ADT Troubleshooting Guide

Our ADT troubleshooting guide will help you through some common problems with the ADT security system without needing to call customer service. From ADT Pulse glitches to fixing doorbell security camera problems, we’ve got your back.

Resetting your ADT alarm panel is just a matter of pressing a few buttons. The buttons you press depend on the type of panel you have.

If you’re not sure what type of panel you have, go to your online MyADT dashboard. Then, click on the Overview tab and go to System Information to find the system’s name.

Now that you know the system’s name, you can find which buttons to push. Here are some combo’s for ADT’s most commonly used panels:

• Ademco Lynx: security code + OFF
• Ademco Vista 20P: security code + 1
• Ademco Vista 20SE/HWSE: security code + 1
• BHS 4000: security code
• DSC Impassa: * + 3
• DSC PC 1555: security code + DISARM
• ITI Concord Express: 1 + security code
• Safewatch Pro 3000: security code + 1
• Safewatch QuickConnect Plus: security code + OFF
• Simon XT: STATUS + DISARM
• TSSC: security code + OFF

If you don’t see your ADT security system on this list (bummer!) you’ll need to consult your user manual. Here are all of ADT’s online user manuals.

It’s probably the battery, especially if there was just a power outage. If your ADT control panel is beeping and is displaying a message like LOW BATT or BAT, your keypad is warning that it has a low battery. You can usually silence the panel by pressing and holding the OFF or # buttons on the keypad. If that doesn’t work, you may need to refer to your owner’s manual.

Not getting any footage from your ADT doorbell camera? Try these tips:

1. Switch from Wi-Fi to data on your phone to be sure you’re getting service.
2. Reset your doorbell camera by pressing the button on the back for 15 seconds.
3. Make sure your phone is 4G LTE or higher. The ADT app doesn’t work well with 3G bandwidth.
4. Delete and reinstall the app. This can potentially solve problems that prevent the video feed from working.
5. Power cycle the router and Pulse gateway (if you have one) by unplugging them and waiting a few minutes to plug them back in. Plug in the router first and give it time to boot up, then plug in the gateway. Give the gateway five minutes to reboot.
6. Delete the ADT doorbell camera from your system, and then add it back.

By the way, these tips work for getting your other ADT home security cameras to work too.

According to ADT, you need upload speeds of at least 2 Mbps per camera. So if you have four cameras, you need an upload speed of at least 8 Mbps—and that's on top of requirements for any other devices connected to your home network.

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An unavailable message on your ADT Pulse app or dashboard means that there is a connection problem at the gateway (the box next to your router). Let’s get your smart home automation back up and running.

There are a few ways to troubleshoot this ADT trouble message:

1. Make sure the hub is plugged in and give it five minutes to reboot.
2. Check to see if the ethernet cable between the router and the gateway is still connected.
3. Make sure your router is working.
4. Power cycle the router and Pulse gateway by unplugging them. Plug in the router first and give it time to boot up, then plug in the gateway. Be sure to give the gateway five minutes to reboot.

If your ADT security window sensors aren’t working properly or are giving you a false alarm on the regular, there are a couple of DIY solutions.

First, make sure the door or window is completely closed. Next, check to see if the sensor is farther than one-fourth of an inch away from the magnet. If the gap is wider, move it closer.

If those don’t work, you may need to change the sensor’s battery. Put your ADT alarm system into test mode. Then, remove the sensor’s cover and pop in a new battery. Reset your keypad, and switch it from test mode.

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