Support
Door Held Open, Door Contact and Request-to-Exit Troubleshooting
Door Inputs
Summary
Follow the four stages below to diagnose door-held-open alarms, door status or request-to-exit behaviour is wrong without losing evidence, configuration or device ownership.
Applies to
- Access-controlled doors with contacts
- Request-to-exit buttons and sensors
Difficulty and time
Difficulty: Advanced
Estimated time: 20 to 50 minutes
What you will need
- The exact model and current firmware or app version
- Administrator access where authorised
- A photo or screenshot of the current status
- One controlled test case and its exact time
What this guide covers
- Preserve and reproduce the fault
- Open the correct diagnostic screen
- Correct the proven cause
- Verify and document the result
Use this page when door-held-open alarms, door status or request-to-exit behaviour is wrong. It includes the menu or screen to look for, the status that matters and a repeatable proof test.
Exact labels can differ between recorder, controller, app and firmware versions. If the named screen is not present, do not guess at destructive options; note the model and current version for support.
Before you start
Protect the current system and record a baseline before changing anything.
- Write down the exact symptom: software shows Open when shut, alarms too early/late, or REX does not release the door.
- Photograph the current status, error text, wiring or timeline as applicable.
- Record the last known working time and anything changed immediately before the fault.
- Record existing input types, timers and wiring before changes.
Never bypass an egress input to stop nuisance alarms
REX, emergency release and fire interfaces protect safe exit. Use qualified personnel and the approved design.
If the required option is missing or the result does not match this guide, stop and identify the exact model before continuing.
What usually causes this
- Door contact polarity is wrong
- Magnet/contact is misaligned
- Cable or EOL supervision is faulty
- REX input maps to the wrong door
Step 1: Preserve the current state and reproduce the fault
Begin with a repeatable baseline so you know whether a later change genuinely helped.
- Reproduce the problem once and record: software shows Open when shut, alarms too early/late, or REX does not release the door.
- Note whether every device or user is affected, or only one.
- Compare one working path with the failing path if a comparison exists.
- Record existing input types, timers and wiring before changes.
Step 2: Open the correct screen and inspect the evidence
The primary diagnostic location is Access-control client > Monitoring > Door Status/Input, then Door Parameters > Door Contact/REX/Held-Open Time. Do not change anything until the displayed state is recorded.
- Open Access-control client > Monitoring > Door Status/Input, then Door Parameters > Door Contact/REX/Held-Open Time. Menu wording can vary by model and firmware; use the nearest equivalent label.
- Watch live door-contact state while physically opening and closing the door.
- Check whether the contact is configured Normally Open or Normally Closed.
- Operate REX and confirm the controller sees the input before assessing the lock.
Step 3: Correct only the cause you proved
Use the matching correction below. Make one change, save it, then repeat the same test.
- Correct input type only after proving the actual contact behaviour.
- Adjust held-open time to the approved operational requirement, not simply to silence alarms.
- Repair alignment, cabling or end-of-line supervision faults.
- Map REX to the intended door and unlock action while preserving safe egress.
Step 4: Verify, monitor and document the handover
A saved setting is not proof. Test the real outcome locally first, then test any app, cloud or client path separately.
- Open, close and hold the door beyond the configured time.
- Confirm normal open events and held-open alarms occur at the correct stages.
- Operate REX several times and confirm safe release/relock.
- Check tamper, forced-door and fire-interface behaviour according to site procedure.
Controlled support test
Situation: The reported symptom was: software shows Open when shut, alarms too early/late, or REX does not release the door.
Solution used: The current state was recorded in Access-control client > Monitoring > Door Status/Input, then Door Parameters > Door Contact/REX/Held-Open Time, one matching correction was made, and the same test was repeated.
Why this was chosen: This separated the proven cause from unrelated settings.
Installation notes: The final screenshot and test time were saved with the handover record.
Official reference used for this guide
Menu names differ between releases. Confirm model-specific behaviour in Hikvision Access Control Terminal User Manual before firmware, reset, storage or security-sensitive work.
Common mistakes
- Changing several settings before repeating the original test.
- Using a factory reset, initialise or format option as an early troubleshooting step.
- Treating an app symptom as proof that the local hardware or recording has failed.
- Failing to record the model, version, exact error and test time before escalation.
- Assuming similar-looking models use identical menus or features.
Troubleshooting table
| Symptom | What to check | What to do next |
|---|---|---|
| software shows Open when shut, alarms too early/late, or REX does not release the door | inverted NO/NC input, misaligned contact, wiring fault, wrong timer or incorrect REX mapping | Open the named diagnostic screen, record the displayed state and use the matching correction above. |
| The named menu is not visible | Different firmware, permissions or model capability | Do not substitute a destructive menu. Capture the model and version and use its official manual. |
| The change saves but the fault remains | The selected cause was not the root cause | Undo the change if appropriate, return to the baseline and compare the failing path with a working one. |
| Local test works but app or client test fails | Account, permission, cloud or remote-network path | Keep the proven local configuration and diagnose the remote path separately. |
| Problem returns later | Intermittent power, cable, storage, network or schedule condition | Record the new failure time and status; correlate it with logs, events and the last known working interval. |
When to contact support
Contact SecurityWholesalers support when live input state does not match physical operation or safe release behaviour cannot be proven.
Send the order number if available, exact model, firmware or app version, screenshot of Access-control client > Monitoring > Door Status/Input, then Door Parameters > Door Contact/REX/Held-Open Time, the failure time, and the result of the local proof test.
Related support guides
- Access Control Support Guides - Browse every guide in this support area.
- All Technical Support Guides - Return to the complete support library.
Related buying guides
- Access Control Buying Guide - Door hardware, credentials and system-planning guide.
Relevant product categories
- Access Control Products - Controllers, readers, locks and credentials.
- Door Strikes - Electric strike hardware.
- Maglocks - Electromagnetic locking hardware.
Still stuck?
Need help choosing or setting up a system? Contact SecurityWholesalers support with your order number, product model and a clear description of the issue.
Frequently asked questions
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Where should I click first for door held open alarm access control?
Start at Access-control client > Monitoring > Door Status/Input, then Door Parameters > Door Contact/REX/Held-Open Time. Record the existing state before changing it because labels and available options can vary by model and firmware.
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What should I look for on that screen?
Look for live Open/Closed and REX input transitions, NO/NC configuration, held-open timer and event reason.
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What must I avoid changing during the first check?
REX, emergency release and fire interfaces protect safe exit. Use qualified personnel and the approved design.
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How do I prove the correction worked?
Demonstrate correct closed/open/held-open states and repeatable REX release followed by reliable relock.
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Why might my menu names look different?
Recorder, controller, camera, app and firmware releases can use different labels. Use the closest equivalent only when its function is clear; otherwise record the model and version for support.
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Should I factory-reset the device?
Not as an early step. A reset may erase users, network settings, recording configuration, licences or cloud ownership. Back up the configuration and confirm the recovery plan first.
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What should I send technical support?
Send the exact model and version, screenshot of Access-control client > Monitoring > Door Status/Input, then Door Parameters > Door Contact/REX/Held-Open Time, exact error text, failure time, what changed before the fault and the result of the controlled local test.
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Can configuration changes recover data or events that were never recorded?
No. A correction can restore future operation, but it cannot recreate footage, alarm events or access transactions that were never stored.