SimpliSafe's push notification article says the app needs iOS 17 or newer or Android 12 or newer and describes three notification types: Alarm, for a triggered alarm or Test Mode; System Status, for arming and disarming, Smart Lock locks and unlocks and Secret Alerts; and System Health, for a low battery, a power outage or restoration, a sensor not responding, wifi lost or restored and wireless interference. To receive them, turn on push notifications in the app, allow them in the phone settings and stay logged in, since a logged-out app receives none.
The checks in more detail
In the app go to My System, Notification Settings, choose the location and Push Notifications, toggle Alarm, System Status and System Health and Save. Camera notifications are separate: open Camera Settings, choose the camera, Motion Detection and enable Motion Events and Motion Notifications. SimpliSafe also offers snooze for camera notifications and alarm texts. Secret Alerts and Activity notifications need a residential or business monitoring plan or Self Monitoring.
If alerts do not arrive, check the phone's Do Not Disturb, battery restrictions and that the Base Station is online, since an offline Base Station cannot send alerts. Keep the app updated. Trigger a test alert with Test Mode to confirm the whole chain works. If one phone gets alerts and another does not, the fault is that phone. Add a second person to alerts. A phone with battery saver on can delay System Health alerts, which are the ones that warn you about faults, so exempt the app.
System Health alerts are the ones that warn about low batteries, power loss and interference, so if you mute only one category, mute Activity and keep Health. Send yourself a Test Mode alert at a quiet time to confirm alerts arrive, and tell the Monitoring Center contact that a test call may come. Give each household member the same notification settings for Alarm and System Health, and different ones for activity, so nobody misses a fault and nobody drowns in routine messages.
Differential
Likely causes of “SimpliSafe Base Station notifications are late, missing or excessive”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
Notifications not allowed
What separates it You get no alerts at all because notifications are not allowed for the app in the phone settings
How to confirm Open the phone settings, find the SimpliSafe app and allow notifications, then send a test alert
- 2
Logged out
What separates it No alerts arrive because you have been logged out of the SimpliSafe app on the phone
How to confirm Log in to the app again and stay logged in, since alerts only reach a phone that is signed in
- 3
A toggle off
What separates it One kind of alert is missing because its toggle in the app is switched off
How to confirm Open the notification settings and enable the Alarm, System Status and System Health types you want
- 4
An offline Base Station
What separates it No alerts arrive because the Base Station is offline and cannot send anything to your phone
How to confirm Restore the Base Station's power and wifi connection, then check that the app shows it as online
- 5
An old phone OS
What separates it The app misbehaves and misses alerts because the phone runs an operating system that is too old
How to confirm Update iOS to version 17 or newer, or Android to version 12 or newer, so the app is supported
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- Which type of notification is missing or arriving late
- The iOS or Android version installed on the phone
- Which notification toggles are switched on in the app
Try in this order
0 of 7 completedCheck phone software
ReversibleCheck the phone software is iOS 17 or newer, or Android 12 or newer, since older versions are not supported.
Allow notifications
ReversibleAllow notifications for the SimpliSafe app in the phone settings, so that alerts can appear on the screen.
Stay logged in
ReversibleStay logged in to the app, because a logged out phone stops receiving alerts from the system.
Enable each type
ReversibleEnable each type of notification in the app, meaning Alarm, System Status and System Health alerts.
Enable camera notifications
ReversibleEnable camera notifications for each camera you own, since cameras have their own settings in the app.
Check the Base Station
ReversibleCheck the Base Station is online, because an offline Base Station cannot send alerts to your phone.
Contact SimpliSafe
ReversibleContact SimpliSafe if no alerts arrive after these steps, and tell them which type is missing.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- Types
- Alarm, System Status and System Health.
- Cameras
- Have their own motion notification toggles.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !If alerts never arrive after these checks, contact SimpliSafe support
- !If cameras alone are silent, check camera notification settings
- !If the Base Station is offline, fix that first
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Notification types and setup.
Snooze.
Trouble Signal and light.
Power, wifi, placement and reset steps.
The company and its products.
Exact questions
Common questions
What types are there?+
There are three types, which are Alarm, System Status and System Health, and each has its own setting.
Do cameras have separate settings?+
Yes, cameras have their own separate notification settings, so check each camera in the app.
Do I need to stay logged in?+
Yes, stay logged in on the phone, because alerts are sent only to phones that are signed in to the app.
Can I snooze camera alerts?+
Yes, you can snooze camera alerts for a while from the app, and they resume when the snooze ends.
What is a Secret Alert?+
A Secret Alert is a quiet notice that a sensor was triggered, sent without setting off a full alarm.
Do I need a plan for Activity?+
Yes, activity notifications need a plan that includes them, so check your plan if they never arrive.
Can I change my monitoring plan?+
Yes, you can change your monitoring plan in the app or your online account at any time.