ADT's Alert Not Received article says security system notifications come by email, SMS and push. To fix missing alerts: first ensure the notification is enabled: in the ADT+ app or portal open the main menu, Notifications, then Security System or Cameras. For security notifications make sure the alert is listed, and if it is a custom alert that it is on, and if a required alert tap it to check you are set to be notified.
The checks in more detail
For cameras make sure the camera has notifications on and for the type of event, such as Animal, Motion or Package. Second, verify your notification method: three dots, My Profile, Notification Methods and toggle the one you want on, then Save. Third, verify your notification email and phone number in My Profile; the number used for multi-factor authentication syncs to the number for system alerts. Fourth, enable push notifications in the phone's settings for the ADT+ app on Android or iOS.
If alerts still fail, contact ADT chat. Alerts also need the Base online, so check wifi and cellular. Low battery and offline alerts warn about sensors. Update the app. Trigger a test alert by opening a sensor while the system is armed in Test Mode to confirm the chain works. If one phone gets alerts and another does not, the fault is that phone. Add a second person to alerts.
Required alerts cannot be turned off, but you can choose their method, so pick push and SMS for the ones that matter most. The number you use for multi-factor authentication syncs to the number for system alerts, so changing your login phone also changes where alarm texts go, and that surprises people who switched phones. Send yourself a Test Mode alert at a quiet time, and check each method you rely on, push, SMS and email, separately.
Differential
Likely causes of “ADT Base notifications are late, missing or excessive”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
An alert disabled
What separates it No notification arrives for an event because that particular alert has been switched off in the settings
How to confirm Enable the alert in Notifications so the event is sent to you next time it happens
- 2
A method off
What separates it Alerts arrive on the wrong channel, for example by email but not as a push message on the phone
How to confirm Turn on push, email or SMS in Notification Methods so you receive alerts the way you prefer
- 3
A wrong phone number
What separates it Text messages never arrive because the phone number stored on the account is wrong or out of date
How to confirm Correct the number in My Profile and check that the country code and digits are right
- 4
Push blocked
What separates it Push alerts never show on the phone because the phone is blocking notifications from the ADT+ app
How to confirm Allow ADT+ notifications in the phone's settings and check that Do Not Disturb is not silencing them
- 5
An offline Base
What separates it No alerts arrive at all because the Base is offline and cannot report events to ADT
How to confirm Restore the Base's wifi and cellular connection so it can report events again
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- Which alert is missing and what event should have triggered it
- The method used, whether push, email or SMS
- The phone number and email address held on the account
- The phone's notification and focus settings for the ADT+ app
Try in this order
0 of 7 completedEnable the alert
ReversibleEnable the alert in the ADT+ app or portal by opening Notifications and choosing Security or Cameras, then switch on the alerts you want.
Check the method
ReversibleCheck the delivery method under My Profile, Notification Methods, and make sure push, email or SMS is switched on for each type of alert.
Check the email and number
ReversibleCheck the email address and phone number in My Profile, because ADT sends alerts to the contact details held there, not to those saved on the phone.
Allow push on the phone
ReversibleAllow push notifications for the ADT+ app in the phone's settings, on Android or iOS, and make sure the phone is not silencing the app.
Check camera event types
ReversibleCheck the camera event types, such as motion and package, since each type is switched on separately and a missing one looks like a missed alert.
Check the Base is online
ReversibleCheck the Base is online with a working wifi and cellular connection, because an offline Base cannot send an alert to anyone.
Contact ADT
ReversibleContact ADT if none arrive after these checks, and tell them which alert you expected and which method you have set.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- Methods
- Email, SMS and push.
- Cameras
- Have per-event notification toggles.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !If alerts still fail after these steps, contact ADT through chat
- !If the Base is offline, fix that first
- !If camera alerts are missing, check event types
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Notification troubleshooting.
Base LED patterns.
Offline meaning and fixes per device.
Primary, Admin, Standard, Basic and Duress users.
The company and its products.
Exact questions
Common questions
How do alerts arrive?+
Alerts from the ADT security system reach you by email, by SMS text message and as push notifications, according to the methods you have switched on.
Where do I enable them?+
You enable each alert in Notifications in the ADT+ app or portal, where security alerts and camera alerts are listed separately.
Where do I check my number?+
You check your phone number and email in My Profile, where you can also correct them if they are wrong or out of date.
Do camera alerts have types?+
Yes, camera alerts have types, such as motion or package, and each type can be turned on or off, so a missing type may simply be off.
What if push is off?+
If push is off, allow ADT+ to send notifications in the phone's own settings, otherwise the app cannot show alerts even when they are sent.
Does MFA affect the number?+
Yes, when multifactor authentication is used the phone number for verification and for alerts stay in sync, so a wrong number affects both.
What if the Base is offline?+
If the Base is offline it cannot report events, so no alerts are sent until it reconnects, which is why a lost connection needs fixing first.
How long does a low backup battery message last after power returns?+
A low backup battery message can last up to six hours after mains power returns, while the backup battery recharges, and then it clears by itself.
What is Test Mode?+
Test Mode is a mode for testing devices safely, so you can trigger sensors and check responses without setting off a real alarm or alerting the monitoring center.