SimpliSafe's system takes its time and status from the Base Station and app. A wrong time on the timeline or in notifications usually traces to the phone's time zone or the location set in the app, and a wrong status, such as a system showing armed when it is not, or a sensor shown open when closed, comes from a connection or sync problem. Check the Base Station is online with power and wifi, then refresh the app.
The checks in more detail
SimpliSafe's resynchronizing article covers reconnecting devices that have fallen out of step, and its system health notifications tell you about sensors not responding, wifi loss and wireless interference. Check the Keypad for status messages, since it shows the system's own view. After a power outage the Base Station restarts and takes minutes to reconnect. If a sensor shows the wrong state, check its battery and position and test it in Test Mode. Interference from other RF devices can cause missed signals. If the timeline shows odd times, check the phone's automatic time setting and the location's time zone.
If status stays wrong, contact SimpliSafe support with a screenshot of the app and a photo of the Keypad. Photograph the app next to the Keypad so any difference is clear. A status that flips is a connection problem. Contact support with screenshots. Check the timeline timestamps against the clock during a test so you measure any offset, and note the phone model, since a phone that ignores automatic time is the usual cause of timestamps that are wrong by a fixed number of hours.
The Keypad is the system's own view of its state, so when the app and the Keypad disagree, trust the Keypad first and then find out why the app is stale. Screenshot the timeline before and after a test so you can show support exactly which events look wrong. If a sensor shows open while the door is closed, check that it is aligned with its magnet or that the tamper switch is held down before assuming a status fault, since alignment is a common cause.
Differential
Likely causes of “SimpliSafe Base Station shows the wrong time, state or sensor reading”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
A phone time zone issue
What separates it The times on the timeline are wrong because the phone has the wrong time zone
How to confirm Set the phone's date and time to update automatically, then check the time zone is right
- 2
An offline Base Station
What separates it The status in the app is stale because the Base Station is offline and not reporting
How to confirm Restore the Base Station's power and wifi connection, then refresh the app to see the true state
- 3
An out-of-step device
What separates it A sensor shows the wrong state because it has fallen out of step with the Base Station
How to confirm Resynchronize the device so that its state matches what the Base Station holds
- 4
A weak sensor battery
What separates it Signals are missed because the battery in the sensor is weak
How to confirm Replace the sensor battery with the type listed for that device, then test the sensor
- 5
RF interference
What separates it The status flickers on and off because radio interference disturbs the local link
How to confirm Reduce interference by moving other wireless devices a few feet away from the Base Station
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- The status the app shows compared with the real state
- The message shown on the Keypad
- The time zone setting on your phone
- How old the sensor batteries are
Try in this order
0 of 7 completedCheck the Keypad
ReversibleCheck the Keypad and compare it with the app, since the Keypad shows the true state of the system.
Confirm the Base Station is online
ReversibleConfirm the Base Station is online, meaning it has power and wifi, or the status will be out of date.
Refresh the app
ReversibleRefresh the app to pull the latest status, since a view left open for a long time can be stale.
Resynchronize devices
ReversibleResynchronize devices that are out of step, so that their state matches the Base Station again.
Replace weak batteries
ReversibleReplace weak sensor batteries with the type listed for the device, because a low battery causes missed signals.
Set phone time automatically
ReversibleSet the phone to update its time automatically, and check the time zone matches where you live.
Contact SimpliSafe
ReversibleContact SimpliSafe with screenshots if it stays wrong, so support can compare the app and the Keypad.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- Keypad
- Shows the system's own status.
- App
- Can lag if the Base Station is offline.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !If the status stays wrong, contact SimpliSafe support and send screenshots of the app
- !If sensors show stale states, resynchronize them and check their batteries
- !If interference keeps coming back, move the Base Station to a different spot
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Resync.
Notification types and setup.
Test Mode.
RF interference.
The company and its products.
Exact questions
Common questions
Why is the time wrong?+
The time comes from the phone's time zone and the app, so a wrong zone on the phone gives wrong times.
Why is the status wrong?+
A wrong status usually points to a connection or synchronization problem between a device and the Base Station.
Can interference cause it?+
Yes, radio interference from other wireless devices can make a sensor's status look wrong at times.
Should I check the Keypad?+
Yes, check the Keypad, since it shows the real state of the system even when the app looks stale.
Can a battery cause it?+
Yes, a weak battery can cause missed signals and wrong readings, so change it if it is old.