# Reconnecting zigbee device after battery replacement

**URL:** <https://community.homey.app/t/reconnecting-zigbee-device-after-battery-replacement/51821>\
**Category:** Questions & Help\
**Created:** [September 17, 2021, 4:34pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/reconnecting-zigbee-device-after-battery-replacement/51821 "2021-09-17T16:34:22Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Hansen](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/hansen/32/33861_2.png) [@Hansen](https://community.homey.app/u/Hansen)\
**Post date:** [September 17, 2021, 4:34pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/reconnecting-zigbee-device-after-battery-replacement/51821/1 "2021-09-17T16:34:22Z")

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Hi!

I just replaced batteries in an IKEA motion sensor, but it seemed to not reconnect to Homey. So, I tried adding it again, but Homey told me that the device already exists, and I need to delete the existing device before adding it again.

If I delete the device, what will happen to flows using the device? How else should I reconnect the device?

Thanks in advance.

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**Author:** ![robertklep](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/robertklep/32/160628_2.png) [@robertklep](https://community.homey.app/u/robertklep)\
**Post date:** [September 17, 2021, 6:08pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/reconnecting-zigbee-device-after-battery-replacement/51821/2 "2021-09-17T18:08:21Z")

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Have you tried rebooting your Homey to see if that brings the device back? Or possibly just wait a few hours to see if it appears again.

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**Author:** ![Hansen](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/hansen/32/33861_2.png) [@Hansen](https://community.homey.app/u/Hansen)\
**Post date:** [September 17, 2021, 6:46pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/reconnecting-zigbee-device-after-battery-replacement/51821/3 "2021-09-17T18:46:48Z")

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Restarting Homey seemed to do the trick. Thanks, robertklep!

Not sure I understand why it helps to restart, but before restarting I put the sensor into pairing mode to try to reconnect it, so I was afraid that the sensor had lost the connection to Homey, but apparently it didn’t 👍

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**Author:** ![Dijker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Dijker](https://community.homey.app/u/Dijker)\
**Post date:** [September 18, 2021, 1:05pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/reconnecting-zigbee-device-after-battery-replacement/51821/4 "2021-09-18T13:05:54Z")

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After paring and the duplicate device msg restart the app

> [@Fixing disconnected Zigbee devices (without having to modify all flows)](https://community.homey.app/t/fixing-disconnected-zigbee-devices-without-having-to-modify-all-flows/37896):
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> With the release of Homey firmware 5.0.0 some improvements have been made to the Zigbee stack. I experienced some devices that stopped communicating with Homey in previous firmware rc’s. For me most where battery powered Aqara & Xiaomi ZigBee sensors As I didn’t want to have to fix flows I have do the following: Remove the battery for a couple of seconds And/Or start pairing the same device without removing it, just in place where it was mounted. (Not near Homey) you get a [dupicate de…

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**Author:** ![Hansen](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/hansen/32/33861_2.png) [@Hansen](https://community.homey.app/u/Hansen)\
**Post date:** [September 18, 2021, 7:10pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/reconnecting-zigbee-device-after-battery-replacement/51821/5 "2021-09-18T19:10:53Z")

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Good information. Thanks, Dijker!