Phone app setup
How to view your Amcrest cameras on your phone
Amcrest recorders and IP cameras connect to your phone through Amcrest View Pro 2 using P2P and the device serial number. Here is the setup and the usual failure points.
VuePoint
Amcrest has several apps, and the names overlap. For NVRs, HDCVI DVRs and wired IP cameras, the current app is Amcrest View Pro 2, published by Amcrest Technologies on the App Store and Google Play. The original Amcrest View Pro is still listed but hasn't been updated in years. Amcrest Smart Home is for the video doorbell, deterrent camera and battery camera; Amcrest Cloud is for Amcrest's cloud recording service.
What you need before you start
- The recorder or camera online, plugged into your router.
- The device's admin password, set when it was first initialized.
- P2P enabled. On most Amcrest recorders and cameras it's in the network settings, often on a page called P2P, and on by default.
- The serial number (SN) or QR code, printed on the device label and shown on the P2P page.
Add your Amcrest device by QR code or serial number
- 1
Check P2P at the device
On the recorder's local menu or the camera's web interface, open the network settings and find P2P. Confirm it's enabled and the status reads online.
- 2
Open the app and add a device
In Amcrest View Pro 2, tap + or the add-device button.
- 3
Scan the QR code
Scan the QR code from the label or the P2P page. If scanning doesn't work, enter the serial number manually.
- 4
Enter the device password
Type the device's admin password and give it a name. Set the device type if the app asks.
- 5
Test remote access
Turn off Wi-Fi on your phone and load live view over cellular. Then check that playback from the recorder's drive works.
The alternative: IP address or DDNS
The app can also add a device by IP address or DDNS hostname. Remote access that way requires port forwarding on your router, which exposes the device to the internet and makes firmware updates non-optional. See how to set up port forwarding for a camera recorder. P2P is simpler for most properties.
Troubleshooting
- Device offline. If the P2P page doesn't say online, the recorder has no route to the internet. Check the cable, the router, and the recorder's gateway and DNS settings.
- Locked out after wrong passwords. Amcrest devices block logins for a period after repeated failures. Wait it out, then use the right device password. Forgotten passwords need Amcrest support's reset process.
- P2P disabled. Turned off, the app can't reach the device off-site. Re-enable it on the P2P page.
- Firmware too old. Older firmware can misbehave with current app versions. Update from Amcrest's support site for your exact model.
- Wrong app. Doorbells and battery cameras don't show up in View Pro 2; they use Amcrest Smart Home.
VuePoint Secure can add live monitoring to the same Amcrest cameras through an on-site edge device, without port forwarding.
Common questions
- Amcrest View Pro or Amcrest View Pro 2?
- Use View Pro 2 for current Amcrest recorders and IP cameras; it's the one Amcrest still updates.
- Do I need a subscription to view my cameras remotely?
- No. Live view and playback from your recorder are free. Amcrest Cloud is optional cloud storage.
- Can I add the same recorder to several phones?
- Yes, but give each person their own limited user on the recorder rather than sharing the admin password.
Stuck getting your Amcrest system online?
Tell us the recorder model and what the app is showing. We'll tell you what we'd check next.