How to Change the Volume on a Honeywell Alarm

A home alarm system can help make you and your family more secure, but it can also be a bit of a pain. Sometimes status beeps and voiced system announcements occur at the worst possible times, like when you've finally gotten the baby down for a nap. Fortunately, you can adjust the volume and even mute most Honeywell alarms with the exception of the Honeywell Vista Model. This model does have a workaround, however, if adjusting the volume is important to you.

If your particular alarm keypad talks to you and relays messages verbally, you can turn down the voice volume or even mute it altogether. You can also reduce the volume on status beeps and button beeps when you press the keypad. You cannot, however, turn down the volume of the alarm itself.

If your system has an audible alarm to alert you (and perhaps your neighbors) to intruders, there is no way to reduce the alarm's volume. This noise is part of how your system works to alert you and others that there is a problem — and hopefully scare away anyone on your property who doesn't belong there. Alarms will always sound at their maximum volume despite any adjustments you make to other sounds.

Unfortunately, there is no way to adjust the volume on a Honeywell Vista system. You can, however, install the Tuxedo Touch as a piggyback to the Vista system. This allows you to control the alarm system indirectly through the Tuxedo, which does let you adjust its volume.

1. Press the settings icon on the bottom left corner of the screen. The icon is a picture of a screwdriver and wrench.
2. Use the brightness/volume slide bar to adjust the system volume up or down as needed.
   
3. Click the return arrow in the upper right corner of the screen. When asked if you want to save your changes, select "yes."

The Tuxedo Touch can communicate with you through a computerized voice rather than just beeps. If you find this feature helpful you can turn it on, but you can also mute the voice messages if you find them annoying.

1. Begin by pressing the settings icon (a picture of a wrench and screwdriver) on the bottom left corner of the home screen.
   
2. Press the audio icon. You may be prompted to input your authorization code; enter this if required.
3. Touch the operating mode menu option and then select "voice mode." The voice mode icon will toggle voice messages on and off.
4. Press the home button to save your changes.
   

Volume adjustment is the same on most Honeywell all-in-one systems, including the Lynx and the 6160RF. If you added a wireless alarm system keypad to your system, note that you probably won't be able to adjust the system volume through it. Instead, use your alarm's master panel to perform this function.

1. Press the function (#) key on your alarm's master control panel.
2. Press 0 then 2 to access the volume controls.
3. Adjust the volume using the up and down arrows located on the number 3 and 6 keys. The keypad will beep and may say "check" so you can hear the volume.
4. Repeat these steps until you have the volume as high or low as you like.
   

As with other Honeywell systems, the Lynx units allow you to mute voice messages. Even if you mute the messages, the system will still voice any recorded messages when you press the play button.

1. Press the function (#) key.
2. Press 0 then 2.
3. Press 4 to toggle voice messaging on or off.