SimpliSafe Doorbell Not Detecting Motion? (Quick Fix)

simplisafe doorbell not detecting motion

Whenever your SimpliSafe doorbell is not detecting motion, the whole purpose of your security system is compromised.

Don’t worry–we’re here to help you.

The unexpected failure of your doorbell to pick up motion is often related to a reception issue, an app issue, or a camera’s settings.

So, keep reading for a complete walkthrough!

SimpliSafe Doorbell Not Detecting Motion – Expert-Level Fix!

Note: Verify the doorbell is turned on and that there is a sufficient battery charge left before proceeding. 

1. Check the SimpliSafe Doorbell’s Placement

check the simplisafe doorbell’s placement

So, if you’ve recently installed the doorbell and haven’t had any experience with motion-enabled cameras or doorbells, you may have failed to align the line of sight area.

The SimpliSafe video doorbell must have a clear vision of the household’s entry area, curb, and possibly street, depending on where you live.

Either way, the most critical step is to re-align the mounting plate of your doorbell and ensure the camera is pointing properly toward the street.

How to Check If the Doorbell Placement Is Correct?

In order to optimize the placement of your SimpliSafe video doorbell, the camera lens found at the upper end of the faceplate must be facing toward the area you wish to capture.

Verify the faceplate is securely attached to the door frame and slightly optimize the doorbell’s position by loosening the screws.

Once you’re done, you can check the live feed of the doorbell and try to capture new recordings for testing purposes. 

Quick Tip: Ensure the doorbell’s camera lens is free of dust, debris, or other obstructions! 

2. Adjust the Camera’s Day & Night Sensitivity

adjust camera’s day & night sensitivity

Perhaps, the SimpliSafe doorbell camera not detecting motion because the sensitivity is too lowered, either during daytime or nighttime. 

Upon accessing the sensitivity configurations tab, you will be given a “Day” and “Night” slider, allowing you to have different motion detection values for each 12 hours of the day.

So, if your camera has issues picking up motion specifically during the day or night, you will know why.

Here’s how to adjust the detection sensitivity of the doorbell:

  1. Enter the SimpliSafe app on your smartphone or tablet.
  2. Tap “Cameras” found at the top of the navigation menu.
  3. Press the gear icon for “Camera Settings” and proceed.
  4. Search for your SimpliSafe doorbell in the devices lists.
  5. Tap “Motion Detection” and find the “Sensitivity” section.
  6. Apply custom adjustments to the “Day” and “Night” sliders.
  7. Set the “Day” and “Night” values to “Medium” for optimality.

Adjust the sliders accordingly to whether you prefer the detection to be stronger throughout the day or throughout the night.

If someone is at home for most of the day, we advise increasing the detection sensitivity strength under the “Night” slider. 

3. Optimize SimpliSafe’s “Activity Zone”

optimize simplisafe’s “activity zone”

Perhaps, you haven’t specified which areas of the camera’s line of sight must be measured for motion throughout the day.

If you’ve accidentally configured the camera to only detect motion in one of the corners or higher up than the walking area, it won’t be able to pick up on any motion. 

The activity zone can be located on the same page as the sensitivity, hence follow these steps:

  1. Enter the SimpliSafe app on your smartphone or tablet.
  2. Press “Cameras” at the top of the app navigational menu.
  3. Press the gear icon for “Camera Settings” and proceed.
  4. Search for your SimpliSafe doorbell in the devices lists.
  5. Tap “Motion Detection” and scroll further in the section.
  6. Locate the “Activity Zone” window of the camera’s feed.
  7. Tap only the squares that will be detected for movement.

Info: The squares that will not be observed for movement will remain checked and the ones you’ve tapped will turn fully gray.

4. Set SimpliSafe’s Detection to “All Motion”

set simplisafe’s detection to “all motion”

In the “Motion Detection” settings of your SimpliSafe, you could also adjust the types of motion detection modes your doorbell practices.

Setting the feature to “Only People” would typically prevent the doorbell from picking up false movement from a passing car, animals, or any other.

  • You can adjust the motion detection types by going to the SimpliSafe app → “Cameras” → “SimpliSafe Doorbell” → “Motion Detection” → “Motion Detection Modes.”

Note: If the doorbell camera manages to pick up movement while set to “All Motion,” it means that there’s a problem with the human detection or the position is still improper. 

5. Check the Camera’s Reception & Wi-Fi

There’s a good chance that a potential degradation of the camera’s reception and Wi-Fi strength might have led to temporal motion detection losses. 

That’s why the next step is to test the camera’s connection and determine if the fault is with the SimpliSafe doorbell, the camera, or the Wi-Fi network.

check the camera’s reception & wi-fi

Here’s what to try:

  • Discharge the network router’s power by unplugging it.
  • Reduce your network’s bandwidth and resource usage.
  • Ensure the doorbell unit is on the 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi thread.
  • Check if the doorbell is within range of the router device.
  • Check for interference caused by other wireless devices.

Tip: If the issue persists, we recommend getting in touch with the ISP!

6. Inspect the SimpliSafe App’s Notifications

inspect the simplisafe app’s notifications

Muted app notifications may make it look like the SimpliSafe doorbell not detecting motion, whilst you’re just not being notified about it.

So, proceed with the appropriate steps for allowing the SimpliSafe app’s notifications on Android or iOS!

6.1 How to Enable App Notifications On Android?

  1. Enter the “Settings” app on your Android phone.
  2. Then, head to the “Storage” or “Applications” page.
  3. Scroll down and locate the SimpliSafe mobile app.
  4. Now, enter the app settings and scroll to the bottom.
  5. Search for “Notifications” or “Notifications Status.”
  6. Check the notification’s activation button and tap it.

6.2 How to Enable App Notifications On iOS?

  1. Enter the “Settings” app on your iPhone and scroll down.
  2. Go to the“Notifications” pane and locate your SimpliSafe.
  3. Press on the “Allow Notifications” button at the very top.
  4. Exit the settings pane and check if you’re receiving alerts.

Tip: Ensure your phone’s notifications haven’t been hardware-muted, as most iPhone models tend to have a “Mute” switch on the left frame. 

7. Update the SimpliSafe App’s Firmware

update the simplisafe app’s firmware

Perhaps, the SimpliSafe camera’s motion detection is inconsistent due to an outdated version of the firmware version.

That’s why the next step is to ensure the app is up-to-date by checking for newer system versions through the Google Play Store (Android) or App Store (iPhone/iPad.)

7.1 How to Update the SimpliSafe App On Android?

  1. In the Google Play Store, go to “Manage Installed Apps.”
  2. Scroll down to “Updates available” and press “See details.”
  3. Check for an “Update” button next to your SimpliSafe app.
  4. Tap the “Update” button to begin the system update process.

7.2 How to Update the SimpliSafe App On iPhone/iPad?

  1. Tap on your profile icon within the iPhone/iPad’s App Store.
  2. Scroll down to the “Pending updates and release notes” tile.
  3. Search for the SimpliSafe app in the list of installed platforms.
  4. Tap the “Update” button next to the app, only if it is available.

Important: Verify your smartphone sustains a stable connection to the internet before updating!

8. Reset your SimpliSafe Doorbell to Defaults

reset your simplisafe doorbell to defaults

A factory reset might be helpful in restoring faults with the SimpliSafe doorbell, especially when there’s a fault with the Wi-Fi reception, live feed, or motion detection.

  • Keep in mind that all of the camera’s settings will be erased after the procedure ends.

To factory reset the SimpliSafe unit, detach it from the faceplate by using a Torx screwdriver and hold the large “RESET” button for 10–15 seconds.

Note: Once the button is released, wait for approximately 1 minute until your doorbell’s software is cleared and ready to be set up.