How Do I Disable Arm Stay No Delay on the IQ5 NS System?

To disable Arm Stay No Delay on the IQ5 NS, open the IQ Installer app, go to Installation, Security and Arming, find Arm Stay No Delay, then turn the toggle off. This setting is enabled by default, and turning it off adds a countdown before Stay mode arms. The change applies right away.

What Arm Stay No Delay Does

The IQ5 NS (available in AT&T LTE and Verizon LTE) arms in Stay mode immediately, with no countdown timer, by default. The manual describes the setting simply as arming Stay immediately with no countdown timer, and it is enabled out of the box. The reasoning is straightforward: Stay mode is for when you are home, so there is no need to leave the building before the security system is armed.

Disabling the setting changes that behavior. With Arm Stay No Delay turned off, arming in Stay mode runs a countdown timer first, and the system arms when the countdown finishes. This setting only affects Stay arming. It does not change how Arm Away works.

How to Disable Arm Stay No Delay

1. Open the IQ Installer app. This is the mobile app used to configure the IQ5 NS, since the panel has no display of its own.

2. Connect to the panel. The app communicates with the IQ5 NS over Bluetooth or WIFI to load its configuration menus.

3. Enter the Installer Code when prompted. The default Installer Code is 1111. If your account admin changed it, use the code they set, such as 2222.

4. Touch Installation. This opens the Installation menu, which lists Devices, Installer Settings, System Logs, Sirens and Alarms, Security and Arming, and Camera Settings.

IQ5 NS Installation menu within the Configuration menu

5. Touch Security and Arming. This menu holds the arming behavior settings, including Arm Stay No Delay, Auto Exit Time Extension, and Keyfob Instant Arming.

IQ5 NS Security and Arming option in the Installation menu

6. Find Arm Stay No Delay in the list. This setting is enabled by default, which means Arm Stay currently arms the system immediately.

7. Turn off the Arm Stay No Delay toggle. Once it is off, Arm Stay runs a countdown timer before the system arms.

What Changes After You Turn It Off

The next time you arm in Stay mode from a paired keypad, a keyfob, or the Alarm.com app, the system starts a countdown instead of arming right away. Arming is not complete until the countdown ends, so a door or window sensor that is opened during the countdown is treated differently from one that is opened after the system is armed. The length of the countdown follows your exit delay setting, which has its own article.

Why Add a Countdown on Stay

The default suits most homes, but a countdown on Stay helps in a few situations. If you often arm Stay and then step outside briefly, such as to bring in a package or take out the trash, the countdown gives you time to get through the door before the sensors arm. It also helps households where a sensor sits near the spot where you arm the system, since that sensor trips the moment arming completes.

How This Differs From Related Settings

Three nearby settings control arming speed, and they are easy to mix up. Arm Stay No Delay controls whether Stay mode arms immediately. Keyfob Instant Arming controls whether exit delay is skipped when a keyfob is used to arm the system. Auto Exit Time Extension automatically extends the countdown if a delay door is opened a second time during it. Each one works independently, so changing Arm Stay No Delay does not affect the other two.

How to Turn It Back On

If you decide you prefer instant Stay arming, return to the same menu and turn the Arm Stay No Delay toggle back on. Go to Advanced Settings, Installation, Security and Arming, then switch it on. Stay arming goes back to arming the system immediately with no countdown.

If the Change Does Not Seem to Apply

If Arm Stay still arms the system immediately after you turn the toggle off, confirm the change saved before backing out of the Security and Arming menu. Also confirm you are arming in Stay mode and not using a keyfob, since a keyfob follows the Keyfob Instant Arming setting. If it still behaves the same way, contact Alarm Grid support so we can help.

Disabling Arm Stay No Delay on your IQ5 NS adds a countdown to Stay arming, giving you time to move before the sensors arm on the IQ5 NS. For help with arming settings or other Security and Arming options 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.