ADT Smart Home Automation & Voice Control

Our days are filled with simple, mindless tasks that require time and energy. For instance, locking the front door and remembering to turn off the front lights when you leave for work in the morning.

Though these actions are easy, forgetting them can be dangerous or costly. Leaving your lights on all day wastes energy. It can also attract burglars who may think you’re out of town. If you leave your door unlocked, your home and family are more vulnerable to anyone that tries to enter.

Smart home automation with ADT eliminates these risks. It may seem like an unnecessary luxury, but these devices offer an extra layer of protection. Easily lock your front door or arm your security system. Adjust your lights with just a touch. 

ADT’s smart home integrations offer the best of both convenience and safety. In this guide, we’ll show you how to use this service to gain control of your home and security no matter where you are.

Key Takeaways

• ADT smart home automations save time and effort to make your life easier
• Using automated routines and remote control increases your home’s security and convenience
• Create a broad network of connected devices, including numerous products offered by ADT and third-party options
• Your smart home notifies you of any security and environmental threats so you can get help more quickly

How does an ADT smart home work?

With an ADT smart home, you can create a network of internet-connected devices that work together to make your life easier. You can turn your devices on and off through a mobile app or use voice commands. Customizing your settings is also easier, and often more extensive, than it would be with typical products.
As technology advances, we need our devices to work together seamlessly. A smart home uses a variety of devices to improve your life in several ways.

What are the benefits of using an ADT smart home?

1. Convenience

Automating household features saves you time and energy. You can have your lights turn on at a certain time or even answer the door through your phone. The more devices you add to your network, the less you will have to do. Best of all, you don’t have to be home to access your smart devices. As long as you have your phone or computer, you can monitor and control them instantly.

2. Saving energy

Using less energy is good for your wallet and good for the environment. Smart lights ensure that you only use them when you’re home. Rather than turning the lights on early when you’re going to be out late, you can schedule them to turn on in the evening or activate them from your phone.

3. Saving time

When you’re busy, you don’t have time to waste. Your home allows you to automate tasks or take care of them on-the-go. Set your system to arm when your front door locks, then lock it through your phone so you don’t have to pause on your way out. You can keep your home secured and orderly with just a few seconds of your attention.

4. Safety

Have you ever wondered if you forgot to lock the door? Turning around often isn’t an option, but you don’t want to leave your home vulnerable. A smart home empowers you to have confidence in your home’s security. You can check the status of your locks, security system, and other devices in a moment. No matter what, you can have peace of mind about your protection.

Plans & pricing

ADT gives customers two options for their smart home security system, including:

• Smart Home – This equipment package comes with the ADT Command touchscreen control panel, door and window sensors, a motion detector, and a smart door lock. 
• Video & Smart Home – Along with the above equipment, this package includes a doorbell camera and an outdoor camera.

The Build Your Own package is another, more flexible option. Starting with ADT Command, door and window sensors, and a motion detector (also known as ADT’s basic package, Secure Home) you can choose the specific products you want for your home.

You can add any compatible smart devices to any of these packages. ADT provides a variety of products as add-ons, but you can also purchase third-party options and connect them to your system.

It’s important to note, however, that you have to use the professional monitoring plan that supports the devices in your system. This includes adding smart devices and/or cameras to a Build Your Own package.

If you only buy the basic package, for instance, your monitoring plan won’t support any smart devices and you won’t be able to use them with your security system. Similarly, you can’t connect cameras to your system if you are using the Smart Home plan, even if you are using a third-party product.

ADT smart home technology

There are many ways to use an ADT security system to make your home more comfortable and safe. This provider offers some of the best technology, including multiple Google devices that feature extensive capabilities.

Most importantly, ADT’s home automation is ideal for customers who don’t have any smart devices, as well as those with existing ecosystems. Whether you want one smart option or many, this provider is a great option.

Smart security cameras

Security cameras are an important part of any home security system. They can detect intruders and thieves as soon as they enter your property, giving you the chance to call for help or scare them off. Sometimes, just the camera alone is enough to discourage crime.

ADT offers four Google Nest cameras to help you cover the inside and outside of your home. These high-tech cameras offer numerous incredible features, such as:

• Familiar Faces, facial recognition software that helps your cameras tell the difference between strangers and people you know
• Sound detection that alerts you when a safety sensor goes off or glass breaks
• Two-way communication so you can speak to anyone outside your home or in the same room as the camera
• Motion detection
• Intelligent analytics that can tell the difference between people, animals, and vehicles
• Custom detection zones so your cameras only alert when someone crosses the boundaries you set
• Compatibility with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa
• Live feed video feeds, accessible through your app, control panel, or Google Nest Hub
• 30 days of event-triggered videos, plus the ability to customize when your camera starts recording
• Personalized alerts
• One hour of emergency video backup if you lose power or Wi-Fi
• Powerful encryptions

Google also offers Nest Aware Plus, an upgraded plan that gives you more from your cameras. With this upgrade, you will get 60 days of event-triggered videos and 10 days on continuous, 24/7 recordings from your Nest cameras.

Indoor Nest Cam Pro

Easily mount this camera on a wall or set it on a shelf. You can use it to cover common entry points, such as your front or back door, or areas that get a lot of traffic, such as your living room.

The Indoor Nest Cam Pro automatically adjusts to the room’s brightness, so you can get good footage at night, in low light, or in a bright room. Some of its top perks include:

• A privacy option that automatically turns the camera off and stops recording when it is placed in Home mode
• A green light that tells you when the camera is recording or streaming video
• Customizable notifications, such as alerting you when your pet enters the room

This camera is powered by a 10-foot power cord, so ADT’s installer will need to place it near an  outlet.

Outdoor Nest Cam

You may not want a camera inside your home, but outdoor cameras are essential for full security coverage.  When your camera alerts you to a lurker, you can use the two-way communication function to ask what they want or let them know you’re recording them. You can protect your home and vehicles without ever leaving the house.

The Outdoor Nest Cam is weatherproof and easy to install. Its magnetic base makes adjusting easy so you can find the perfect angle. You can choose a battery-operated model for further location flexibility or a wired option to avoid recharging or changing the battery.

Outdoor Nest Cam with floodlight

The Nest products have excellent night vision capabilities, but a floodlight can provide more detail and clarity for any events that your outdoor security camera captures. Though many outdoor floodlight cameras only include one light, the Outdoor Nest Cam with floodlight has two floodlights for maximum illumination.

This camera has the same capabilities as the basic Nest outdoor camera, as well as a few additional features:

• Schedule your lights to match your routine so they automatically turn on when you’re arriving or leaving in the dark
• Adjust the brightness of the floodlights, automatically turning it up or down at different times of day
• Turn the lights on or off through your phone
• Customize the settings so your lights are only activated by specific activity or movement in your detection zones

This camera is wired and can replace an existing floodlight or be connected to your home’s power in another spot.

Google Nest Doorbell

A video doorbell alerts you to visitors immediately. You can use your phone to see and speak to anyone at the door. Even if you’re on a trip or busy upstairs, your Google Nest Doorbell helps you keep your home secure.

This video doorbell’s features include:

• Intelligent Alerts that tell you when a person, animal, vehicle, or package enters your detection zone, as well as identifying what is making the movement
• A wide, clear view of everyone who approaches, ensuring you capture them from head to toe
• The option to sound the doorbell chime through your Nest speakers so you can hear it around the house
• The ability to record custom messages that you can select and play for visitors
• Two-way communication with noise and echo cancellation, helping you hear visitors more clearly
• A quiet mode that silences chimes and alerts

Choose from both wired and wireless models for your home. The ADT installer will use this device to replace your existing doorbell.

Smart Locks

Keys create a vulnerability in your home’s security. They can be lost, borrowed, copied, and found in their “just in case” hiding spots. If the wrong person has your keys, they can easily gain access to your home.

Smart locks eliminate the need for keys. These devices use keyless entry to keep your home safer and prevent you from getting locked out. When connected to your ADT home security system, they provide even more convenience and protection.

You can use your smart lock to:

• Lock/unlock the door with the touch of a button, your mobile app, keys, or numerical codes, which you can customize for up to 30 users
• Get a text or email whenever someone opens the door with info about who opened it
• See if your door is unlocked through the mobile app
• Remotely lock/unlock the door
• Create automations, such as disarming the security system when the door unlocks

Smart plugs and switches

Any light or small appliance can become smart with ADT’s smart plugs. You can plug the smart device into an outlet and use it to power coffee makers, lamps, blow dryers, and more. 

Using Z Wave technology, the smart plug connects to your security system and phone. If you forget to turn off a straightener or want to start the coffee machine from bed, you can control the power to that plug from your phone.

ADT’s smart switches even let you control lights that aren’t plugged into outlets.

Top features include:

• Controlling lights remotely
• Putting your lights on a schedule to discourage burglars and save time
• Using voice commands with Hey Google to control devices plugged into your smart switches and plugs
• Dimming and adjusting lighting through your phone
• Creating custom automated routines, such as turning the lights on when your front door unlocks

Garage door controller

Since many people leave the door connecting the garage to the house unlocked, forgetting to close the garage door can be dangerous.

You can use the ADT garage door controller to close it remotely or ask Alexa to control it for you. More importantly, you will get an alert on your phone if the door is open after you leave. If you want to double check, simply use the mobile app to see if it is closed.

You can also use this smart device to let people into the garage when you’re not home. Instead of being stuck at home while you wait to let them in, you can continue on with your day.

Finally, connecting a smart garage door controller to your ADT system enables automation. Simply customize any routine to include your garage door, such as disarming the security system when the garage opens.

Smart home ecosystems

ADT integrates with both the Google Nest Mini and Amazon Echo home ecosystems. You can add products from both lines to your home to expand your capabilities. These hubs strengthen your smart network, combining the power of an expansive smart home ecosystem with your ADT security solution.

These devices offer voice control through Alexa and the Google Assistant. As long as you have your phone or are in the same room as a smart device, you can access and control every smart device in your ecosystem, including security features.

With the Google Nest Mini, you can ask about the news, access entertainment, set alarms and timers, make calls, and more. 

Alexa can recognize the names you give each device in the app. Your Echo devices will also listen for your safety sensors, sending audio clips to alert you if your smoke or carbon monoxide detectors go off.

Smart smoke alarms

Along with alerting you to smoke, smart smoke sensors can identify quickly rising temperatures or smoldering heat that comes from a fire. They will instantly notify ADT so the monitoring team can send the fire department. You will also receive a notification on your phone.

If you have smart locks, you can quickly unlock the door to let first responders in. Shutting off the air conditioning through your smart thermostat will help contain smoke and fire until help arrives. No matter the circumstance, you can make sure your family, pets, and house remain safe from fires.

Smart carbon monoxide detectors

During a carbon monoxide leak, you have to act fast. These smart carbon monoxide detectors alert you as soon as a small amount of gas is detected. They will send a notification to ADT at the same time to get first responders to the scene as quickly as possible.

Like the smoke detectors, you can use your smart locks and thermostat to grant access to first responders and minimize the spread of the toxic gas.

Smart flood detectors

A leak from your washer machine or pipes can quickly cause expensive damage. The faster you can locate and resolve the problem, the less damage your home will suffer.

Smart flood sensors swiftly detect moisture and send an alert to your phone. You can place them near appliances, pipes, sinks, basements, and any other area that is prone to flooding. Since they are small and battery operated, they are easy to install.

The perks of using smart sensors include:

• Getting alerts and calls from ADT when your sensors go off to ensure you can act quickly
• Using indoor cameras to look for flooding if you’re away
• Remotely unlocking the door and disarming your security system to let repair crews in when you’re out

Z Wave devices

Many smart products operate with Z Wave protocol. ADT designed its system to integrate with any of these devices to give customers more smart options.

You can’t purchase a smart thermostat through ADT, for example, but you can connect a compatible third-party device. As technology and needs change, you can use this connectivity option to design the ideal smart home.

Controlling your smart home

ADT offers three options for controlling your smart home and security system: the ADT Control mobile app, the ADT Command control panel, and voice control through Alexa or the Google Assistant.

ADT Control

The ADT Control app puts your system into your pocket. You can use it to adjust or control every device linked to your security system from anywhere in the world. Get instant notifications when something needs your attention. With just a few taps, you can make your home safer and more comfortable.

The app’s features include:

• Access to all of your security features, including arming/disarming the system, watching live video feeds, and contacting ADT
• Customizable settings for your security system and smart devices
• Control over your smart devices, such as locking doors and turning on lights
• Customized, automated routines to make your life easier
• The status of your connected devices, including your garage door and security system

ADT Command

The ADT Command touchscreen control panel acts as the hub for your entire system. You can use it to connect new smart devices, view video feeds, and adjust your settings. Additional capabilities include:

• Customizing automation
• Checking the status of each device, including your security system
• Calling for help with a single button
• Arming/disarming the security system
• Activating duress codes

Voice control

Voice commands are one of the best parts of a smart home. If you have integrated Amazon Alexa or Hey Google with your system, you can use voice commands through the ADT Control mobile app or with any smart device. You can control and adjust any of your devices from anywhere in your home, using just a spoken phrase. 

For instance, you can tell your system to unlock the door so you can let visitors in without leaving the couch. Control smart lights, cameras, and more with ease.

Installing your ADT smart home system

If installing smart devices seems scary, don’t fret. ADT will connect and set your devices up for you during your professional installation appointment. 

The installation technician will work with you to put each device in the right location. They can also help you connect existing devices to your ADT system. Once everything is in place, you can then customize your network to your preferences.

Before the technician leaves, they will show you how to access and control your security system, including any connected devices. Use this time to ask any questions so you feel confident in your use.

Is an ADT smart home worth it?

Creating a smart home can be pricey. Home automation improves your safety and ease of living, but that might not be worth the cost to some homeowners.

Ask yourself, what processes would I automate in my home with a smart system? Are those benefits worth the cost?

ADT’s home automation helps you expand your benefits and capabilities. Best of all, you can connect your devices in one system while also adding an industry-leading security solution. No matter what happens, your home will always be as safe and comfortable as you need it to be.