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    How to use SimpliSafe® Active Guard Outdoor Protection

    SimpliSafe® Active Guard Outdoor Protection builds upon our existing professional monitoring services and is included as part of two new plans: Pro Plus and Pro monitoring plans for residential and business use. All while being designed to prevent crime before it happens.

    The following article will walk you through getting started with it and how to use it on a daily basis. We recommend scrolling through each collapsible section to learn how to get the most out of your service.

    An illustration of a house with an Outdoor Camera Series 2 installed and plugged into a power outlet.

    The location of your camera impacts motion detection and activity alerts for your SimpliSafe® Active Guard Outdoor Protection service. Below are some recommendations to help get the most out of your Outdoor Camera Series 2.

    • The Outdoor Camera Series 2 is intended for outdoor use only. Mounting the camera inside is against our Terms of Service for Active Guard Outdoor Protection.

    • The Outdoor Camera Series 2 must receive continuous power from the Outdoor Camera Power Cable to enable Active Guard Outdoor Protection, so make sure that the camera is within range of an outdoor-rated power outlet

    • For optimal performance, mount it at 6 ½ feet

    • If mounting above 6 ½ feet, utilize the permanent mount to secure your camera

    • Ensure that the field of view is free from trees/bushes blocking it, which could sway and trigger false motion events

    • Avoid placing your camera towards high trafficked areas (such as a busy sidewalk or street), and peering into another persons property (e.g. pointing the camera towards a neighbors backyard)

    • When using SimpliSafe® Active Guard Outdoor Protection, make sure that you are within range of an outdoor-rated power outlet

    There are 3 ways to determine if your service is active. 

    On the Overview Tab of the SimpliSafe® Mobile App

    When you are subscribed to Pro Plus or Pro monitoring plans, there will be a status indicator underneath your system's arming state that reads “Outdoor Protection” with an ON or OFF status next to it. This is the fastest way to determine whether or not your service is active. You can click on the (i) icon to the right to see more about your system status. 

    A snapshot of the Overview tab within the SimpliSafe® Mobile App. The system is set to Home mode, and there is a notation that Outdoor Protection is currently ON.

    When your system is disarmed, the status indicator will read OFF. In order for Outdoor Protection to be active (and for it to read as ON) you must have your cameras enrolled in SimpliSafe® Active Guard Outdoor Protection, have your system armed, and be within your monitoring hours according to your plan type (24/7 for Pro Plus Subscribers and 8pm-6am local time for Pro Subscribers).

    Checking Your Monitoring Plan

    You can also confirm that you are enrolled in Pro Plus or Pro by checking the status of your monitoring plan. To do this:

    1. Open the SimpliSafe® App on your phone or tablet

    2. Navigate to the three-bar menu in the upper left corner of the app

    3. Select Plan & Billing

    4. Next to “Your Plan” you’ll see either Pro Plus or Pro Monitoring

    If you need to subscribe to Pro Plus or Pro, you can upgrade your plan at any time within the mobile app.

    Checking Camera Enrollment

    You can also check which cameras are active within the SimpliSafe® Mobile App.

    1. Open the SimpliSafe® App on your phone or tablet

    2. Choose My System from the bottom navigation bar

    3. Select Camera Settings

    4. Tap on Outdoor Protection

    5. On this screen, you can toggle ON and OFF the cameras you want to use

      1. Note, you can only have 3 cameras total enrolled in this service. Visit our Help Center for a list of requirements.

    6. Then, choose SAVE in the upper right corner to save your selections

    Once you have set up your Outdoor Camera Series 2, you can enroll it and up to 3 cameras from your system. The only compatible cameras are Outdoor Camera Series 2 and Video Doorbell Pro. You must enroll at least one Outdoor Camera Series 2 to enable SimpliSafe® Active Guard Outdoor Protection for your Video Doorbell Pro.

    There are two ways to enroll your cameras in SimpliSafe® Active Guard Outdoor Protection. The first is during the setup of your Outdoor Camera Series 2. The second is to enroll after setup using either the tile on the Overview tab or under Camera Settings.

    SimpliSafe® Active Guard Outdoor Protection provides an extra layer of security outside of your home during your monitoring hours, based on your subscription. Pro subscribers will have access to SimpliSafe® Active Guard Outdoor Protection from 8pm-6am (local time), while Pro Plus subscribers have access to this service 24/7, so long as their system is armed.

    When you’re ready to use SimpliSafe® Active Guard Outdoor Protection, simply arm your system to HOME or AWAY. HOME mode should be used when you are home and plan on staying inside for the day or night. While AWAY mode is designed to be used when you are away from your home. For example, you might arm your system to HOME when going to bed for the night, or you would choose to arm your system to AWAY if leaving for work, or going on a vacation.

    SimpliSafe® Active Guard Outdoor Protection is designed to monitor outdoor spaces where human activity is a sign of a potential concern. Outdoor cameras enrolled in SimpliSafe® Active Guard Outdoor Protection should not be directed toward areas that have frequent household activity while the system is armed in either Home or Away mode. For example, customers shouldn't aim their camera directly at a busy sidewalk, an active parking area, a construction zone, or any outdoor living space that is in use while the system is armed.

    Once your system is armed and you’re within your monitoring hours (24/7 for Pro Plus Subscribers and 8pm-6am local time for Pro Subscribers) SimpliSafe® Active Guard Outdoor Protection will be active and your camera(s) will work to detect possible threats outside of your home. If an individual is identified, the AI will try to determine a match between the person and a familiar face. If a match is made, no action will be taken by the agent. If a match cannot be made, an agent will determine if the person matches the familiar faces saved to your system, and engage if necessary. 

    The “Familiar Face” feature is a great way for professional monitoring agents to know who should be allowed on your property. For example, you might want to create a familiar face for an in-law, neighbor, or maybe a dog walker. 

    If a person is detected on your property, the service will use automatic face matching* to assist our agents in determining if the person matches any of your saved familiar faces. If the person on the property is unrecognizable, an expert SimpliSafe® monitoring agent will jump into action to assess the situation and behavior of the individual(s). If needed, they’ll initiate recorded two-way audio communication with the individual(s) via the camera to deter possible threats. When needed, the agent will use a siren, flash the spotlight, contact the homeowner, or request dispatch from emergency responders.

    *Automatic face matching is available where permitted by law.

    You can create a familiar face within the SimpliSafe® Mobile App either by using face clips from a motion event, or using the Add Familiar Face option and uploading an existing photo of an individual to create a familiar face.

    Using Face Clips from a Motion Event to Create a Familiar Face:

    1. Choose the Timeline tab at the bottom navigation bar

    2. Select a Motion Event where face clips were detected

      1. We recommend that you pick a motion event where the individual’s face is highly visible. Blurry or obstructed images make it difficult for our agents to make a face match

    3. Tap on the video to enter the detection log

    4. Tap on the profile icon with a plus sign in front of it next to a face detected within the timeline of the video footage

    5. Follow the on-screen prompts to create a familiar face or add it to an existing one

    Create a Familiar Face using the Add Familiar Face button and Uploading a Photo:

    1. Choose My System from the bottom navigation bar

    2. Select Familiar Faces

    3. Tap Add Familiar Face

    4. Enter the person’s real name

      1. Do not enter a nickname or a description of the person in this field

    5. Tap the plus button under “Uploaded Photos”

    6. Allow access to your photos for SimpliSafe® when the pop-up on your device prompts you to do so 

    7. Choose a photo to upload that features a single person’s face

      1. Do not upload a photo that has multiple faces in it

      2. Do not upload a photo that does not have any faces

      3. Do not upload a photo that is of low quality/grainy

    8. Preview the photo and tap Add to Familiar Face

    9. Your photo is now added to the familiar face, and you can exit and return to the menu

    If your Outdoor Camera Series 2 is facing a high-traffic area like a busy street or sidewalk, we recommend angling the camera down at a 30-degree angle to ensure that you’re only capturing the area you want to protect. This can help combat excessive motion alerts, as well as prevent false alarms with SimpliSafe® Active Guard Outdoor Protection.  

    We recommend setting up Activity Zones to block unnecessary sources of motion, such as tree branches, sidewalks, or busy streets. Please note that this service is designed for residential use, and is not intended to cover busy parking lots, playgrounds, or other high-traffic areas. For more information on usage, please check out our Terms of Service.

    To create Activity Zones, take the following steps:

    1. Open up the SimpliSafe® Mobile App on your mobile device or tablet

    2. Tap Cameras on the navigation bar at the bottom of the screen

    3. Select the gear icon in the top right corner to open Camera Settings

    4. Choose the Outdoor Camera you’d like to adjust

    5. Tap Motion Detection

    6. Under Activity Zone, tap the boxes in the frame where you do not want your camera to record

    7. Tap Save in the top right corner to save this change

    If you cannot change the angle of the Outdoor Camera, there are settings you can adjust in the SimpliSafe® Mobile App to minimize the amount of motion it detects.

    Sensitivity

    By default, the Outdoor Camera’s sensitivity is set to High, but you can adjust this setting to Medium or Low to limit the number of motion events you receive. 

    You can adjust the sensitivity of your Outdoor Camera by taking the following steps within the SimpliSafe® Mobile App:

    1. Open up the SimpliSafe® Mobile App on your mobile device or tablet

    2. Tap Cameras on the navigation bar at the bottom of the screen

    3. Select the gear icon in the top right corner to open Camera Settings

    4. Choose the Outdoor Camera you’d like to adjust

    5. Tap Motion Detection

    6. Under Sensitivity, move the slider to Low

    7. Tap Save in the top right corner to save this change

    Motion Detection Type

    The Outdoor Camera has two motion detection options: All Motion and People Only. When set to All Motion, the camera will record any motion it senses - which may cause excess motion events. However, if the camera is set to People Only it will only respond to people-shaped objects.

    Note: When your Outdoor Camera Series 2 is enrolled in SimpliSafe® Active Guard Outdoor Protection, you will have different Motion Detection setting options available.

    To minimize the amount of motion your Outdoor Camera detects, you can change its motion setting to People Only by following these steps:

    1. Open up the SimpliSafe® Mobile App on your mobile device or tablet

    2. Tap Cameras on the navigation bar at the bottom of the screen

    3. Select the gear icon in the top right corner to open Camera Settings

    4. Choose the Outdoor Camera you’d like to adjust

    5. Tap Motion Detection

    6. Under Motion Type, select People Only

    7. Tap Save in the top right corner to save this change

    SimpliSafe® Active Guard Outdoor Protection notifications are push notifications you will receive after an event has been reviewed by one of our expert monitoring agents. You can decide which SimpliSafe® verified outdoor events should trigger push notifications - such as Common Activity events or Person on Property events.

    There is a difference between Camera Motion Notifications and SimpliSafe® Active Guard Outdoor Protection Notifications. Turning on Camera Motion Notifications allows the SimpliSafe® Mobile App to notify you when your camera detects motion. SimpliSafe® Active Guard Outdoor Protection Notifications are push notifications you receive after an event has been reviewed by one of our expert monitoring agents or our advanced AI. With SimpliSafe® Active Guard Outdoor Protection, you can refine when you would like to receive motion notifications, on a per-camera basis.

    Help Center Article

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    Outdoor Cameras

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    How to Find the MAC Address of a SimpliSafe® Device

    In some instances you may need to add the MAC Address of a SimpliSafe® product to your network’s allow list or firewall in order for it to connect to Wi-Fi. A MAC Address is a unique, 12-character alphanumeric attribute that is used to identify individual electronic devices on a network.

    Only the Base Station and the Cameras will provide a MAC Address, as they connect to Wi-Fi. Other SimpliSafe® products connect to the Base Station using Radio Frequency (RF).

    Note: If you have MAC Address filtering enabled on your network, you may need to temporarily disable it while setting up your camera, to allow it to connect. You’ll be able to determine the MAC Address to add to your allow list once the device is connected.

    Base Station

    For the Base Station, you will need to use your Keypad to locate its MAC Address.

    1. Press Menu on your Keypad

    2. Enter your Master PIN

    3. Using the Keypad’s arrow keys, select System Settings

    4. Then choose Diagnostics

    5. Press the Keypad screen to the right to toggle to the Wi-Fi screen, where the MAC Address will be listed

    Cameras

    You can locate the MAC Address of a SimpliSafe® Camera using the SimpliSafe® Mobile App.

    1. Open the SimpliSafe® Mobile App on your phone or tablet

    2. Choose My System from the bottom navigation bar

    3. Select Camera Settings from the list of available menu options

    4. Tap on the Camera you wish to manage

    5. Scroll to the bottom of this screen. Your Cameras MAC Address will be listed in the MAC Address field.

    Help Center Article

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    Cameras

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    Why Can’t I Initiate a Live Stream of my Video Doorbell From the SimpliSafe® App?

    The Video Doorbell Pro utilizes Wi-Fi to communicate with your SimpliSafe® system. If your Video Doorbell Pro is not livestreaming, there may be an underlying connection issue that needs to be addressed. 

    Use the Connection Check in the SimpliSafe® App

    The Video Doorbell Pro has the ability to run a connection check between it and your network to see if there are any improvements that can be made to its Wi-Fi connection. 

    How to Run a Connection Check:

    1. Open the SimpliSafe® app

    2. Tap My System from the navigation menu on the bottom of the screen

    3. Select Camera Settings

    4. Choose your Video Doorbell

    5. Select Connection Check and follow the on-screen instructions to test your signal strength and upload speeds 

    Using your results, you can improve your Video Doorbell Pro’s connection with the tips below.

    Camera Requirements: 

    • Upload speed needs to be above 2Mbps for 720p video

      • If your upload speed is below 2Mbps, you may need to contact your Internet Service Provider (ISP) to upgrade your internet package.

    Check Your Phone or Tablet’s Connection

    Sometimes if the device you are trying to view a livestream on has a weak Wi-Fi or cellular connection, that can lead to issues loading a livestream. Check your device’s connection, and if it is weak try loading the live stream from another device or on the SimpliSafe® Online Account.

    Help Center Article

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    Video Doorbell Pro

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    Can't Initiate Live Stream From Within the SimpliSafe® App

    If you are unable to initiate a live stream from within the SimpliSafe® Mobile App or Online Account, there are a few steps you can take to try and get things running again. 

    Using the Connection Check Tool

    The Connection Check Tool for Cameras is a great way to better understand your signal strength and upload speed from the router to where your camera is located.

    To use the Connection Check Tool:

    1. Open the SimpliSafe® Mobile App on your phone or tablet

    2. Choose My System from the bottom navigation bar

    3. Select Camera Settings

    4. Choose your camera from the list of available cameras

    5. Under “Connection” select “Connection Check”

    6. Tap “Start Connection Check” to find your camera’s connection strength

    What do my Results Mean?

    A good signal strength and/or upload speed means that there is a strong connection between your camera and Wi-Fi network.

    A fair or poor upload speed means that you’ll want to reduce your camera’s video resolution. You can do this within the Camera Settings page for your camera in the SimpliSafe® Mobile App.

    1. Open the SimpliSafe® Mobile App on your phone or tablet

    2. Choose My System from the bottom navigation bar

    3. Select Camera Settings

    4. Choose your camera from the list of available cameras

    5. Tap on Video Quality

    6. Choose a lower resolution

    7. Select SAVE in the upper right corner to save your selections

    It may also be necessary to upload your Internet package with your Internet Service Provider (ISP) to improve upload speeds. We recommend reaching out to your ISP to learn more about their offerings.

    A fair or poor signal strength means your camera may be too far away from your Wi-Fi router. We recommend moving them closer, if possible. If not, you can opt to install a Wi-Fi extender to help bridge the network connectivity gap between the two. You can also move SimpliSafe® to a dedicated network or guest network to alleviate congestion. To learn more about setting up a dedicated or guest network, contact your Internet Service Provider (ISP) or consult with your router’s manual.

    Still Need Help?

    Don't hesitate to contact our support team for additional troubleshooting or assistance. We're here to help!

    Help Center Article

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    Cameras

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    SimpliCam® Wired Indoor Camera Settings & Customizations

    The SimpliCam® Wired Indoor Security Camera has a variety of settings that can be customized, like Camera Behavior, Video Quality, Night Vision, and more! You can make adjustments to the camera’s settings in the SimpliSafe® Mobile App.

    Using the SimpliSafe® Mobile App

    1. Open the SimpliSafe® Mobile App on your phone or tablet

    2. Choose My System from the navigation bar at the bottom of the screen

    3. Select Camera Settings

    4. Choose your SimpliCam® from the list of cameras

    Camera Behavior

    You can control your camera’s built-in privacy shutter by changing the motion detection depending on your system’s arming state. This means that you can adjust when your camera records as it is tied to your system’s arming state.

    For example, if you don’t want your camera to record when the system is in Off Mode, but you do want it to record when it is in Away Mode, you can control these settings.

    Motion Detection

    Motion Detection settings control how your camera responds to motion events, such as someone walking in its view.

    In this menu, you can use the slider to choose the sensitivity of motion detection. We typically recommend setting this to medium.

    Here, you can also toggle Motion Events on and off to dictate if you would like your camera to detect motion or not, and Motion Notifications turn push notifications on or off.

    Video Quality

    Video Quality manages the quality of your recordings and livestreams. This can be adjusted to 1080p, 720p, or 480p. When a livestream is set to a higher quality, it will use more bandwidth on your network. So, if you’re having trouble streaming at 1080p, you can try lowering the quality to troubleshoot on your end.

    Night Vision

    The Night Vision setting allows you to see potential intruders in the dark, by using infrared to capture video. This setting can be toggled to Auto, On, or Off. We recommend using Auto for the most optimal experience, but if your camera is in a persistently dark room, you may want to set Night Vision to On for better results.

    Status Light

    The Status Light will show you when your camera is recording or livestreaming. Toggling this setting off will disable the light on the front of the camera. Within the Status Light setting in the app, you can also see the different light patterns your SimpliCam® can produce and what they mean. 

    Mic & Audio

    The Mic & Audio setting allows you to record audio with camera footage and lets you speak through the camera’s microphone when utilizing 2-way audio.

    Help Center Article

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    SimpliCam

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    Wireless Outdoor Security Camera Settings & Customizations

    The Wireless Outdoor Security Camera has a variety of settings that can be customized, such as Motion Detection, Night Vision, Video Quality, and more! You can adjust these settings at any time using the SimpliSafe® Mobile App.

    Using the SimpliSafe® Mobile App

    1. Open the SimpliSafe® Mobile App on your phone or tablet

    2. Choose My System from the bottom navigation bar

    3. Select Camera Settings

    4. Choose your Wireless Outdoor Security Camera from the list of available cameras

    Camera Behavior

    You can customize your Outdoor Camera by changing the motion detection to coincide with your system’s arming state. For example, if you don’t want your system to record when the system is set to OFF but you do want it to record when it’s set to AWAY, you can now control these settings.

    To change these settings, tap into either OFF, HOME, or AWAY and make the adjustments to Motion Detection and Motion Notifications. Then, choose SAVE in the upper right corner of the app to save your selections.

    Motion Detection

    Motion Detection settings control how your camera will respond to motion events, such as someone walking in its view or a car driving by. In this menu, you can use the slider to adjust sensitivity, as well as change the Motion Type to detect All Motion or People Only. You’ll also be able to filter motion detection further by creating Activity Zones, which allow you to exclude certain areas from motion events. This is great if you live near a busy sidewalk or street!

    Video Quality

    Video Quality manages what quality your streams and recordings will be at. For the Wireless Outdoor Security Camera you can adjust this to 1080p, 720p, or 480p. The higher the stream, the more bandwidth it will use on your network. So if you’re having trouble streaming at 1080p, you can try lowering the quality as a troubleshooting step on your end.

    Flip Image 180

    This option is available should you mount your Outdoor Camera upside down, such as on an eave. When mounting your camera upside down, you will actively decrease the distance that it picks up motion in half. Specifically, an upside down Outdoor Camera will pick up motion within 15 feet, as opposed to 30 when in a normal orientation.

    Mic & Audio

    The Mic & Audio setting allows you to hear audio from your camera, and also allows you to initiate two-way communication when viewing live streams.

    Siren

    Your camera has a built-in siren that will relay the siren from your system in the event of an alarm so that neighbors or nearby passersby know that you may need help.

    Status Light

    The Status Light for your camera will show you that the camera is online and functioning, at a glance.

    Help Center Article

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    Outdoor Cameras

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    Wireless Outdoor Security Camera Error Messages

    CONNECTION ERROR

    WHAT IT MEANS

    If your Outdoor Camera is not responding, it’s likely due to either a low or dead battery or the camera is unable to connect to Wi-Fi. Please note that SimpliSafe® systems and cameras require 2.4GHz Wi-Fi networks.

    HOW TO FIX IT

    1. Remove the battery from the camera and charge it with the usb charging cord that came included with your camera to ensure your battery is fully charged.

    2. Confirm that your camera is connected to the correct network and that the name and password for the network have been entered correctly. You can do this my accessing the camera's settings in the SimpliSafe® mobile app.

    3. Try bringing the camera and your internet router closer together, as too far a distance can weaken the internet connection to the device.

    4. Restart your router and/or mesh access points and extenders.

    5. Try bringing the camera and Base Station closer together, as too far of a distance between them can weaken the Outdoor Camera’s connection to your system and cause this error. 

    If this error persists, you may need to contact your Internet Service Provider to inquire about service availability and interruptions, and about upgrading your internet package and/or router.

    Learn more about improving your upload speed and improving Wi-Fi signal strength. Please note that SimpliSafe® systems and cameras require 2.4GHz Wi-Fi networks.

    WE’VE DETECTED AN ISSUE WITH THIS CAMERA

    WHAT IT MEANS

    A hardware issue was detected on your camera.

    HOW TO FIX IT

    Contact Customer Support for assistance resolving this issue.

    UNABLE TO CONNECT TO SIMPLISAFE®

    WHAT IT MEANS

    SimpliSafe® is experiencing an issue, but there’s nothing wrong with your system.

    HOW TO FIX IT

    The issue should be resolved shortly, so please try again later. If you continue to experience the issue, please contact Customer Support.

    Update Software

    WHAT IT MEANS

    The Wireless Outdoor Security Camera requires a Gen 3 Base Station with the latest firmware updates to run smoothly.

    HOW TO FIX IT

    Before setting up the camera, you will need to update the Base Station firmware via the Keypad.

    If you have an Original SimpliSafe® system, upgrade to our latest generation today and receive a 50% discount on all your new devices. Upgrade here!

    Unable to Stream to Your Device

    WHAT IT MEANS

    Some Android devices are unable to support the video playback on our Outdoor camera due to their hardware configuration. 

    HOW TO FIX IT

    While we review the issue internally, please attempt to update your mobile devices operating system to the latest version. If that does not resolve the issue, please try using a newer Android device or the SimpliSafe® Online Account.

    Help Center Article

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    Outdoor Cameras