The M3 sensor's motion detection is designed to respond to the movement of a full human body. Small pets and robotic vacuum cleaners typically move at floor level and are usually low enough to pass beneath the sensor's detection field but larger pets or certain mounting positions can cause false triggers.
Small pets ( cats, small dogs) | Generally do not trigger the alarm when the sensor is ceiling-mounted at the recommended height of 2.4 m. Many customers use Minut daily alongside small pets without issues. |
Large pets ( large dogs) | May trigger the alarm in some configurations particularly if the sensor is wall-mounted at a low angle. The workaround below is recommended. |
Robotic vacuums | Floor-level movement. Typically do not trigger a ceiling-mounted sensor but may trigger a wall-mounted sensor facing downward at a low angle. |
Workaround: limit the detection field
If pets or a robotic vacuum are triggering false alarms, the most effective solution is to limit the sensor's field of view so it cannot detect movement below a certain height. This involves two steps: mounting the sensor on a wall rather than the ceiling, and partially covering the lens.
Mount the sensor vertically on a wall
Remove the sensor from its ceiling position and mount it vertically on a wall, ideally facing the main entrance. Avoid facing a window, changes in light can affect detection. Mount at a height where the sensor faces across the room rather than downward.
Cover the lower part of the lens
Cut a small piece of white paper and secure it with tape over the lower portion of the sensor lens (the circular face of the sensor). This blocks the sensor's view of the floor-level zone where pets and vacuums move.
Start with a small piece covering too much reduces detection of human movement
Test and adjust
Walk across the room to confirm the sensor still detects human movement. If a pet or vacuum still triggers the alarm, cover a slightly larger portion of the lower lens. If human movement is no longer detected, uncover a small amount. Note the 45-second grace period between motion events when testing.
Aim for the lowest coverage that still reliably detects a standing person
Use the scheduled alarm as an alternative. If the pet or robotic vacuum operates on a fixed schedule, a simpler solution is to use the scheduled alarm to automatically disarm the security alarm during that window and re-arm it afterwards without any physical changes to the sensor.