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Testing Your Motion Sensor's Detection

Written by Naomi Ramirez

Updated at August 20th, 2025

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Table of Contents

Checking Tampering and Motion Detection From the Alarm Panel If you’d like to test that the sensor is signaling to the Hub: If you’d like to check that your sensor is detecting motion: Testing Your Sensor Using “Away” Mode

To test the movement element of our Motion Sensors, it is important to first understand the technology involved. If you are verifying that the sensor is signaling properly, you can trigger a tamper signal on the device by pressing the button on the right side of the sensor (The Alarm Panel will announce the name of the sensor, followed by the word "tampered").

Checking Tampering and Motion Detection From the Alarm Panel

If you’d like to test that the sensor is signaling to the Hub: 

  1. Set the Alarm Panel to “Disarm.”
  2. Press the button located on the side of the Motion Sensor. This will cause the Alarm Panel to report for a few seconds that the Motion Sensor is experiencing a tampered condition. A yellow bar will appear on the bottom of the screen and in the sensor status on the “Security” menu. 

If you’d like to check that your sensor is detecting motion: 

  1. Set the Alarm Panel to “Disarm”
  2. Pull up the Security Menu on the Alarm Panel. Navigate to “Motion” and pull up the Motion Sensor you’re testing on the screen. (You may want to bring our Alarm Panel with you to view the screen while testing your Motion Sensor). 
  3. Walk around the room with the Motion Sensor for 4 minutes. The Motion Sensor has a cooldown window of 3 minutes between signals so as you walk around the room, it will pick up the motion during that duration of time. 
  4. That Motion Sensor indicator on the screen will turn orange and display that motion is being detected. 

Testing Your Sensor Using “Away” Mode

  1. You can also test your Motion Sensor by setting your alarm system in “Away” mode. When attempting this test, we recommend reaching out to our support team to place your system on a "Test" Mode to prevent any false alarms. 
  2. Arm your system in “Away” mode.
  3. Before triggering an alarm, ensure your phone is available and you remember your verbal password/safe word. You will need it to cancel any potential dispatch that could happen when you trigger your alarm.
  4. If you arm your system in “Away” mode using the Alarm Panel, you must open and close an exterior door during the 60-second countdown. If you do not, the alarm panel will default back to “Stay” mode, which disables your Motion Sensor (This does not apply when arming from a key remote or our mobile app).
  5. Ensure the room with the Motion Sensor has no movement for 3 minutes.
  6. Walk in front of your Motion Sensor, and your panel’s alarm siren will sound
  7. Disarm your alarm system and answer any calls to your phone for the next few minutes as they may from be the monitoring station. Cancel any dispatch requests if asked. (If your system is in Test Mode, it will not have Monitoring call out for the duration of the test but the Alarm will still trigger.) 
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Home Security
  • Home Security
  • Alarm Panel and Hub
  • Door Sensor
  • Window Sensor
  • Motion Detector
  • Glass Break Detector
  • Key Fob
  • Panic Button
  • Secondary Siren
Environmental Detectors
  • Environmental Detectors
  • Smoke Detector
  • Carbon Monoxide
  • Water Leak Detector
Cameras
  • Cameras
  • Eufy Indoor Camera
  • Eufy Outdoor Camera
  • Eufy Doorbell Camera
Services
  • Services
  • Cove Connect App
  • Professional Monitoring
  • RapidSOS
  • Professional Installation
Company
  • About Us
  • Reviews
  • Press Center
Help
  • Help Center
  • Contact Us
  • Resources
  • Articles
  • 855.268.3669
Exclusive Pricing
  • Military
  • Medical Personnel
  • Teachers
  • Government Employees
Get Cove Deals
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© 2024 Cove Smart, LLC All rights reserved. 14015 Minuteman Drive, Draper, UT 84020

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