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Shalitia

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Android App Notification Categories

Other than the Doorbell, what does the other categories control?

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Official Response

davey_d

Former Community Admin

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5.7K Messages

Hi @Shalitia  ,

I split this question off to its own thread so it's easier for others to find. As of the time of posting, here's what the notification categories mean:

DFU Stands for "Device Firmware Update". It shows notifications specifically for progress during a Smart Lock update.
Doorbell Ring As it says, a notification when someone pushes the Video Doorbell Pro button.
Miscellaneous Somewhat of a catch-all for all Push Notifications from the main alarm system AND cameras - including alarms, activity, and errors.
Downloads For when you are downloading a video from your timeline, and it is saved.
Arming Reminders Notifications for the Arming Reminder feature, which you can find in the app under Menu > My System > Arming Reminders.
Widgets Notifications generated by a previous version of the home screen widget. Currently not in use.

I know that it was mentioned in the other thread, so please note that there is currently no OS-level distinction between Camera and Alarm System notifications. But I've already forwarded the suggestion to our dev team.

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kjcaldwell001

1 Message

I  am on Android 14. In my phone settings, notifications, app notifications for Simplisafe, I have notifications turned on, with all categories on except for Arming reminders. In the Simplisafe app when I go to My System, Notification Settings, Push Notifications, I have a message that says "Push Notifications from Simplisafe are Disabled." There is a button for Allow Notifications. Which, of course when selected, has Allow Notifications On. In the Notification Categories, I have tried a variety of combinations of on/off, with no change to the message. So, at this time in the App, I only have the following Push Notification Categories turned on: DFU set to silent, Miscellaneous set to Alert with the Prism sound, and Alarm set to Alert with the Siren sound.  So will I, or won't I get push notifications???? And why is the app saying Push Notifications are Disabled (which only some are). 

(In a side note, my husband has all of the categories of notifications for Simplisafe turned ON in the phone settings. So in his app, he is not getting the message about Push Notifications Disabled. However, in the app, he cannot manage the individual notification categories.) 

Also, I couldn't find a way to login to my account to post this. When I click on Simplisafe Account Login at the top of this page, and Login, it takes me to my Simplisafe Control Panel page. I click Help on that page, and it takes me to this support page, but does not show me logged in. 

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simplisafe_admin

Community Admin

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1.8K Messages

@kjcaldwell001 As part of the Android operating system, you can modify certain notification type sounds in your phone's settings (not in the SimpliSafe mobile app). But in order to actually receive push notifications about your system, you must enable them in the SimpliSafe app. Right now, it sounds like your push notifications are disabled. 

 

In the SimpliSafe app, navigate to My System > Alerts & Notifications > Push Notifications to enable notifications. 

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Autotech1

2 Messages

@davey_d​ in the three years since you posted this, they must have eliminated the miscellaneous setting. I only have the video doorbell right now, and I was formerly able to set two distinctly different notification tones for when someone approached the door and when someone rang the doorbell. I sent my phone out for repair and wasn't able to use the SimpliSafe app on the phone I was using, buy when I received my phone back and tried to set the notification tones, I can only set it for when someone rings the doorbell.

I tested it and I don't even receive any notification that I approached the door, even though the light was blue.

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simplisafe_admin

Community Admin

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1.8K Messages

@Autotech1 Your phone should send push notifications whenever a camera detects motion. We recommend checking to ensure that notifications were not accidentally turned off when you sent your phone in for repair. 

 

To turn on camera notifications:

  1. Open the SimpliSafe mobile app
  2. Select My System from the bottom navigation bar
  3. Select Camera Settings
  4. Pick your Video Doorbell Pro
  5. Select Motion Detection
  6. Make sure that the Motion Events and Motion Notifications settings are enabled 

We also recommend confirming that the SimpliSafe app is allowed to send push notifications to your phone. You can check that by going to:

  1. Apps > Settings > More
  2. Application Manager > Downloaded
  3. Tap on the SimpliSafe app icon
  4. Confirm that the Show Notifications box is checked off

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Autotech1

2 Messages

@simplisafe_admin I realized after re-reading my post that I didn't explain my issue correctly, but the steps you said to take had already been performed when I first reinstalled the SimpliSafe app on my phone. All but one of the settings were turned on, and from day one I couldn't turn it on no matter how many times I tried. The doorbell notification shows that it's turned off in the settings menu of the SimpliSafe app, not the Android settings menu for the SimpliSafe app. When I tap on doorbell notification in the settings menu of the SimpliSafe app, it opens the  Android settings for SimpliSafe where everything is turned on except for two features; arming reminders, (I don't have an alarm yet), and widgets.

In any event, I found a workaround by searching online for notification tone I wanted, Deneb, because it sounds like a I found it, downloaded it and emailed it to myself. From there I opened it on my phone and added it to the folder that I have for all of the notification tones from my old phones. It's not the same as the OE Deneb notification tone that's in the alarm menu, which is where the setting is now for the motion sensing of the camera. It has a higher pitch, (which I don't like), it's faster, (again, I don't like that), and the volume is a bit lower, (I reiterate the previous two comments). I guess I'll make due with it until or unless I find something I like better, or I find a better sounding Deneb, that can't be the only one.

I guess I shouldn't have posted my issue on the SimpliSafe support site because it seems like it's an Android issue.

(edited)

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Bendezium

1 Message

Why not break out alarms into their own category? That seems very stange. I feel like most people would want to distinguish an alarm from other events and customize sound, do not disturb, etc.

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davey_d

Former Community Admin

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5.7K Messages

@Bendezium​ that's a very good point. The answer is that our Dev team just hasn't yet. But it's definitely being considered. I'll keep you updated!

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jphellmer1988

1 Message

I'm beginning to wonder if there really is a "dev team".  I've had 2 systems for over a year and have yet to see any of the issues or upgrades mentioned by myself or others implemented.

davey_d

Former Community Admin

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5.7K Messages

@jphellmer1988​ have you been active in this Community under a different username?

Our app dev teams are constantly hard at work on improvements - from streamlined setup and install, to UI and accessibility enhancements. The specific request in this thread falls under a somewhat niche category, so it may take a while before we see any changes.

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billinseattle

1 Message

@davey-d, @jphellmer1988 is right where this notification issue is concerned. You've implemented for iPhone but not for Android, which is 70% of the market in US. It's a very small item to reconfigure the android app, maybe some slight work on the back end to distinguish alarms from other notifications in the transmission. Crazy for an alarm company to say if you want to be awakened in the night with an alarm, you have to be willing to be awakened in the night by our marketing messages and system updates too. Fixing it = more bang for the buck than almost anything else a developer could be assigned to do

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mrnickclee

1 Message

LOL... 100% agreed upon!

Crazy for an alarm company to say if you want to be awakened in the night with an alarm, you have to be willing to be awakened in the night by our marketing messages and system updates too.

luckyanu

4 Messages

I see posts in here dating back 2 years ago asking for the alarm notification to be separated. I also have two systems with Simplisafe and have endured many growing pains with Simplisafe without any major complaints. The fact that this isn't one of the "dev" teams priorities tells me you might need a new "dev". The alarm notification separation should not be something you have to fix, it should have been something that was included in the first place. You are an alarm security company. Alarm is in the name. We want the alarm notification to be different.

While I'm bitchin, give us more family alarm code pins. 4 is not enough!

You have loyal customers, do stuff to keep them!

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CAT

6 Messages

Am I the only one with "Alarm" separated? Idk if it's just for show, but it is for me.

I'm not sure why motion and cameras aren't separated though. I would like to have a "camera shutter" notification for cameras, and then a different notification sound for motion/other events, like Ring and Nest allow.

EDIT: Also, I no longer have the "Miscellaneous" category. Is the "Alarm" category actually the new "Misc" category? lol.

(edited)

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davey_d

Former Community Admin

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5.7K Messages

@Trust​ the honest reason is that these settings are only available because of how Android notifications work, and isn't really intended for customers like yourself.

The distinction between different event types on the SimpliSafe side is not connected to that Android setting.

We do have a pending Product Request on this page, which is not yet in development. But if and when our dev team picks it up, it would be within the SimpliSafe app.

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