The Outdoor Security Camera Series 2 has a variety of settings that can be customized, such as Night Vision, Motion Detection, Video Quality, and more! If you are enrolled in SimpliSafe® Active Guard Outdoor Protection, some settings may not be adjustable within 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 Outdoor Security Camera Series 2 from the list of available cameras

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 toggle motion events and notifications on and off. You can also use the slider to choose the sensitivity of motion detection. We typically recommend setting this to medium. You can also set it to People Only or All Motion to better filter motion events.

Activity Zones allow you to exclude certain areas from motion events, which is good if you live near a busy sidewalk or street.

Video Quality

Video Quality manages what quality of your streams and recordings will be at. For the Outdoor Camera Series 2, 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 to troubleshoot on your end.

Night Vision

The Night Vision setting allows you to see potential intruders or threats in the dark, by using infrared to capture video. You can also opt to use the Spotlight feature, which shines a light to capture video in color rather than night vision’s black-and-white scheme.

Flip Image 180

This option is available should you mount your Outdoor Security Camera Series 2 upside down. Please note that if you are using your camera with SimpliSafe® Active Guard Outdoor Protection, we do not recommend mounting it upside down. Mounting your camera upside down will decrease the distance that it picks up motion by halving it. Specifically, upside down Outdoor Cameras will be able to pick up motion within 15 feet of the camera, as opposed to 30 feet when mounted 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

The Outdoor Camera Series 2 comes with a whopping 90dB built-in siren to relay active alarms across your system. 

Status Light

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

Please note that if you turn this off but are enrolled in Active Guard Outdoor Protecton, the status LED will still light up amber for agent actions and interventions.

The Wireless Outdoor Security Camera has an expected battery life of up to 3 months; however, its lifespan is dependent on usage and the settings on your Outdoor Camera. You can learn more in this article about preserving the battery life of the Outdoor Camera.

If you notice that your Outdoor Camera’s battery won’t hold a charge, see our recommended troubleshooting steps below.

Make Sure That the Battery is Charging Completely

The Outdoor Camera’s battery takes up to 6 hours to charge completely. When the battery is charging, you will see a blinking white light. You’ll know the battery is fully charged once all 3 lights are illuminated and no longer blinking.

Use the Correct Power Adapter

The Outdoor Camera’s battery requires a USB power adapter with an output of 5.0V, 1.5A+. Failure to use the correct power adapter can result in the battery not charging completely. 

A list of power adapters that fit this requirement are:

• The SimpliCam® Wired Indoor Security Camera’s adapter 

• The Smart Alarm Wireless Indoor Security Camera’s adapter

• Most cell phone power adapters

If you don’t know the output of your power adapter, most models will have it printed on the device itself, as seen in the image below.

If you are using the correct power adapter, make sure that you are plugging it into an outlet directly in a wall. Using a USB power strip or USB power hub may not supply efficient power to charge the battery. 

Assemble the Camera and Battery Properly

Once the Outdoor Camera’s battery has finished charging, make sure that you put it back into the camera properly. When inserting the battery into the Outdoor Camera, the 3 gold circles on the battery should be facing up and align with the three gold prongs inside the camera’s battery slot. The camera’s battery tab should also be facing you.

After inserting the battery, secure the lens to the camera by twisting it clockwise until it no longer moves.

You’ll know that your Outdoor Camera has been assembled properly once it makes a high pitched chime and begins to flash white.

Keep Your Outdoor Camera’s Firmware Up To Date

We’re always adding updates to the Outdoor Camera’s firmware to keep it running smoothly and to help with its battery life. Firmware updates on the Outdoor Camera are automatic, so make sure that you keep your cameras connected to Wi-Fi to get the latest updates. 

If you have taken the above steps and your Outdoor Camera’s battery still won’t hold a charge, we also offer products to keep the battery charged.

Outdoor Camera Solar Panel

With the Outdoor Camera Solar Panel, you won’t have to worry about taking your Outdoor Camera’s battery out to charge it. With just 3 hours of direct sunlight a day, the Outdoor Camera Solar Panel will keep your battery charged! To learn more about this product, visit the Wireless Outdoor Camera Solar Panel article. 

Outdoor Camera Charging Cable

If you live in a cloudy region or your home doesn’t get sufficient sunlight, we also offer an Outdoor Camera Charging Cable to help keep your Outdoor Camera’s battery charged 24/7! With a 25ft water-resistant cable and an outdoor-rated power adapter, this cord will easily be able to reach wherever your Outdoor Camera is installed. 

If your Wireless Outdoor Security Camera encounters an error that can’t be fixed through normal troubleshooting, performing a factory reset* of the camera may be necessary.

*Please note that you cannot reset the Outdoor Camera remotely. You must be with your camera physically to reset it.

First, you’ll need to remove the Outdoor Camera from the SimpliSafe® Mobile App.

To remove your Outdoor Camera

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. Tap your Outdoor Camera

5. Scroll to the bottom and select Remove Camera

Once the Outdoor Camera has been removed from your system, you’ll need to reset it.

To reset your Outdoor Camera

1. Locate the pairing button on the back of your Outdoor Camera

   1. This is the smaller, circular button on the back of the camera
      

2. Press and hold the pairing button firmly, using both thumbs if possible, for 30 seconds - or until the camera chimes

   1. If the camera does not chime at any point during the 30 seconds of pressing the button, let go and press and hold the button again for another 30 seconds

3. When you release the button, the camera should reboot and begin to flash white

   1. For some cameras you may also notice it make a sound

Once the reset is complete, you can set it back up using our Installation Guide.

The error “Camera Connection Dropped” can happen for one of two reasons: 

1. The camera has a weak connection to your Wi-Fi network

2. There is a low or dying battery, and the camera is unable to make the connection due to power constraints

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Two-Way Audio is a great feature to have and use with our cameras, and can help deter potential intruders or bad actors. If you find your Two-Way Audio isn’t working, there are a few steps you can take to troubleshoot it.

Please keep in mind that Two-Way Audio works differently for some cameras when you are viewing a live stream. For the SimpliCam® and Video Doorbell Pro, you will hold down the speaker button when you want to talk and let go of it when you want to listen. For Outdoor Cameras and Smart Alarm Indoor Camera, simply tap the mic icon once to begin talking.

Step 1: Ensure the Microphone is Enabled for your Device

You will need to go into your phone or tablet’s settings for SimpliSafe® and ensure that the Microphone is enabled.

Using iOS:

1. Open your phone’s Settings app

2. Scroll down and select SimpliSafe®

3. Toggle Microphone ON

Using Android:

1. Open your phone’s Settings app

2. Click on Apps and scroll down to find SimpliSafe®

3. Select Permissions > Microphone

4. Set Microphone access for this app to “Allow only while using the app”

*Please note that steps may vary depending on your Android device. 

Step 2: Ensure you Have the Volume Turned up on your Device

Ensure that you have the phone or tablet volume turned up when viewing a live stream or watching a video recording

Step 3: Clean your Camera of any Dust and/or Debris

Dust or debris can cause the microphone or speakers to become clogged on the camera, especially on Outdoor Cameras where they are subjected to the elements. To clean the lens of your camera products, use a microfiber lens cloth or lens cleaner. If you notice larger debris, gently blow away the larger particles or use a soft brush before wiping clean.

Step 4: Make Sure That Mic & Audio is Enabled within the SimpliSafe® Mobile App

You’ll need to review your camera's settings and ensure that Mic & Audio is enabled within 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. Tap on the camera you wish to manage

5. Scroll down to General

6. Toggle Mic & Audio ON

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

Step 5: Test your Camera’s Connection

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?

If you still need help with your camera, don’t hesitate to contact our support team for additional troubleshooting or assistance.

The audio from the Outdoor Camera is designed to come in clearly through the SimpliSafe® Mobile App when reviewing timeline events or watching a live stream. If you find that the audio sounds muffled, dampened, or echo-like, there are a few steps you can take to try and improve your audio experience.

Ensure the Volume is Turned Up on Your Phone

An easy first step is to check the volume on your phone. If the volume on your phone is low or silenced, you may not hear the audio coming out of the Outdoor Camera’s feed when watching a recording or live stream.

Enable the Mic & Audio Settings for your Outdoor Camera

Another quick step to take is to ensure that Mic & Audio are enabled in the Outdoor Camera’s settings. 

You can do this at any time from within the SimpliSafe® Mobile App:

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

2. Navigate to the Cameras tab from the bottom of the app

3. Select the Gear Icon for Camera Settings in the upper right corner of the app

4. Choose your Outdoor Camera

5. Ensure that Mic & Audio is toggled ON

1. If it is not, tap the toggle to enable it

2. Then, click Save to update your selection

Rule out Echo Cancellation

Echo Cancellation issues can occur when your phone is located too close to the camera when recording or live-streaming video. 

To rule this out, we recommend placing the camera and your phone at least 50 feet away from one another, then try live streaming again.

Clean the Outdoor Camera of Dust or Debris

Occasionally the Outdoor Camera might have dust or debris build up on it. To clean the lens of your camera, use a microfiber lens cloth or a lens cleaner. If you notice larger debris, gently blow away the larger particles or use a soft brush before wiping clean. 

Using Outdoor Camera’s Connection Check Tool

Your wireless connection directly impacts the stream and sound quality of your camera. If you have a poor connection, you can encounter pixelation or audio drop outs when viewing recordings or initiating a live stream.

Your Outdoor Camera can run a connection check between it and the Base Station to determine if any improvements can be made to the Wi-Fi connection. 

During the test, the Outdoor Camera will check the upload speed and the signal strength to paint a better picture of what the overall connectivity looks like. If you receive a fair or poor signal in any category, the app will walk you through some steps you can take to improve upon that connection. This could be steps as simple as moving the Base Station and testing the connection again, or more involved steps such as setting up a separate network for your SimpliSafe® System.

Still Need Help?

If you are still experiencing poor audio quality after taking these steps, or hearing a crackling or buzzing sound on your live streams or recordings, don’t hesitate to contact our support team for further troubleshooting.

What is Two-Way Audio?

Two-Way Audio is a feature that works on all SimpliSafe® Cameras. While using the SimpliSafe® Mobile App, Two-Way Audio allows you to hear audio from your camera and speak through it while viewing live streams.

How to Turn On Two-Way Audio

To enable Two-Way Audio, you’ll need to ensure that the Mic & Audio setting is toggled on for your camera, in its respective camera settings.

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. Tap on the camera you wish to manage

5. Scroll down to General

6. Toggle Mic & Audio ON

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

How to Use Two-Way Audio

Outdoor Cameras and Smart Alarm Indoor Camera

To use Two-Way Audio with your Outdoor Camera and Smart Alarm Indoor Camera, simply tap the speaker button. If you press and hold the speaker button like you would with the SimpliCam® and Video Doorbell, Two-Way Audio will not work.

SimpliCam® and Video Doorbell Pro

To use Two-Way Audio with your SimpliCam® and Video Doorbell, press the microphone button in the SimpliSafe® Mobile App while talking and release it to hear what is being said. If you hold the microphone button while someone is speaking to you through the camera, you will not be able to hear them.

Related Articles

• Two-Way Audio Troubleshooting