Method for operating an electromechanical actuator for manoeuvring a movable element that closes, protects from the sun, occults or screens, the actuator comprising a geared motor, the method comprising: - a step of receiving an order (OA1, OA2) to activate the geared motor, of a first nature; - a step of activating the geared motor in a first direction as a result of the order (OA1, OA2) to activate; - a step of storing in memory the first nature of the order (OA1, OA2) to activate; - at least one transient phase (E125, E135, E225) subsequent to the reception of the order to activate; - a step (E140, E240) of collecting first data between an acquisition start time and an acquisition end time, these data relating to the position of a member of the actuator during the at least one transient phase (E125, E135, E225); - a first step (E150, E250) of analysing the collected first data; and - a step (E160, E260, E400, E500) of using a result of the first analysing step in order to determine the nature of the first activation direction of the geared motor, characterized in that: the at least one transient phase (E125, E225) is a start-up phase of the geared motor, the acquisition start time is the moment at which the order to activate (OA1, OA2) is received or interpreted or executed and the acquisition end time is the moment at which a preset condition regarding the variation in the position of the member of the actuator is met; or the method furthermore comprises a step of receiving an order to stop the geared motor, the at least one transient phase is a stoppage phase of the geared motor, the acquisition start time is the moment at which the order to stop is received, interpreted or executed and the acquisition end time is associated with the member of the actuator coming to a standstill. - a step of receiving an order (OA1, OA2) to activate the geared motor, of a first nature; - a step of activating the geared motor in a first direction as a result of the order (OA1, OA2) to activate; - a step of storing in memory the first nature of the order (OA1, OA2) to activate; - at least one transient phase (E125, E135, E225) subsequent to the reception of the order to activate; - a step (E140, E240) of collecting first data between an acquisition start time and an acquisition end time, these data relating to the position of a member of the actuator during the at least one transient phase (E125, E135, E225); - a first step (E150, E250) of analysing the collected first data; and - a step (E160, E260, E400, E500) of using a result of the first analysing step in order to determine the nature of the first activation direction of the geared motor, characterized in that: the at least one transient phase (E125, E225) is a start-up phase of the geared motor, the acquisition start time is the moment at which the order to activate (OA1, OA2) is received or interpreted or executed and the acquisition end time is the moment at which a preset condition regarding the variation in the position of the member of the actuator is met; or the method furthermore comprises a step of receiving an order to stop the geared motor, the at least one transient phase is a stoppage phase of the geared motor, the acquisition start time is the moment at which the order to stop is received, interpreted or executed and the acquisition end time is associated with the member of the actuator coming to a standstill. the at least one transient phase (E125, E225) is a start-up phase of the geared motor, the acquisition start time is the moment at which the order to activate (OA1, OA2) is received or interpreted or executed and the acquisition end time is the moment at which a preset condition regarding the variation in the position of the member of the actuator is met; or the method furthermore comprises a step of receiving an order to stop the geared motor, the at least one transient phase is a stoppage phase of the geared motor, the acquisition start time is the moment at which the order to stop is received, interpreted or executed and the acquisition end time is associated with the member of the actuator coming to a standstill.