How to Set Up an Alarm.com Arming Reminder (Get an Alert If No One Armed the System)

What you need

• An Alarm.com login for your system that can create notifications. What you see depends on your service plan and how your system is set up.
• If you want the reminder as a push notification: push notifications turned on in the Alarm.com app. Alarm.com has you check this toggle on the Notifications screen first.
• The people who should get the reminder, already in the address book. Alarm.com says you add them first as users (Create a new login), and add a mobile number for text messages (Add a mobile phone number to receive SMS notifications).
• A time. The time the last person usually leaves, plus a little cushion.
• If you plan to use geo-fences, the people's phones that act as the geo-devices. Alarm.com says you also need Geo-Services turned on and a geo-fence created. Choose the Exits option so the reminder fires when someone leaves.

Example for an office. Your office usually empties by 6 p.m. on weekdays. Choose At a specific time and enter 6:30 p.m. Under "During this time frame," choose Only During the Following Times and pick the weekdays. Add two recipients: the office manager and a backup who can arm the system or call someone who can. Use your own hours and names.

Set it up in the Alarm.com app

1. Log in to the Alarm.com app.
2. Tap the menu icon, then tap Notifications.
3. Tap the Configure icon.
4. Tap the Add icon, then tap Arming Reminder.
5. Name the new notification rule.
6. Under "Send an Arming Reminder if the system is NOT armed," choose one of these:
   • At a specific time, then enter the time.
   • When selected people cross a Geo-Fence, then pick the geo-devices.
7. Under "During this time frame," choose At All Times to be notified every day if the system hasn't been armed by that time, or Only During the Following Times to limit it to certain days.
8. Under Recipients, tap Add. Tap the address book entries that should be notified, or tap Add Contact to add a new one. Tap Close.
9. Check that the settings are right, then tap Save.

Your screen may look different from these steps, depending on your app version and service plan.

Set it up on the Alarm.com website

1. Log in to the Alarm.com customer website.
2. Click Notifications.
3. Click New Notification.
4. Click Arming Reminder.
5. Name the new notification rule.
6. Under "Send an Arming Reminder if the system is NOT armed," choose At a specific time or When selected people cross a Geo-Fence.
7. Under "During this time frame," choose At All Times or Only During the Following Times.
8. To choose recipients, click Add. Click the address book entries to notify, or click New to add one. Click Close.
9. Check the settings, then click Save.

Two things to know about geo-fences and timing

• If you pick more than one geo-device, Alarm.com says the reminder waits for the last of those devices to enter or exit the geo-fence before it sends.
• Alarm.com notes that arming reminders can have a 3-minute delay, depending on how arming updates come from the panel. A reminder at 9:00 may land a few minutes later.

Test it

Alarm.com's page doesn't describe a test, so this one is our suggestion. A test rule sends a real message to everyone on the recipient list, so start with only yourself.

1. Add only yourself as a recipient.
2. Save the rule with a time a few minutes from now, while the system is disarmed.
3. Check that you got the message. Allow for the possible 3-minute delay.
4. Edit the rule, set the real time and add the real recipients.

What the vendor guide skips

• A reminder is a nudge. It tells someone the system isn't armed. It doesn't tell them who was last out, and it doesn't arm anything.
• Send it to someone who can act. A reminder to an owner who is asleep fixes nothing. Think about who can arm it or call a manager.
• Staff change. When someone leaves or changes numbers, update the recipients.
• One closing time doesn't fit every day. If Saturday looks different from Tuesday, use the days option so the reminder matches how you work.
• Automatic arming is a different feature. It depends on your service plan and panel, and it isn't covered here.
• If a reminder fires every night, that's information. Find out why the last person leaves without arming, and fix the habit or the setup.

Our guide to checking that your alarm system really works covers what a reminder can't tell you.

If you'd rather not do it yourself

If the option is missing, the reminder fires at the wrong time, or you'd like help with notifications across several locations, call PAX at (855) 440-5353 or email info@paxsecurity.com. You can also reach us through https://paxsecurity.com/contact-us.

Sources

• Alarm.com Knowledge Base, Create an arming reminder notification: https://answers.alarm.com/Customer/Website_and_App/System_Management/Notifications/Create_an_arming_reminder_notification
• Alarm.com, Video: How to Set Up Arming Reminders: https://alarm.com/resources/how-to-set-up-an-alarm-com-arming-reminder
• Accessed 2026-10-31.