# Replace button?

**URL:** <https://community.smartthings.com/t/replace-button/93273>\
**Category:** Devices & Integrations\
**Created:** [July 19, 2017, 4:15pm UTC](https://community.smartthings.com/t/replace-button/93273 "2017-07-19T16:15:55Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Matthew\_Freestone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/59ef9b/32.png) [@Matthew\_Freestone](https://community.smartthings.com/u/Matthew_Freestone)\
**Post date:** [July 19, 2017, 4:15pm UTC](https://community.smartthings.com/t/replace-button/93273/1 "2017-07-19T16:15:55Z")

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So I’ve noticed that there is a ‘replace’ option now with devices in SmartThings. I have an actual SmartThings multi-purpose sensor that is not unreliable due to the horrible design flaw of the battery clip inside. Apparently I accidentally pulled back on that clip too hard when replacing the battery last time and now the sensor doesn’t work reliably at all. So I bought a Lowes Iris Open/Close sensor, and I would love to ‘replace’ the current sensor with it as I have tons of webCoRE pistons, SHM, etc, all tied to that sensor. It will be a nightmare to remove and re-add everything. Is that the idea behind the ‘replace’ button? If so, what is the proper process to ‘replace’? Thanks!

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**Author:** ![JDRoberts](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/smartthings/user_avatar/community.smartthings.com/jdroberts/32/56577_2.png) [@JDRoberts](https://community.smartthings.com/u/JDRoberts)\
**Post date:** [July 19, 2017, 4:56pm UTC](https://community.smartthings.com/t/replace-button/93273/2 "2017-07-19T16:56:28Z")

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There’s a replace button on a zigbee device in the SmartThings mobile app? Can you show us a screenshot? Normally that’s only for Z wave devices.

> [@Replace Device doesn't work](https://community.smartthings.com/t/replace-device-doesnt-work/55280/12):
>
> No, the replace utility is specific to Z wave devices and will not work with zigbee. This is because of the difference in how the two protocols assign device IDs. With Z wave, it is the controller that tells the device what its device ID will be at the time that the device joins the network. This is why it is possible to reuse an old device ID for a new device. With zigbee, each device has a permanent ID which it tells to the hub at the time that it joins the network. So you can’t have a new device take on the identity of an old one, it just doesn’t work that way in zigbee.

[https://support.smartthings.com/hc/en-us/articles/204392810-What-does-Z-Wave-Replace-do-](https://support.smartthings.com/hc/en-us/articles/204392810-What-does-Z-Wave-Replace-do-)