Troubleshooting FAQs

You may want to clear the keypad display history after an alarm event. The process of resetting your keypad varies from system to system. Reset instructions for ADT’s most popular systems can be found on our Reset System page. For all other systems, please refer to your security system manual for specific instructions. 

Your system-specific user manual can be found on our System Manuals & User Guides page.

Regular testing ensures the system is able to communicate with our Customer Monitoring Centers. Alarm systems should be tested once a month and after any changes to your phone, Internet, or cable service. System test instructions can be found on MyADT.com.

Each individual system has its own alarm setting sequence. For your particular system, please refer to your security system manual.

The process of testing zones varies from system to system. Please refer to your security system manual for specific instructions.

Sometimes people avoid using their security system because they’re afraid of setting it off accidentally. But if you use your system regularly, it becomes part of your daily routine, which can help prevent mistakes and avoid false alarms.

There are two ways to arm your system:

AWAY - When leaving your house, you should always arm your system for Away to activate the interior zones such as your motion detectors.

STAY - If you have larger, active pets or pets who climb on the furniture, you should arm your system for Stay so your motion detector does not pick up their activity and cause false alarms.

When coming home, the first thing you should do is enter your 4 digit code to Disarm the system. Then make sure to arm the system again, but this time in Stay mode. This provides an added layer of protection for you and your family while you’re at home. Stay mode activates exterior doors but let’s you move around the home freely without triggering the alarm.

Another way to avoid setting off your alarm accidentally is to make sure everyone in your household knows how to use the alarm.

Be sure to test your system regularly to make sure it communicates properly with the 24-hour ADT Customer Monitoring Center. This can be done by logging into MyADT.com and selecting My Alarm, then click System Management and then select Place System on Test. You can also call 800-ADT-ASAP to put your system into Test Mode.

A door or window sensor is typically a two-piece magnetic contact sensor. When the system is armed and a door or window is opened, the two magnetic sensors are separated from each other, thereby tripping the alarm. If a protected door or window with a sensor is open, you will not be able to arm the system until the door or window is closed or the zone is bypassed. If your door or window sensor is causing false alarms, the door or window may not be securely closed or the sensor may be damaged. Swelling or contracting of the door or window due to changing weather may also result in false alarms. 

If you are having problems with your door or window sensors you may try troubleshooting the problem from our Sensor Troubleshooting page to determine if a service visit is necessary.

If a door or window contact becomes dislodged you can set the system to bypass the zone in which that contact is located, allowing you to keep the system armed with only those zones bypassed. 

For instructions on how to bypass a zone, you will need to refer to your system manual. If you do not have your system manual available, you can download one from our System Manuals & User Guides page.

No. Bypassing a zone should be regarded as a temporary solution and the issue must be corrected as soon as possible. If the problem is related to a peripheral device you may try troubleshooting the problem from our Sensor Troubleshooting page to determine if a service visit is necessary.

 

• A change in phone service. If your ADT system utilizes a landline to send alarm signals to our Customer Monitoring Centers, changes to your telephone service could impact the transmission of these signals. If you have a telephone technician visit your home, be sure to test the system before they leave to ensure it is communicating properly with ADT’s Customer Monitoring Centers. 

• Switching to DSL. If you plan to switch to a Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) for Internet services, a DSL filter created specifically to work with the ADT system may be necessary. 

• Remodeling. Home repairs can result in dislodged wires that can prevent you from successfully arming without having to bypass zones. Additionally, sanding and welding in the home may also cause smoke detectors to trip. Remember to save the wireless sensor contacts before disposing of an old door/window and be sure to test the system after any remodeling work is done. 

• Loss of power. When power is completely shut off for home repairs or you experience a power outage as a result of severe weather, the system will begin to operate on its backup battery for several hours. Once the backup battery power has been entirely depleted, the system will become non-operational. When power returns, the battery should fully recharge itself. If it is not fully recharged within 24-48 hours, you may need to replace the system battery. 

• Household pests. Motion detectors may stop functioning or cause false alarms when pests begin to infest. Spiders building cobwebs in front of a motion detector or bugs walking across or nesting in the motion detector are common examples. Mice and other rodents that scurry across a motion detector will be picked up as a movement. Other rodents may pick up or chew on wiring that leads to door or window contacts, causing the contacts to trigger false alarms or fail completely. Fumigating your home will only affect your alarm system if you have monitored smoke/heat detectors installed. Keep in mind that fumes can cause smoke detectors to trigger. 

• Decorations and ornaments. Items hanging in front of motion detectors are a common cause of false alarms. Wreaths hung on doors or other door interferences can block door contacts from meeting and prevent the system from arming.

• In places of business, point of purchase displays and advertisements may affect the system’s ability to arm properly. These items often hang from ceilings, twisting or spinning in the air, and can often be light enough for air conditioning to cause them to move, tripping a motion detector. Free-standing displays can block motion detectors and open box tops and loose plastic packaging in storerooms can flap and move when the air conditioning initiates.

A trouble signal (sometimes indicated in the alarm history by the abbreviation TR) indicates a possible problem or difficulty with your security system, such as a loose wire, a poorly aligned sensor or a low battery status. 

If you believe your issue is related to a peripheral device you may try troubleshooting the problem from our Sensor Troubleshooting page to determine if a service visit is necessary.

Most systems will begin beeping or chirping as a result of a total power outage or failure to recharge the system backup battery. 

For many of our most popular systems, beeping alarms and low battery trouble beeps can be silenced by pressing the [OFF] or [#] buttons from the keypad. If this does not work, please refer to your security system manual for specific instructions. If you need to order a replacement battery you can reference our Battery Identification page to find out which battery is required for your system or peripheral device.

Learn what steps to take for a low-battery signal.

Both your system and your peripheral devices use messages and beeps to indicate a low battery status. If your system battery is running low, most of our systems will display notifications like LOW BATT or BAT. If your peripheral device is low, most of our systems will display a similar message with the particular zone with the low battery status clearly indicated. 

To silence low battery beeping, refer to the MyADT Help Center page on how to silence beeping.

Peripheral devices, like smoke and motion detectors, door, and window sensors can either use AC power to function and require a battery only in case of a loss of power or can function as wireless devices which run independently and on battery power only. Regardless of whether your peripheral device uses AC power or battery power to operate, you will eventually need to replace their batteries. Find the right battery for your peripheral device on our Battery Identification page.

Camera repairs vary from system to system. If your problem is with a wifi camera, please visit our Wi-Fi Camera Troubleshooting page. For hardwired cameras and other camera problems, refer to your owner’s manual. If you do not have your manual available, you can download one from our System Manuals & User Guides page.