# After a Capture

Once an Armed trap closes on a verified detection, the trap holds the animal until **you** release it. There is no auto-release of any kind.

## What does *not* happen

* The door does **not** reopen on a timer.
* The door does **not** reopen if the animal calms down or stops moving.
* The door does **not** reopen because of a cooldown or any sensor reading.
* The trap does **not** auto-disarm itself or change state on its own.

You can be 15 minutes away — or 15 hours away — and the trap will stay locked.

## What you control

Two buttons matter after a capture:

| Button    | What it does                                                                                                                                                                                           |
| --------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| **Open**  | Releases the door **and** returns the trap to **Unarmed**. This is the one you want most of the time — one tap, animal goes free, trap is reset for inspection.                                        |
| **Unarm** | Returns the state to **Unarmed** but **leaves the door closed**. Use this if you want to keep the animal contained while you transport the trap, then tap **Open** later when you're ready to release. |

## What you'll see in the app while captured

* Trap card status reads **Captured / Closed**.
* You'll get repeat reminders for up to 48 hours so a captured animal isn't forgotten. They stop after 48 hours by design.
* Manual **Request Image** still works if you want a fresh photo of the captured animal.

## Common questions

**Q: If I'm out of cell range, will the trap eventually open?** No. The trap holds locally — no cloud command, no door movement.

**Q: If the battery dies while captured, does the door open?** No. The latch is mechanical; loss of power does not release it.

**Q: Can I close a trap that's already in Captured state?** The door is already closed. Tapping **Close** while in Captured is a no-op (it stays Captured).

**Q: How do I get the trap ready for the next capture?** After tapping **Open**, the trap is in **Unarmed / Open**. Tap **Arm** on the trap card to put it back into Armed mode for the next capture.

## See also

* [Arm & Un-arm Button](/getting-started/app/arm-un-arm-button.md) — how the modes relate.
* [Open & Closed Button](/getting-started/app/open-closed-button.md) — door commands.
* [Scouting Mode](/getting-started/app/scouting-mode.md) — non-trapping observation mode.


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