Does Rebooting My Security System Reset All My Zones?

No, rebooting your security system does not reset all your zones. A system reboot means that the system powers down and then powers back on. No changes to the settings are made during this time. This should not be confused with a factory reset, which will default settings and clear zones.

There are many reasons why a person might want to reboot their system. It could be that the system is experiencing a problem, and rebooting might fix the problem. A user might also perform a reboot if they are making changes to their system, and they need a reboot for the changes to go into effect. Regardless, the user will not have to worry about their zones being wiped out or any settings being cleared.

Different alarm control panels follow a different process for performing a reboot. Traditionally, a user had to unplug the transformer and disconnect the backup battery to power down the system completely. They would then make any hardware changes if necessary. Then they would complete the reboot by plugging in the transformer to power the system back on. Cutting the power supply and then subsequently restoring it is still the easiest way to perform a system reboot.

Today, some alarm control panels have menu options for performing a reboot. One example is the Qolsys IQ Panel 2. This system has menu options for rebooting and shutting down entirely. If you choose System Reboot, then the panel will automatically power back on after powering down. Still, the user will not need to worry about having their system zones or settings wiped when they do this.

If a user wants to reset their zones, then they should perform a factory reset rather than a reboot. A factory reset may also be referred to as defaulting or factory default. Doing this will restore all of the system settings to their factory default configurations. All zones will be cleared, and the system will act as though it is fresh out of the factory. The user will need to reprogram their system entirely. All sensors will need to be reprogrammed. This can be a lengthy process, so a user should only do this if absolutely necessary. Additionally, all user codes will be removed, and both the Master Code and Installer Code will be restored to their respective defaults.