Important: Exact button sequences vary by alarm panel and keypad model. If your keypad is not listed or a command does not work as described, contact your monitoring company or installer rather than attempting advanced programming.
Security Note: Your personal user code is used for many of the functions below. Never share your code, and change it if someone who previously had access should no longer be able to use the system.
Arming the Security System
Arming activates protection on your doors, windows, motion detectors, and other configured security sensors.
Most residential systems offer two common arming modes:
- Away — arms both perimeter sensors and interior devices such as motion detectors. Use this when no one will remain inside.
- Stay / Home — arms perimeter protection while leaving interior motion detectors inactive so you can move around inside.
Honeywell Vista / Ademco / First Alert
Common alpha keypads include models such as the Honeywell 6160 and 6150.
Arm Away
- Make sure all protected doors and windows are closed.
- Confirm that the keypad displays READY.
- Enter your user code.
- Press 2 – AWAY.
Arm Stay
- Enter your user code.
- Press 3 – STAY.
Honeywell Lynx Touch
From the Ready to Arm screen:
- Touch Arm Away to arm the entire system.
- Touch Arm Stay to arm perimeter protection while remaining inside.
A code is generally not required to arm the system, although a user code is required to disarm it.
Honeywell Lyric Controller
- Touch the Security icon.
- Select:
- Arm Away
- Arm Stay
- Arm Night
The Custom Arming option can also allow you to review or deselect previously bypassed zones before arming.
Honeywell / Resideo Tuxedo Touch
- From the home screen, touch Arm Away or Arm Stay.
- Follow the on-screen prompts.
The Tuxedo Touch functions as a touchscreen keypad for the underlying Vista alarm panel.
DMP XR / XT / Command-Series Keypads
- Enter your user code.
- Press CMD.
- Choose:
- ALL for away arming
- PERIM for perimeter/stay arming
If a zone is currently faulted, the keypad may provide options such as OKAY, BYPASS, or STOP before arming completes.
Total Connect 2.0 / 3.0
- Open Total Connect.
- Select your security system.
- Tap Arm Away or Arm Stay.
Because Total Connect communicates with the system over an internet or cellular connection, it can be useful if you need to arm the system after leaving the property.
Disarming the Security System
Disarming turns off armed protection, usually after entering through a designated entry door during the system’s entry-delay period.
Vista / Ademco / First Alert
- Enter your user code.
- Press 1 – OFF.
Lynx Touch
Enter your user code on the touchscreen keypad, or touch Disarm and then enter your code.
Lyric Controller
Touch Disarm, then enter your user code using the on-screen keypad.
Tuxedo Touch
Touch Disarm, then enter your user code.
DMP
Depending on the keypad:
- Enter your code and press CMD, or
- Press CMD → DISARM → enter code → CMD.
Total Connect
- Open Total Connect.
- Select the system.
- Tap Disarm.
The app itself may not require the keypad user code because access is authenticated through the Total Connect account.
Alarm Memory: If the keypad continues to display the zone that caused an alarm after disarming, you may need to perform the OFF/Disarm sequence again to clear the alarm-memory display.
Silencing an Alarm
Silencing the system stops the local siren or sounder.
Important: Silencing an alarm does not necessarily cancel an alarm report that has already been sent to the monitoring center, and it does not correct whatever condition originally caused the alarm.
Vista / Ademco / First Alert
Burglary alarm
- Enter your user code.
- Press 1 – OFF.
Fire or CO alarm
The source guide indicates using the OFF sequence to silence the alarm and then repeating the appropriate code/OFF sequence to clear the display.
Lynx Touch / Lyric / Tuxedo Touch
Enter your user code, or touch Disarm and enter your code.
The screen may continue to display the zone that caused the alarm until the disarm sequence is repeated.
DMP
Enter your user code and press CMD.
Depending on system configuration, a monitored alarm may also present options for confirming or canceling the alarm condition.
Total Connect
Open the Total Connect app and tap Disarm on the affected security system.
What About a Low-Battery Chirp?
A low-battery chirp is a trouble indication, not an alarm.
Silencing the chirp does not fix the underlying battery problem. The affected battery still needs to be replaced.
Bypassing a Zone
Bypassing tells the alarm system to temporarily ignore a specific zone while allowing the rest of the system to arm.
For example, you might bypass:
- A window that needs to remain open
- A sensor with a temporary fault
- A device with a dead battery while awaiting service
Important: A bypassed zone is not protected while bypassed. In many systems, the bypass clears automatically after the system is disarmed.
Vista / Ademco / First Alert
To bypass an individual zone:
- Enter your user code.
- Press 6 – BYPASS.
- Enter the two-digit zone number.
For example, zone 6 would normally be entered as:
06
If Quick Bypass is enabled, the guide lists:
User Code + 6 + #
to bypass currently open zones.
Fire zones cannot be bypassed using this procedure.
Lynx Touch
- Select the faulted zone from the zone list.
- Touch Bypass.
- Enter your user code.
Bypassed zones display a bypass indication, and the bypass normally clears after the system is disarmed.
Lyric Controller
- Touch Security.
- Open Zones.
- Select the zone or zones you want to bypass.
- Touch Bypass.
- Enter your user code.
Tuxedo Touch
- Select the affected zone.
- Choose Bypass.
- Enter your user code.
DMP
Begin arming the system normally.
If a zone is faulted, the keypad may display:
- OKAY
- BYPASS
- STOP
Select BYPASS to arm while excluding that zone.
Panic, fire, and other 24-hour zones cannot normally be bypassed.
Total Connect
- Open Zones/Sensors.
- Select the affected zone.
- Choose Bypass before arming.
Quick Reference
| System | Arm Away | Disarm | Silence Alarm | Bypass Zone |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vista / Ademco | Code + AWAY (2) | Code + OFF (1) | Code + OFF (1) | Code + 6 + zone |
| First Alert | Same as Vista | Same as Vista | Same as Vista | Same as Vista |
| Lynx Touch | Touch Arm Away | Touch Disarm + code | Enter code | Select zone → Bypass → code |
| Lyric Controller | Security → Arm Away | Disarm → code | Enter code | Security → Zones → Bypass |
| Tuxedo Touch | Touch Arm Away | Disarm → code | Enter code | Select zone → Bypass → code |
| DMP XR / XT | Code + CMD → ALL/PERIM | Code + CMD | Code + CMD | Select BYPASS when prompted |
| Total Connect | System → Arm Away | System → Disarm | Disarm in app | Zones/Sensors → Bypass |
When to Contact Your Alarm Provider
Contact your monitoring company or alarm installer if:
- The keypad will not display READY even after all doors and windows are closed.
- A zone repeatedly faults or refuses to clear.
- A bypassed zone continues causing problems.
- You are unsure whether an alarm condition is real.
- You need to add, remove, or change user codes.
- The instructions for your specific keypad or panel differ from those shown here.
- You are unsure which alarm-panel or keypad family you have.
Your alarm provider can confirm the exact system model and walk you through procedures specific to your equipment.
