SimpliSafe sensors update with the Base Station rather than on their own. SimpliSafe's firmware article says the system must be on wifi and describes updates that install automatically after you disarm on firmware 2.15 and above, and manually below that; an amber searchlight light circles the Base Station during an update. Cameras and doorbells update automatically once the Base Station is current, and Smart Lock updates are applied manually in the app.
The checks in more detail
Sensors follow the Base Station's version, so keep the Base Station updated and online. If a sensor behaves oddly after an update, use Test Mode to check it, resynchronize devices, and replace weak batteries, since a low battery can cause missed signals that look like a software fault. The Keypad shows update messages when you check for updates: Menu, Master PIN, System Settings, Check for Updates. If the system does not update, disarm and wait, check wifi and power, and read SimpliSafe's troubleshooting update issues section.
For device-specific firmware notes, SimpliSafe publishes Device and System Firmware Updates. If a sensor never seems to work after an update, remove and re-add it. Contact support with the firmware version. Note the firmware number in the app after each update, and if a sensor reports oddly right afterwards, replace its battery and run a Test Mode check before you assume the update broke it. An update that fails once often succeeds after a router restart.
Leave the system disarmed at home for a while after a rollout appears, so an update can start without waiting on you. If several sensors change behavior on the same day, the Base Station's update is the likely cause, and a single sensor that changes alone is more likely a battery. Sensors depend on the Base Station's firmware, so if one misbehaves after an update, check the Base Station first. Device and System Firmware Updates lists what changed, so if a sensor feature moved, read the note for your version before changing settings.
Differential
Likely causes of “SimpliSafe sensors, Keypad and accessories firmware update is stuck or failed”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
An old Base Station version
What separates it Some sensor features are missing because the Base Station software is out of date
How to confirm Update the Base Station, since sensors update along with it and not on their own
- 2
No wifi
What separates it The updates cannot download because the Base Station has no working wifi connection
How to confirm Restore the wifi connection, because the Base Station must be online to receive an update
- 3
A weak battery
What separates it A device acts oddly after an update because its battery is weak
How to confirm Replace the battery with the listed type, then test the device again in Test Mode
- 4
A dropped device
What separates it A device shows Not Responding after the update because it has dropped out of step
How to confirm Resynchronize the device so that it reconnects to the Base Station
- 5
An update not applied
What separates it The version still looks old because the update has not been applied yet
How to confirm Disarm the system and wait, since automatic updates run once the system is disarmed
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- The firmware version shown for the Base Station in the app
- Whether the Base Station has a working wifi connection
- How old the batteries in the sensors are
- Which device is behaving oddly after the update
Try in this order
0 of 7 completedCheck the Base Station firmware
ReversibleCheck the Base Station firmware version in the app, since the sensors follow it and do not update alone.
Confirm wifi
ReversibleConfirm the wifi and the power are working, because the Base Station cannot get updates while offline.
Disarm and wait
ReversibleDisarm the system and wait, so that the automatic update can install without being interrupted.
Test devices
ReversibleTest the devices in Test Mode after the update, to check that each one still reports properly.
Resynchronize
ReversibleResynchronize any device that drops out after the update, so that it reconnects to the Base Station.
Replace weak batteries
ReversibleReplace weak batteries before you blame the software, since a low battery can look like a fault.
Contact SimpliSafe
ReversibleContact SimpliSafe if the problem continues, and tell them the firmware version and the device.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- Sensors
- Follow the Base Station's firmware.
- Lock
- Updates manually in the app.
- Other models this page answers
- These steps also fit models Entry Sensor, Extra Siren, Glassbreak Sensor, Wireless Keypad, Panic Button, Smoke & Carbon Monoxide Detector, Temperature Sensor, Water Sensor.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !If an update never applies, contact SimpliSafe support
- !If a sensor misbehaves after an update, resync it
- !If it still fails after that, remove the device and add it again in the app
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Update paths by firmware version.
Resync.
Test Mode.
Battery types and lives for every device.
The company and its products.
Exact questions
Common questions
Do sensors update themselves?+
They follow the Base Station, so the sensors are updated when the Base Station gets an update.
How do I check on the Keypad?+
On the Keypad, choose Menu, then System Settings, then Check for Updates, to see whether one is waiting.
Can a weak battery mimic a fault?+
Yes, a weak battery can look like a fault, so replace it before you decide the update went wrong.
Which sensors need a Phillips screwdriver?+
The Extra Siren's battery cover needs a Phillips screwdriver to open, unlike most other sensors.