Smart Alarm Indoor Camera

If your Smart Alarm Wireless Indoor Security Camera encounters an error that can’t be fixed through normal troubleshooting, resetting the camera to its factory settings may help.

Step 1: Remove the Camera From Your System

To reset your Smart Alarm Indoor Camera, we first recommend that you remove your camera from your system, if applicable. You can remove your camera from within the SimpliSafe® Mobile App using the following steps:

1. Go to the Cameras tab at the bottom of the SimpliSafe® Mobile App

2. Tap the gear icon in the top right corner of the app for Camera Settings

3. Select your camera

4. Choose 'Remove Camera' at the bottom of the screen

5. Tap 'Yes' to remove the camera from your system

If you are seeing an error message within the SimpliSafe® Mobile App that says Unfinished Setup, you’ll need to remove this camera from the Keypad before proceeding.

1. Press the Menu button on your Keypad

2. Enter your Primary PIN

3. Scroll to devices and press Open on the right

4. Scroll down and locate the camera in question

5. Select your camera by pressing the arrow to the right

6. Choose Remove by pressing the arrow to the right to delete this camera from your system

Step 2: Resetting Your Smart Alarm Indoor Camera

After your camera has been removed from your system (if applicable) you can now reset the camera.

1. Press the tiny pinhole button on the Smart Alarm Indoor Camera for 2 seconds using a small item like the tip of a pen or a paperclip

1. The pinhole reset is located behind the setup button on the top of the camera (see image below)
   

2. Press and hold the Setup Button (the larger button on top of the camera) until the camera chimes, or about ~30 seconds.

1. Your camera should return to a flashing white status after performing this step. If there is no light at all, we recommend charging the battery and repeating these steps again at a later time

3. Once the camera is flashing white again, you can start the installation process for your Smart Alarm indoor Camera again within the SimpliSafe® Mobile App

Still Need Help?

If the status light on the front of the camera does not flash white and the battery has been fully charged, please contact our support team for additional troubleshooting.

The Outdoor Camera and Smart Alarm Wireless Indoor Security Camera are battery-powered cameras that can help you monitor your home, even when you’re away. Keeping the batteries charged ensures that your cameras will keep a watchful eye inside, and outside of your home.

Checking the Battery Status on the SimpliSafe® 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. The battery indicator will be displayed to the right of each camera

1. For iOS users, tap into the camera you wish to see the battery percentage for

1. Once on your specific camera’s settings page, you’ll see the exact percentage that your battery is charged.

2. Android users will not be able to see a percentage in the mobile app, however, you can log in to your Online Account with the steps below to see the exact percentage

Checking the Battery Status on the SimpliSafe® Online Account:

1. Log into your SimpliSafe® Online Account using the browser of your choice

2. Choose Devices from the left-hand navigation menu

3. Under Cameras, you’ll be able to see your available Cameras and the percentage that the battery is at

If you are using a solar panel with your Outdoor Camera, the battery will show a charging symbol when it is actively charging.

If you are using a power adapter to leave the Smart Alarm Indoor Camera plugged into an outlet, you will always see a charging symbol on the battery indicator.

TIP: You can maximize your battery life for your cameras by adjusting your camera settings within the SimpliSafe® Mobile App.​

Our Cameras have a wide field of view to maximize coverage inside and outside of your home. If you find that your camera is not detecting people or motion, there are a few steps you can take to improve its’ functionality. 

For the Outdoor Camera, Smart Alarm Wireless Indoor Security Camera, and Video Doorbell Pro, you have three options for controlling motion detection:

• Sensitivity for Motion Detection

• Motion Type

• Activity Zones

To note, SimpliCam Wired Indoor Camera only allows you to control Sensitivity for Motion Detection.

Sensitivity

The sensitivity allows you to control how precise the camera is at detecting motion. We generally recommend setting this to medium for most homes.

Motion Type

This allows you to choose between tracking all motion, and people only. For the Smart Alarm Indoor Camera, we recommend setting this to People Only, especially if you have pets within your home.

Activity Zones

This allows you to configure your camera to track motion within a certain parameter or exclude tracking it for other areas such as a busy street or sidewalk.

To improve motion detection, open the SimpliSafe® Mobile App and follow these steps:

1. Choose the Cameras tab at the bottom of the app

2. Tap on the Gear Icon in the upper right corner to go to Camera Settings

3. Select your Camera

4. Tap on Motion Detection

On this screen, you’ll be presented with the option to adjust the sensitivity, motion type, and even set activity zones, depending on your camera.

Still Need Help?

If your camera is still not detecting people, we recommend resetting it. You can find the steps to reset each of our SimpliSafe® cameras in the Help Center articles below:

• How to Reset the Smart Alarm Wireless Indoor Security Camera

• How to Reset the Wireless Outdoor Security Camera

• How to Reset the SimpliCam® Wired Indoor Security Camera

• How to Reset the Video Doorbell Pro

If your camera had previously been set up but is now failing to connect to your Wi-Fi network, the Connection Check tool in the SimpliSafe® mobile app will tell you if there are any issues between your network and camera.

How to Run a Connection Check:

1. Open the SimpliSafe® mobile app

2. Tap on the Cameras tab on the bottom of the screen

3. Select the gear icon in the upper right corner to get to Camera Settings

4. Choose your camera

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 camera’s connection with the tips below.

Camera Wi-Fi Requirements:

• Signal strength should be above -55dBm. A lower number means a weaker connection between your camera and Wi-Fi router.

  • If you have a low signal strength, try troubleshooting your Wi-Fi network

• Upload speeds need to be above 2Mpbs

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

  • If your upload speed is exactly 2Mbps, you should take these steps to improve your upload speed.

Incomplete camera recordings can often be a symptom of an underlying network connectivity issue. To rule out any temporary connectivity issues, we recommend rebooting your router - especially if it’s been a while since you’ve done this. To reboot your router, simply unplug it from power for 30-60 seconds, then plug it back in. This will provide a fresh connection for your network devices.

If you’re still having trouble after a router reboot, we’d recommend using the Connection Check Tool found within the SimpliSafe® Mobile App to further analyze your network connectivity.

How to Use the Connection Check Tool

1. Tap the “Cameras” icon at the bottom of the SimpliSafe® mobile app

2. Choose the gear icon in the upper right corner to get to Camera Settings

3. Select your camera

4. Under “Connection” select “Connection Check”

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

What do my Results Mean?

Good

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

Fair or Poor Upload Speed

If your upload speed is fair or poor, reduce the camera’s video resolution in its settings in the SimpliSafe® mobile app. To do this:

1. Select the “Cameras” tab at the bottom of the screen

2. Tap the gear icon in the top right corner to get to Camera Settings

3. Under “Camera Settings”, select your camera

4. Navigate to “Video Quality” and choose 480p

It may also be necessary to upgrade your internet package to improve your upload speed. We recommend reaching out to your internet service provider to learn more about their offerings. 

Fair or Poor Signal Strength

If your signal strength is fair or poor, move your camera and Wi-Fi router closer together and then try running the Connection Check tool again. If your signal strength is still the same, we recommend getting a Wi-Fi extender.

It may also help to connect your SimpliSafe® devices to a different Wi-Fi network. We recommend setting up a Guest Network on your Wi-Fi router and only connecting your SimpliSafe® devices to it. To learn more about setting up a Guest Network, reach out to your internet service provider. 

Still Need Help?

If your camera is still experiencing issues connecting to your Wi-Fi network, our Support team is here to help you further.

Night Vision is a feature that allows your camera to use infrared technology to see in low-light conditions. The setting for this feature can be found in the SimpliSafe® App by navigating to camera settings:

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 the desired camera 

5. Select Night Vision

When On, the camera will always revert to using night vision regardless of the amount of light in the room. When set to Auto, the camera will intelligently switch between Night Vision and not depending on the amount of light in the room. In Off mode, the camera will only use available light to capture video and may result in dark video.  

The Outdoor Camera does not have an Auto setting, but it does have Spotlight. When turned on, this allows the camera to record in color at night. 

If the video quality is poor at night, we recommend trying the following steps:

• Verify the camera's Night Vision setting in the SimpliSafe® Mobile App and set it to On or Auto

  • If you have an Outdoor Camera, verify that its Night Vision setting is set to Standard or Spotlight

• Ensure the camera is not pointed near a wall, ceiling, or a flat surface underneath. Large surfaces like this will reflect the IR light and wash out the remaining video. We recommend repositioning the camera in these scenarios. (see image below)
  

• If the camera is on a shelf, place it near the edge to avoid any obstructions

• Make sure that the camera is not directly facing a wall or looking out a window

• Confirm that the protective film on the face of the camera has been removed

• [Outdoor Camera Only] Turn on the Spotlight to help illuminate areas around the camera

If the above steps do not resolve the issue, we recommend testing the camera in a second location. If the issue disappears, try taking the above steps again in the camera’s desired location.

Still Need Help?

If the issue persists, try resetting the camera by following the directions below. Note: resetting the camera will erase any videos that you have captured as well as all camera settings. Instructions on how to download any camera recordings first before resetting. 

• Wireless Outdoor Security Camera

• Outdoor Camera Series 2

• Smart Alarm Wireless Indoor Security Camera

• Resetting the Video Doorbell Pro

• SimpliCam® Wired Indoor Security Camera

Once the camera has been reset, begin the setup process over again using your camera’s installation guide.

• Wireless Outdoor Camera Installation Guide

• Outdoor Camera Series 2 Installation Guide

• Smart Alarm Wireless Indoor Security Camera Installation Guide

• Video Doorbell Pro Installation Guide

• SimpliCam® Wired Indoor Camera Installation Guide

The Smart Alarm Wireless Indoor Security Camera comes equipped with a passive infrared (PIR) sensor that allows it to sense contrasting temperature changes in its field of view, while also using Vision AI technology to determine if it should send you a motion alert.

If you are receiving too many motion alerts from your Smart Alarm Indoor Camera, there are placement, camera settings, and camera behavior changes you can make to decrease the amount of motion it captures.

Placement

We do not recommend placing your Smart Alarm Indoor Camera in an area where it faces a stairwell, window, or door, as it can pick up on excess motion. If your camera is facing any of those areas in your home, slightly adjust its placement so they are no longer in its field of view.

If you have any pets that the Smart Alarm Indoor Camera could pick up on, try moving the camera to a surface that’s at least 4 feet off the ground, angled straight out.

Camera Settings

There are additional settings you can change for your Smart Alarm Indoor Camera to help it detect fewer motion events.

Camera Behavior

You can configure your Smart Alarm to detect motion in each of the SimpliSafe® system’s armed modes: Off, Home, and Away. If your camera is consistently alerting you of motion in an armed state that you would not like it to, check to see if motion detection is turned on for your camera in that armed mode by taking the following steps:

1. Open up the SimpliSafe® 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 Smart Alarm Indoor Camera you’d like to adjust

5. Under Camera Behavior, select the system’s armed mode that you do not want the Smart Alarm to detect motion in

6. Toggle Motion Detection off