Sensor and Keypad access is controlled by PINs and by app Users. SimpliSafe's additional user access article explains users can arm and disarm remotely, view the timeline and manage device settings, up to 25 Users per location, and only the Account Owner needs a paid residential plan. On the Keypad, people use PINs: the Master PIN opens the Keypad menu and can change settings, and other PINs can be added so people can arm and disarm without the app;
The checks in more detail
SimpliSafe also has a Duress PIN, which triggers a silent emergency. Give a guest a temporary PIN and delete it afterwards rather than sharing the Master PIN. If someone cannot arm at the Keypad, check their PIN and that the Keypad is in range and powered; if the Keypad shows Out of Range, use the Keypad articles. A Key Fob arms and disarms without a PIN, so give one only to trusted people.
If a person cannot use the app, check their invitation and email. Review Users and PINs when household members change. Do not enter the Duress PIN in Test Mode, since the Monitoring Center will treat it as an emergency. Keep a list of PINs and who holds them and review it twice a year, and when a cleaner or contractor is finished with a job, delete the PIN that same day. A new user who sees nothing may be signed in with a different email. Change any PIN a former resident knew.
Guests who need to arm the system can use a temporary PIN that you delete when they leave. SimpliSafe treats a Duress PIN entered in Test Mode as an emergency, so tell everyone who knows it that Test Mode is a time to avoid it.
Differential
Likely causes of “SimpliSafe sensors, Keypad and accessories shared users or family”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
An expired invitation
What separates it The person cannot join because the invitation to the app has expired
How to confirm Resend the invitation from System Access in the app, and ask them to accept it promptly
- 2
A wrong PIN
What separates it The person cannot arm the system because the PIN that they are using is wrong
How to confirm Reset the PIN for that person, then have them try it again at the Keypad
- 3
Keypad out of range
What separates it The Keypad does not respond because it is too far from the Base Station
How to confirm Move the Keypad closer to the Base Station, or move the Base Station to a more central place
- 4
A Key Fob lost
What separates it There is a risk of unauthorized access because a Key Fob has been lost
How to confirm Remove the lost Key Fob from the system in the app, so that it can no longer arm or disarm
- 5
Duress PIN in Test Mode
What separates it A false emergency is sent because the Duress PIN was used while testing the system
How to confirm Do not use the Duress PIN in Test Mode, and keep it only for a real emergency
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- Which person is affected and what access they should have
- The PIN that was used at the Keypad
- The message shown on the Keypad
- Whether a Key Fob is missing
Try in this order
0 of 7 completedAdd app Users by invitation
ReversibleAdd app users by invitation, and remember that up to 25 users can be added to one system.
Give guests temporary PINs
ReversibleGive guests temporary PINs, and delete them afterwards so that they cannot be used again.
Keep the Master PIN private
ReversibleKeep the Master PIN private, and never share it with people who only need to arm or disarm.
Check Keypad range
ReversibleCheck the Keypad range if it is not responding, and move it nearer the Base Station if needed.
Remove lost fobs
ReversibleRemove any lost Key Fob in the app, so that whoever finds it cannot use it to disarm the system.
Avoid Duress PIN in Test Mode
ReversibleAvoid using the Duress PIN in Test Mode, and keep it for a real emergency where you are under threat.
Contact SimpliSafe
ReversibleContact SimpliSafe if it still fails, and tell them who is affected and what the Keypad shows.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- PINs
- Master, guest and Duress.
- Users
- Up to 25 per location.
- Sharing a SimpliSafe system
- SimpliSafe lets the owner add users who arm and disarm with their own PIN, and the app can be shared with family. Give each person their own PIN so the history shows who did what, and remove PINs for people who have left. The motion sensor itself has no user access; it reports to the base station.
- Privacy and safety
- A shared user can see events and change modes depending on the permissions you set, so share only with people you trust and review the list regularly. Protect your own account with a strong password and two-step verification.
- Other models this page answers
- These steps also fit models Extra Siren, Glassbreak Sensor, Wireless Keypad, Panic Button, Smoke & Carbon Monoxide Detector, Temperature Sensor.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !If access fails, contact SimpliSafe support and give them the person's name and the message shown
- !If a fob is lost, remove it and contact support
- !If a PIN has been compromised, change it at once, and tell the people who use it
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Users and invitations.
Test Mode.
Keypad pairing and range.
Battery types and lives for every device.
The company and its products.
Exact questions
Common questions
What if a fob is lost?+
Remove it from the system in the app, so that it cannot be used to arm or disarm the system.
Does Test Mode treat Duress as real?+
Yes, Test Mode treats a Duress PIN as real, so it can trigger an emergency response by mistake.
Does the motion sensor have its own users?+
No, users belong to the system.
How do I remove a PIN?+
In the app, open Users and delete the person.