FAQ

Yes! We strongly recommend pairing GateGuard with an Amazon Alexa device for audible alerts. Alexa can announce whenever your gate is opened, giving you an additional layer of awareness beyond your phone notifications. Setup instructions are available on our GateGuard Setup page in the "Set up voice alerts with Amazon Alexa" section.

No subscription required. Once you're set up, alerts are sent automatically to your phone or smartwatch. There is a paid for SMS alerting service you can purchase through the app which is neither required or advised.

GateGuard uses a two-part magnetic sensor — a main unit and a smaller magnet. Here's what you need to know:

• Recommended gap between magnet and sensor: approximately 5mm
• Up to 1cm will generally still work fine
• Over 2cm will not work
• Most pool gates — including glass gates — are fully compatible
• Garden gates with wider DIY gaps may have issues depending on the gap size

If your gap looks within range but the sensor still doesn't trigger, contact us and we'll make it right.

Connection issues are usually easy to fix. Try these steps:

• Restart your router — unplug for 10 seconds, plug back in, then try again
• Check whether the app can see the device but can't connect to Wi-Fi — this is the most common scenario
• Wait a few minutes after restarting before attempting to reconnect

If you're still stuck, contact us — we can arrange a replacement, and if that still doesn't resolve it, a full refund.

If your device is connected but alerts aren't arriving, work through the following:

• Check the red flash: Cover the unit with your hand (or test at dusk) — you should see a red light flash every time the gate opens or closes. This confirms the device is physically detecting movement.
• Check app device history: Open the app and look under 'Device History' — there should be a log entry for each open/close event.
• Don't rapidly open and close the gate when testing — you'll only receive the final close event. Open slowly, wait 10–20 seconds, then close.
• After first install, wait a few minutes — Wi-Fi can take a moment to properly register the device on the network.

Still not working? Contact us with a screenshot of your device history and a photo of your installation.

Follow these steps in order — don't skip ahead to Alexa until the app is working:

• Delete and reinstall the app on your phone
• Reboot your router/Wi-Fi
• Reset the GateGuard device — slide it off your gate, press the button above the batteries, then re-add it in the app as a new device
• Don't add it to Alexa yet — get it working in the app first
• Test slowly: Open the gate, wait 10–20 seconds, then close. Rapid open/close will only produce a close alert
• Check the red light: Cover the device with your hand — a red light should flash on each open/close
• Once confirmed working, share the device with your partner via Settings > Share Device
• Only then set up Alexa using the GateGuard skill — see our GateGuard Setup page

If the red light isn't flashing at all, contact us and we'll arrange a replacement or refund.

Alerts travel from the device to your router, up to the cloud, and back down to your phone — this takes a few seconds and is completely normal. If your gate is opened and closed very quickly, the sensor may only register the close event. Always open the gate, wait at least 10 seconds, then close when testing. For full setup guidance, visit our GateGuard Setup page.