Short answer
Bypassing tells the panel to ignore one zone so you can arm while it is open or faulty. On Honeywell VISTA: code + BYPASS (6) + two-digit zone. On DSC PowerSeries: * 1, the zone number, then #. On touchscreen panels, the arming screen offers to bypass open sensors. The bypass normally clears the next time you disarm.
On this page
When to bypass
- A window you want to leave open a crack while armed.
- A sensor that is faulty or has a dead battery, until you can fix it.
- A motion detector in a room where a pet or guest will be.
A bypassed zone gives no protection while it is bypassed. Fire, CO, and other 24-hour zones usually cannot be bypassed from the keypad.
Honeywell VISTA keypads
- Enter your 4-digit user code.
- Press BYPASS (the 6 key).
- Enter the zone number as two digits, for example 0 5 for zone 5. You can enter several zones in a row.
- The keypad shows BYPASS with each zone number, then ready to arm. Arm as normal.
Quick bypass: code + BYPASS + # bypasses every zone that is currently faulted, if your installer enabled it.
DSC PowerSeries and Neo keypads
- With the system disarmed, press * 1. Enter your code if the keypad asks for it.
- Enter the zone number: two digits on PowerSeries (for example 0 5), three digits on PowerSeries Neo (0 0 5). The zone light (or LCD) shows it as bypassed. Enter it again to un-bypass.
- Press # to finish, then arm.
2GIG and Qolsys touchscreens
Start arming. If a sensor is open, the panel lists it and offers to bypass it (2GIG shows a bypass option on the arming screen; Qolsys asks whether to bypass open sensors). You can also bypass individual sensors ahead of time from the security or sensor status menus. App-based systems such as Ring and SimpliSafe offer the same choice in the app when you arm with something open.
Undoing a bypass
On most systems bypasses clear automatically when you disarm, so the zone is protected again next time you arm. If you need it back before then, disarm and re-arm, or un-bypass it with the same key sequence.
If you keep bypassing the same zone
That zone has a real problem: a misaligned door contact, a weak battery, or a failing motion detector. See false alarms and faulty zones and sensor low battery.