working remote, a Somfy Altus RTS motor has to be reset with a dual power cut, which erases every remote and both limits.
- A shutter can have several Somfy remotes, and one multi-channel remote can run several shutters. Roll-A-Shield data
Applies to: Somfy Altus RTS and Altus RTS manual-override (CMO) radio motors with Telis handheld remotes, Smoove on-wall remotes, DecoFlex wall switches, key fobs and Somfy sun or wind sensors. Not for wired (switch-only) Somfy motors or Gaposa motors.
What do I need before I start?
A Somfy remote that already runs the shutter, the new control, and a paper clip or pen tip for the small programming buttons. On most Somfy RTS shutters you add a control by copying it from a working one; on Roll-A-Shield units specifically, remote-operated shutters ship with the first remote already paired, so the new control is always the second or later.
Check the motor first. These steps are for Somfy radio (RTS) motors, including the Altus RTS manual-override motor. A Somfy motor run only from a wired wall switch has no radio receiver, and a Gaposa motor needs Gaposa controls and its own steps on How do I add a Gaposa remote?. The brand name is printed on the remote and on the motor head.
How do I add a second Somfy remote?
Open programming with the working remote's programming button, then confirm with the new remote's programming button.
- On the working remote, select the channel for this shutter if it is a multi-channel remote.
- Turn it over and press and hold the small programming button on the back, with a paper clip, until the motor jogs (a brief up-and-down movement).
- On the new remote, select the channel you want this shutter on.
- Turn the new remote over and press and hold its programming button until the motor jogs again.
- The new remote is paired. Test it, and check the old remote still works.
- For a multi-channel remote, repeat for each shutter, one channel at a time.
Tip: On Somfy RTS motors the same two steps both add and remove a control. If the control you press second is already paired to the shutter, the press deletes it instead. If a working remote suddenly stops working after a pairing attempt, repeat the steps with it to add it back.
How do I add an on-wall remote or wall switch?
The same way: programming button on the working remote until the motor jogs, then the button labeled "programming" on the back of the on-wall remote until it jogs. On a DecoFlex wire-free wall switch the programming button is on the front and needs a paper clip, and you select the channel on the switch first. An on-wall Somfy remote needs no wiring; it is a remote made to look like a wall switch.
How do I add a Somfy key fob?
Open programming from the working remote, then set the fob with its own button combination. These steps are from Roll-A-Shield's key fob video.
- On the working remote, press the programming button on the back until the motor jogs.
- The fob has three buttons across the top and one larger button below. Hold the two outer top buttons together until the fob's light starts blinking, then release.
- Press the large button. The motor jogs.
- Press the large button again; the shutter runs. That button now runs the shutter up and down and stops it.
A key fob suits a business: staff can close the storefront shutters from their car at the end of the day.
Can I add a Somfy sun or wind sensor the same way?
Yes. Roll-A-Shield's installation guide adds a Somfy sun or wind sensor with the same two steps: programming button on the working remote until the motor moves, then the programming button on the sensor until the motor jogs again.
What if no remote works?
Try a new battery in the remote first; see Change the battery in a shutter remote. If the only remote is lost or dead, the motor cannot be copied from it. A Somfy Altus RTS motor is then reset with a dual power cut, which deletes all previous settings, remotes and limits alike, and the new remote is paired with its programming button. After that the limits have to be set again; see Set the limits on a Somfy RTS motor.
Safety: A dual power cut switches the power to one motor off and on in a timed pattern. Somfy's instructions say to cut power only at the motor being reset. Use that motor's own breaker or plug, not a breaker that also feeds other shutter motors. Following a published Roll-A-Shield guide does not void the warranty. Mains wiring must be done by a licensed electrician. The full sequence is on Somfy RTS: factory reset.
Which Somfy controls can I mix?
| Control | Channels | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Telis handheld | 1, 4 or 16 | The 16-channel has a screen for schedules and groups |
| Smoove on-wall remote | 1 or 4 | Looks like a wall switch |
| Key fob | See note | On a keychain |
| TaHoma hub | Up to 32 shutters | Phone app control over Wi-Fi |
Roll-A-Shield's records list a 4-channel Somfy key fob, while its product video shows a single-channel one; check the fob in your hand. A Bond Bridge can also run Somfy RTS motors from a phone; see Phone and app control for rolling shutters.
For help pairing a Somfy control, call (480) 921-0200.
Watch it done
Somfy: adding a remote
The written steps on this page are the reference; the video shows the same job.
Frequently asked questions
I lost my only Somfy remote. Can I pair a new one?
Not by copying. The motor has to be reset with a dual power cut (a timed off-on-off-on of that motor's power), then the new remote is paired and both limits are set again, because the reset erases them. The steps are on the Somfy reset page, or call (480) 921-0200.
Why did my working remote stop working after I tried to add a new one?
The Somfy add and delete commands are the same press. If the control you pressed second was already paired, that press removed it. Repeat the two steps with that control to add it back.
Can I add a remote to a Somfy shutter that runs from a wall switch?
Not if it has a wired switch motor: those have no radio receiver. A switch motor has a 4-wire cable and a radio motor a 3-wire cable. Making a switch shutter remote-controlled is a separate job.
Does a Somfy remote work with a Gaposa motor?
Use the remote brand that matches the motor. Roll-A-Shield pairs Somfy Telis and Smoove controls with Somfy motors and Gaposa controls with Gaposa motors.
Parts and next step
Need a part or a hand?
Replacement motors, remotes, straps, slats and hardware ship from our Tempe, Arizona factory. Phoenix-area owners can book a service visit; everywhere else, our technicians help by phone. Call (480) 921-0200; the factory answers technical questions for any rolling shutter, not only ours.