How Do I Access Local Automation on the IQ5 NS?

The IQ5 NS does not have Local Automation, because its manual lists no such page and it has no display or Dealer menu. Local Automation is a Dealer Code only vacant home scene on the IQ Panel 5 and IQ5 Hub, so there is nothing to access. Choose a panel with a Dealer menu if you need it.

Does the IQ5 NS Have Local Automation

The IQ5 NS (available in AT&T LTE and Verizon LTE) does not have Local Automation. On the IQ Panel 5 and IQ5 Hub, Local Automation is a Dealer Code only page that holds a hardcoded vacant home scene for new construction properties without an Alarm.com account. The IQ5 NS manual lists no Local Automation page, and the IQ5 NS has no display or Dealer menu to open it from.

That means there is no Local Automation page to access on the system.

What Local Automation Does on Other Panels

On the IQ Panel 5 and IQ5 Hub, the scene runs three actions every day. It locks all locks at 8 pm, sets thermostats to Auto mode with a target temperature of 65 F to 78 F, or 18.3 C to 25.6 C, and turns Light 1 on at 8 pm and all lights off at 6 am. It manages Z-Wave devices locally, which suits a vacant home with no Alarm.com account yet.

Managing Z-Wave Devices on the IQ5 NS

The system still works with Z-Wave devices. You enroll them through the IQ Installer app, and you control and schedule them through your Alarm.com account once it is active. What the system does not offer is a built-in vacant home scene that runs without an account.

If You Want the Vacant Home Scene

If you need Local Automation for a new construction property, the IQ Panel 5 and IQ5 Hub both include it. All panels in this family share the same core security system features, so the choice comes down to whether you want a display and the dealer tools that come with it.

How the Panels Differ

The IQ5 NS is managed through the IQ Installer app and has no display. Features that live in an on-panel menu, such as the Dealer menu, are not part of this model. The core detection, arming, and reporting work the same way, so for most homes the difference does not matter.

Devices the Scene Controls on Other Panels

On the IQ Panel 5 and IQ5 Hub, the scene covers three kinds of Z-Wave devices. It locks all enrolled locks, sets all enrolled thermostats to Auto mode within the stated temperature range, and turns lights on and off. Only Light 1 turns on in the evening, while every light turns off in the morning.

Who Needs Local Automation

The feature is aimed at dealers and installers who set up panels in new construction. It lets the panel look after the locks, thermostats, and lights of a vacant home before the homeowner has an Alarm.com account. If you are setting up a home that will have an active account from the start, you can ignore the feature on any panel.

Planning a New Construction Install

For a new construction property, decide early whether the home will have an active Alarm.com account while it is vacant. If it will not, and you want the locks, thermostats, and lights managed in the meantime, choose a panel that includes Local Automation.

The IQ5 NS does not have Local Automation, but the IQ Panel 5 and IQ5 Hub include a Dealer Code only vacant home scene on the IQ5 NS. For help with Local Automation or other dealer settings or other configurations on your IQ5 NS, contact the Alarm Grid support team. We are here Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM Eastern Time. Email us at support@alarmgrid.com, call us at 888-818-7728, or visit our website and chat with a live support agent.