Help with your smart meter screen (In-Home Display)
Sorry you're having issues with your In-Home Display (IHD). Let's see if we can help work out what's happening.
Your In-Home Display (or IHD) is the little screen that comes with your smart meter and displays info about your energy consumption. It’s not the smart meter itself, and even if your IHD isn’t working, your smart meter may still be sending us readings.
If you can see regular meter readings appearing in your online account it means your smart meter itself is working fine and we’re connected.
So unless you really want the permanent display on the IHD screen, you could just leave it like that and use the online account or our app, to monitor your energy. You don’t actually need the IHD and it’s one less thing to have plugged in.
You can solve most IHD issues by:
Checking that the screen is close enough to the meter:
IHDs need to be within a few metres of your electricity meter to connect properly, and thick walls can disrupt the connection too.
Keeping it plugged in: Your IHD runs on batteries, and if you let the batteries die, there's a very small chance the screen will have trouble reconnecting once you've charged it back up.
Using the online dashboard/Octopus app: Honestly, this is the best place to see the most accurate reading of your energy usage anytime and anywhere.
Using our IHD Clinic: If you really want to use your IHD, we've made a super simple bot that can help you resolve almost all issues. Just let us know what's going on by answering some questions, and we'll let you know what you need to do to get your IHD back up and running.
This super handy IHD Helper will help you identify what the issue with your IHD might be. It'll only take a few minutes!
The other most common issues are:
You switched to us from another supplier: If you have a first generation (SMETS1) smart meter that was installed by another supplier, sometimes your IHD can stop working when you join us. Find out what type of meter you have.
You don’t actually have an IHD: If you moved into a property with a smart meter and there wasn’t an IHD we can send you one if you’d like. But, as we said, you don’t really need one.
It couldn't be simpler to access your usage through your online dashboard and mobile app; all you have to do is log in to see an easy-to-read breakdown of your energy use.
What does my IHD do?
Your IHD tells you how much your energy is costing over a period of time and help you monitor your energy usage. It can be used to see where you might save on energy by changing how you use energy, or by investing in efficient appliances.
You can also see this information on your online dashboard and on our app.
My IHD works but I don't know how to use it
Head to our guide on how to use your IHD, how to read what's on the screen and what the symbols mean.
Will I lose all my data if my IHD doesn't work?
No - your IHD doesn't store any data. It only shows your usage that's taken from your smart meter. If you IHD isn't working we are still able to speak to your smart meter and collect your readings. Your energy usage can also be found on your online dashboard and on the app at any time.
Once your IHD is back up and running, it will automatically refresh your usage.
Why does my IHD show I’ve been using energy even though I’ve been away from home?
Your energy costs include the energy you use and your standing charge. Your standing charge is displayed on your IHD each day whether you are using energy or not. The daily standing charge is added at around midnight each day.
If you’re concerned that your bill is not accurate, please get in touch.
Is the app any good?
The Octopus Energy app is #1 for in the Home category on the Play Store with a solid 4.5 rating and it is #5 in Utilities on the App Store with a 4.8 rating.
You can keep a track of your account balance, explore smart meter usage and view your bills all in this simple app
Hey I'm Constantine, welcome to Octopus Energy!
×Close window