A sensor's status in the app can lag or look wrong. A sensor shown open when closed may be misaligned with its magnet, so check the two parts line up and the tamper switch is held closed; SimpliSafe's Trouble Signal article says smoke and CO detectors have a tamper switch that must be held down. A sensor shown offline may be out of range or have a low battery.
The checks in more detail
Refresh the app, check the Keypad, which shows the system's own view, and use Test Mode to check the sensor's signal reaches the Base Station: the Base Station announces the sensor and the timeline records a test event. A wrong time on a timeline event usually reflects the phone's time zone or the system location. After a power outage the Base Station needs minutes to reconnect and status may be stale. SimpliSafe's resynchronizing article reconnects devices that fall out of step. Wireless interference can cause missed reports and the app's System Health notifications will warn you.
If status stays wrong, replace the battery, move the sensor closer and remove and re-add it. Contact support with a screenshot and the serial number. Screenshot the timeline before and after a test, and read the times on the entries against a clock so you can tell support the exact offset instead of saying the time looks wrong. A sensor that flips between open and closed by itself usually has a loose magnet or a failing battery, not a software fault.
Send support one photo of the Keypad and one screenshot of the app taken together, since the pair shows which side is out of date. If a sensor shows open only at night, temperature may be shifting a door and misaligning the magnet, so adjust the mounting. A magnet slightly off its sensor is a classic false open, and a nudge or a spacer can fix it, so try that before replacing anything.
Differential
Likely causes of “SimpliSafe sensors, Keypad and accessories shows the wrong time, state or sensor reading”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
Misaligned parts
What separates it A sensor shows open when it is closed because the sensor and its magnet are out of line
How to confirm Realign the sensor and its magnet so the two parts sit close together and line up
- 2
A tamper switch open
What separates it The Keypad gives a Trouble Signal because the tamper switch is not held closed
How to confirm Close the tamper switch by seating the sensor properly on its bracket, and check the signal clears
- 3
A weak battery
What separates it The status looks stale because the battery in the sensor is weak
How to confirm Replace the battery with the type listed for that device, then check the status again
- 4
A power outage
What separates it The status is old after a power cut because the devices have not yet reconnected
How to confirm Wait for the Base Station and the sensors to reconnect, which can take a few minutes
- 5
Interference
What separates it Reports are missed at times because interference is disturbing the radio link
How to confirm Reduce interference by moving other wireless devices away from the sensor and the Base Station
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- The status shown in the app and the real state of the sensor
- What the Keypad shows for the same device
- How old the battery in the sensor is
- Whether the tamper switch is held closed
Try in this order
0 of 7 completedCheck alignment
ReversibleCheck the alignment of the sensor and its magnet, since they must sit close and line up properly.
Check the tamper switch
ReversibleCheck the tamper switch is closed, because an open tamper switch can show as a Trouble Signal.
Compare Keypad and app
ReversibleCompare the Keypad with the app, and trust the Keypad first, since it shows the system's own view.
Test in Test Mode
ReversibleTest in Test Mode, where each device is announced and logged, so you can see what it reports.
Resynchronize
ReversibleResynchronize the device if it is out of step, so it reconnects to the Base Station properly.
Replace the battery
ReversibleReplace the battery if it is weak, because a low battery causes stale status and missed reports.
Contact SimpliSafe
ReversibleContact SimpliSafe with screenshots if it stays wrong, showing what the app and the Keypad say.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- Tamper
- Smoke and CO detectors have a tamper switch.
- Keypad
- Shows the system's own status.
- Other models this page answers
- These steps also fit models Entry Sensor, Extra Siren, Glassbreak Sensor, Wireless Keypad, Smoke & Carbon Monoxide Detector, Temperature Sensor, Water Sensor, Key Fob.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !If status stays wrong after re-adding, contact SimpliSafe support
- !If a tamper switch trips, check the housing
- !If interference keeps returning, move the Base Station to a different place
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Test Mode.
Resync.
Trouble Signal and light.
RF interference.
The company and its products.
Exact questions
Common questions
Where is the system's own view?+
The Keypad shows the system's own view of every device, so use it as the check on the app.
Can outages cause stale status?+
Yes, an outage can leave the status stale for a few minutes, until the devices reconnect.
Does timeline time follow the phone?+
Often yes, the timeline time follows the phone's time zone, so check that it is set right.