How to Manually Override Your Retractable Awning

Your Marygrove awning runs on a motor, but every unit also has a manual crank backup built in. Power goes out? Motor overheating? You’re not stuck. Grab the crank handle and take care of it yourself. Watch the video below, then keep this page bookmarked for when you need it.

When You’d Use the Manual Override

This is an emergency backup. Here are the main situations:

Power Outage

If the power drops while your awning is extended, the motor can’t pull it in. Storms and outages tend to travel together, so being able to crank the awning in by hand can save you from real damage to the fabric, frame, and siding.

Motor Overheat

Awning motors aren’t built for nonstop use. After about 5 minutes of continuous running (lots of extend/retract cycles in a row), the motor may shut down to cool off. It’ll come back to life in 15 to 20 minutes. In the meantime, the crank lets you finish retracting if you need to.

Motor Failure

Rare, but it happens. Before assuming the motor’s dead, check that the power cord is fully seated in the outlet and that the GFI outlet hasn’t tripped, that fixes it more often than an actual motor failure. If it still won’t respond and you’re still waiting on a service appointment, the manual override keeps you from being stuck with a permanently open awning.

Where to Find the Override

Look at the end of the awning on the same side as the motor. You’ll see the black manual override loop. That’s where the crank pole goes in.

The crank pole came with your awning at install. If you can’t find yours, call our service team to get a replacement.

How to Use the Manual Override

Four steps, in order, from finding the loop to putting the crank away when you’re done.

Step 1: Find the Loop

Locate the black manual override loop on the motor side, then insert the crank pole into the loop.

Step 2: Turn Clockwise to Retract

Smooth, steady turns. It takes about 10 turns of the crank to turn the roll tube one full rotation, so be patient, this isn’t a quick spin. The awning will start rolling back into the cassette. Keep going until it’s all the way in and the front bar sits snug against the housing.

Step 3: Counterclockwise to Extend (If Needed)

Need to open the awning by hand? Turn the crank the other direction. This is way less common, but the option is there for things like cleaning the fabric during an outage.

Step 4: Remove and Store

Pull the crank out and store the handle somewhere easy to find indoors. Don’t leave it in the garage where it’ll get buried behind holiday decorations.

Mistakes to Avoid With the Manual Override

The manual override is a backup system. Treat it that way.

• Don’t force it. If the crank feels stuck, stop. Fabric might be caught, an arm could be off track, or something’s blocking the roller. Forcing it can strip the motor’s gears.
• Don’t crank it every day. The override is built for occasional use. Daily cranking wears down the components fast.
• Don’t run the motor and the crank at the same time. If power comes back while you’re cranking, stop and switch to the remote. Using both at once can damage the motor.
• Always retract before a storm. If bad weather’s coming, roll the awning in, by remote or by crank. Don’t gamble with wind and rain.

When to Call for Service

If you’re reaching for the crank handle more than once in a blue moon, something’s up. Call us if:

• The motor doesn’t respond to the remote even with power confirmed
• You hear grinding or clicking but the awning won’t move
• The crank feels unusually stiff or won’t engage
• The awning gets stuck mid retract

These are signs of a motor issue, gear problem, or a physical blockage. Our techs can diagnose and fix it. Check your warranty too, Marygrove’s motor is covered for 5 years under normal use.

Ready for help? Book a service appointment and we’ll take it from there.