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1. Confirm your system generation and find the settings
SimpliSafe’s current support instructions cover Gen 3. Systems purchased in 2017 or earlier may be Original SimpliSafe, which can use different instructions. Check the generation before relying on the menus below. See SimpliSafe’s Device Settings instructions.
For system-wide controls, open My System > Base Station Settings in the app. SimpliSafe’s setup guide highlights the Base Station light, audio cue and siren volume, and entry and exit delays. System Settings are also available from the keypad menu or your online account.
Sensor behavior is configured separately. Open Device Settings for a sensor in the app, keypad, or online account; if you want the same change on several sensors, make it on each one.
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- Simple to set up. Seriously secure - Get ready to protect right out of the box. Just plug in the Base Station, download the SimpliSafe App, place your sensors, and start protecting your home. No wiring or drilling required. Or contact SimpliSafe directly if you need help installing your system.
- 1 FREE month of professional monitoring for fast police response when you need it most. With optional monitoring services, our agents keep watch even when you can't, ready to instantly alert emergency responders. Starting at less than $1/day with no long-term contracts or hidden fees. (SimpliSafe products and professional monitoring services are only offered for sale and supported in the US)
- Complete control of your system with the SimpliSafe App - Arm, disarm and protect anytime, anywhere.
- Protection for entry points - Entry Sensors protect windows, doors, and cabinets and alert you when someone tries to enter. Customizable and can send Secret Alerts so you are quietly alerted if someone accesses private areas, without sounding an alarm.
- Blanket a whole room - Motion sensors detect motion within 35 feet, have a 90 degree field of view and get along great with pets under 60lbs. Perfect for full room coverage when placed in a corner.
2. Check what each sensor does in Off, Home, and Away
Do not assume every sensor responds the same way in each arming mode. SimpliSafe’s Gen 3 device settings table shows that defaults vary by sensor and mode. For example, motion sensors are disabled in Home by default and set to alarm in Away by default.
Review the modes that matter for each sensor, especially if you use Home while people are inside. Consider whether a sensor should trigger an alarm in that mode given who is home and where the sensor is placed. Change only the sensors whose default behavior does not fit your routine.
Rank #2
- 1 FREE month of professional monitoring for fast police response when you need it most. With optional monitoring services, our agents keep watch even when you can't, ready to instantly alert emergency responders. Starting at less than $1/day with no long-term contracts or hidden fees. (SimpliSafe products and professional monitoring services are only offered for sale and supported in the US)
- Complete control of your system with the SimpliSafe App - Arm, disarm and protect anytime, anywhere.
- See what's happening inside - The SimpliCam Wired Indoor Security Camera lets you see what’s happening at home anytime from your phone, and it comes with a built-in stainless steel shutter for complete control over your privacy.
- Protection for entry points - Entry Sensors protect windows, doors, and cabinets and alert you when someone tries to enter. Customizable and can send Secret Alerts so you are quietly alerted if someone accesses private areas, without sounding an alarm.
- Blanket a whole room - Motion sensors detect motion within 35 feet, have a 90 degree field of view and get along great with pets under 60lbs. Perfect for full room coverage when placed in a corner.
3. Set entry and exit delays around your routine
Entry delay is the time between an active sensor being tripped and the alarm sounding, giving you time to disarm. Exit delay is the countdown before the system arms. These are adjustable, and the right setting depends on who enters, which door they use, and how quickly they can disarm.
The current US entry-delay support page gives a 30-second default and a range of 0–255 seconds. SimpliSafe’s Base Station settings page also lists a 30-second entry default. It gives Away exit delay as 60 seconds by default, adjustable from 45 seconds to 4 minutes 15 seconds; Home exit delay is 0 by default and adjustable up to 4 minutes 15 seconds. These figures come from those current US support pages; follow the instructions for your system.
Rank #3
- Simple to set up. Seriously secure. Get ready to protect right out of the box. Just plug in the Base Station, place your wireless camera and sensors where you want, and start protecting your home. No wiring or drilling required.
- Complete control of your system with the SimpliSafe App - Arm, disarm and protect anytime, anywhere
- Stop crime in real time - With the Smart Alarm Wireless Indoor Camera and 24/7 live guard protection exclusively from SimpliSafe, monitoring agents can actively see and speak to intruders during an alarm through the two-way audio feature
- Blanket a whole room - Motion sensors detect motion within 35 feet, have a 90 degree field of view and get along great with pets under 60lbs. Perfect for full room coverage when placed in a corner.
- Smash-safe Keypad - Easily arm and disarm your system with a wireless Keypad that you can place anywhere. And backlit buttons light up when you need to see it and go dark when you don't.
- A longer entry delay gives household members more time to disarm after entering, but also lengthens the interval before the alarm sounds after a sensor trip.
- A shorter delay reduces that interval, but can be inconvenient if someone cannot disarm promptly.
- Choose exit delay based on how long people need to leave through the door they use before the system arms.
There is no single delay that fits every household; use your actual entry and exit routine to decide.
4. Use Instant Trigger only on sensors where it fits
Instant Trigger makes the alarm sound immediately when that configured sensor is tripped while the system is armed, with no entry delay. SimpliSafe gives seldom-used access points such as a cellar door, basement, or skylight as examples. Because it removes the usual disarm window for that sensor, use it only where an immediate alarm is preferable to having time to disarm. See the device settings instructions and entry-delay guidance.
Rank #4
- Simple to set up. Seriously secure - Get ready to protect right out of the box.
- 1 FREE month of professional monitoring for fast police response when you need it most. With optional monitoring services, our agents keep watch even when you can't, ready to instantly alert emergency responders. All with no long-term contracts or hidden fees. (SimpliSafe products and professional monitoring services are only offered for sale and supported in the US)
- Complete control of your system with the SimpliSafe App - Arm, disarm and protect anytime, anywhere.
- Keep watch outside 24/7 - Outdoor Camera Series 2 has an ultra-wide wide, 140 degree field of view, 1080p HD resolution and color night vision with spotlight so you can see clearly day and night. Wireless and wired installation options available with the included rechargeable battery and outdoor power cable.
- Designed to prevent crime before it happens. With optional SimpliSafe Active Guard Outdoor Protection, the Outdoor Camera uses advanced AI technology to identify potential threats to your home. Then, alerts our team of security agents who use the camera to see the intruder, speak to them directly, sound the built-in siren, and even request police dispatch if needed. Available with select monitoring plans and requires the Outdoor Camera to be wired using the included power cable.
5. Turn on the app alerts you want—and allow them on your phone
SimpliSafe identifies alarm, system status, and system health notifications. Select the relevant categories in the SimpliSafe app, then allow notifications for the app in your phone’s own settings. You also need to remain logged in. System health alerts can include low device battery, power or Wi-Fi changes, sensor response issues, and wireless interference. The notification support page lists iOS 17.0 or higher and Android 12 or higher as current app requirements; check that page for up-to-date requirements.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.6. Decide whether Secret Alerts suit your sensors and plan
Secret Alerts discreetly notify you about activity on selected sensors instead of triggering the system alarm. SimpliSafe says its cameras also record a short clip when a Secret Alert trips. This can be useful when you want to know about an event without sounding the alarm, but it is different from an alarm-triggering sensor setting.
Best Value
- Simple to set up. Seriously secure - Get ready to protect right out of the box. Just plug in the Base Station, follow the steps in the SimpliSafe App, place your sensors and start protecting your home. No wiring or drilling required. Or contact SimpliSafe directly if you need help installing your system.
- Smart home compatible - Arm your system at home with Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa.
SimpliSafe’s US Secret Alerts page lists entry sensors, Gen 1 or Gen 2 motion sensors, and glassbreak sensors as compatible. It lists Pro Plus, Pro, Core, or Self-Monitoring with Camera Recordings as eligible subscription options. Push notifications must be enabled to receive the alert. Check your account and current plan, since plan names and eligibility may change.
Quick Recap
A practical review order
- Confirm whether your system is Gen 3 or Original SimpliSafe before using Gen 3 menu instructions.
- Open My System > Base Station Settings and review the Base Station light, audio cue and siren volume, and entry and exit delays.
- Open Device Settings for each sensor you want to review. Check its behavior in Off, Home, and Away, and change each sensor separately as needed.
- Adjust entry and exit delays to match the household’s actual routines; use Instant Trigger only for selected sensors where immediate alarm behavior makes sense.
- Enable desired notification categories in the app, allow phone-level notifications, and check plan and sensor compatibility before configuring Secret Alerts.
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