SimpliSafe devices pair to the Base Station using the app and each device's installation guide. Add a sensor from the app under My System, Device Settings, Add Device, follow the prompts and place the sensor near the Base Station while pairing, then mount it. SimpliSafe's Keypad article gives emergency pairing steps for a new Keypad that will not pair: unplug the Base Station by removing the cable from the base of the tower, remove the battery compartment with a Phillips-head screwdriver keeping the batteries in,
The checks in more detail
find the Emergency Pairing Button on the bottom opposite the power cord, power cycle the Keypad by removing and reinstalling one battery and, as soon as it reads Searching for Base Station, press and release the Emergency Pairing Button; the Base Station announces Keypad Added. If it does not add, fit fresh AA batteries and repeat. For other sensors, remove the sensor's battery tab, hold it near the Base Station and follow the guide.
After adding, rename the sensor, choose its settings such as chime and mode behavior, and test it in Test Mode. If a device will not add, check the battery, distance and interference, and that the Base Station is online. A device previously in another system may need to be removed from it first. Serial numbers are on the device. Have the serial numbers and a Phillips screwdriver beside you before you start.
If pairing works near the Base Station but not at the mounting spot, the spot is the problem. Set up when you are not rushed. Pair sensors one at a time and name each straight away, since a list of default names is hard to test afterwards. The Keypad's emergency pairing needs the Base Station's cable out and its batteries in, so read the steps through before starting, since doing them out of order is the common reason it fails.
Differential
Likely causes of “SimpliSafe sensors, Keypad and accessories will not complete setup or pairing”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
A dead battery
What separates it The device will not pair because its battery is dead or was fitted the wrong way round
How to confirm Fit a fresh battery of the listed type with the correct polarity, then start the pairing again
- 2
Distance
What separates it Pairing fails repeatedly because the device is too far from the Base Station
How to confirm Pair the device while holding it right beside the Base Station, then mount it afterwards
- 3
A new Keypad not paired
What separates it The Keypad says Keypad Out of Range because a new Keypad has not been paired with the Base Station
How to confirm Use emergency pairing on the Base Station, following the steps in SimpliSafe's Keypad guide
- 4
Interference
What separates it Pairing starts and stops because wireless interference is disturbing the radio link
How to confirm Move other wireless devices away from the Base Station and the device, then try pairing again
- 5
A device on another system
What separates it The app will not add the device because it is still registered to another SimpliSafe system
How to confirm Remove the device from the other system first, then add it to this system in the app
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- Which device you are trying to pair with the Base Station
- The type and age of the battery in the device
- How far the device is from the Base Station
- The exact message shown on the Keypad while pairing
Try in this order
0 of 7 completedFit a fresh battery
ReversibleFit a fresh battery of the correct type in the device, making sure the polarity matches the marks inside.
Open Device Settings
ReversibleOpen Device Settings in the app under My System and choose Add Device, then follow the prompts.
Hold it near the Base Station
ReversibleHold the device near the Base Station while it pairs, so that the radio link is as strong as possible.
Use emergency pairing
ReversibleUse emergency pairing for a new Keypad, which uses the button on the bottom of the Base Station.
Rename and set options
ReversibleRename the device and set its options in the app, so you can tell it apart from the others later.
Mount it
ReversibleMount the device only after testing it, so that you can move it if the signal turns out to be weak.
Test in Test Mode
ReversibleTest each device in Test Mode, to check that the Base Station hears it and the Keypad reports it.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- Pairing
- Done beside the Base Station.
- Keypad
- Has emergency pairing steps.
- 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, Key Fob.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !If emergency pairing fails, contact SimpliSafe support and tell them the device and the Keypad message
- !If a sensor will not add, check its battery
- !If it belongs to another system, remove it first
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Keypad pairing and range.
Motion sensor range and Pet Mode.
Glassbreak sensor.
Battery types and lives for every device.
The company and its products.
Exact questions
Common questions
Where is the Emergency Pairing Button?+
It is on the bottom of the Base Station, and it is used when a new Keypad has to be paired.
What does the Keypad say when searching?+
The Keypad says Searching for Base Station while it looks for the Base Station to pair with.
What does the Base Station say when added?+
The Base Station announces Keypad Added when the pairing has worked and the Keypad is now part of the system.
Should I pair near the Base Station?+
Yes, pair the device beside the Base Station first, and move it to its final place only after it works.
Can I rename a sensor?+
Yes, you can rename any sensor in the app, which makes the timeline and alerts easier to understand.
What batteries does the Extra Siren use?+
The Extra Siren uses four AA alkaline cells, which sit behind the battery cover.
What is a tamper switch?+
A tamper switch alerts you if a device is opened or moved, so someone cannot remove a sensor unnoticed.