Why Is My Qolsys IQ Panel 4 Showing A Blank Screen?

The Qolsys IQ Panel 4 uses photo frame settings to program the screen to timeout to a black screen. A quick press and release of the power button on the right side of the panel will also cause the screen to shut off. If you lose transformer power and battery, the screen will also go black.

The Qolsys IQ Panel 4 is a 7" All-In-One touchscreen alarm system. It has many modern features that seamlessly integrate with Z-Wave smart home devices, via its built-in Z-Wave Plus V2 controller. It is capable of supporting 128 zones and 242 users. The panel can be purchased in black or white, and comes in different "flavors", so you can continue to use existing RF sensors when replacing an older wireless panel.

What we refer to as "flavors" are the various legacy RF receiver options available for the IQ Panel 4. These include the 319.5 MHz (Qolsys/GE/Interlogix) flavor, 345 MHz (Honeywell/2gig) flavor, and 433 MHz (DSC) flavor. All three (3) panel flavors that offer legacy RF receivers also support the 915 MHz PowerG frequency sensors. There is also a PowerG-only IQ Panel 4 kit that does not offer legacy receiver support. The panel in this kit is only available in white and comes in either a Verizon or an AT&T version. In addition to their 915 MHz PowerG sensor support and Z-Wave Plus V2 capability, each IQ Panel 4 comes with a built-in dual-band WIFI module.

The screen may be black if the photo frame settings are enabled. To check, try waking the screen by touching it or with a quick press and release of the power button. Then touch the small grey bar at the top of the home screen. Choose the photo frame option. Next, select settings. Then, search or scroll down to "Display Type". If 'Off' is selected as the option, this is why your screen went black. If you need to adjust the settings, below is an explanation of each option.

Photo Frame Settings

The table below explains what each option means

The most common reason that the screen is black, for seemingly no reason, is the power button. The power button is located on the right side of the Qolsys IQ Panel 4. This button may have been inadvertently pressed. To turn the screen back on, touch the screen or press and release the button again.

Both of the above options will leave the LEDs working if enabled. LEDs are on by default but can be disabled in Installer or Dealer settings (grey bar > settings > advanced settings > Enter Installer/Dealer Code (default 1111/2222) > Installation > Installer/Dealer settings). If your screen is black, you have no LEDs, it won't wake from touching the screen, and it won't wake from a quick press of the power button, it is likely the panel is dead. Check to make sure the transformer is still plugged into the wall and to the back of the panel. If it is plugged in, then contact your dealer for further troubleshooting.

If your panel is brand new, this is the first time you're attempting to power it on, and the screen remains dark, the panel's battery could be in a state of discharge or deep discharge. There is a Technical Service Bulletin from Qolsys that explains the steps to resolve this issue. Follow the steps outlined, and be aware that you may need to perform some steps multiple times to get the panel to power up successfully. If Alarm Grid is your dealer, free troubleshooting is included in your monitoring plan. Email us at support@alarmgrid.com for assistance in diagnosing the issue. Our support hours are Monday - Friday from 9:00 am - 8:00 pm Eastern Time.