Phone app setup
How to view your Swann cameras on your phone
Current Swann recorders and Wi-Fi cameras all use the Swann Security app. Pair the recorder by its QR code, then check the usual reasons it won't connect.
VuePoint
Swann's current app is Swann Security, published by Swann Communications on the App Store and Google Play. It covers Swann's latest DVR and NVR series and its Wi-Fi cameras in one place. Swann's store listing is explicit that other Swann CCTV and IP models won't work with it; older systems used apps such as SwannView Link, SwannView Plus or HomeSafe View. Swann keeps a compatibility list on its website, and the quick-start guide in the box names the right app.
What you need before you start
- The recorder connected to your router and showing an internet connection in its network menu.
- The recorder password, created during the first-run wizard on the monitor. It's different from your Swann Security account password.
- The device ID QR code. It's on a sticker on the recorder and, on most models, shown in the recorder's menu during setup.
- A Swann Security account.
Pair your Swann recorder by QR code
- 1
Create your account
Install Swann Security, create an account, and verify your email.
- 2
Start pairing
Tap the option to pair or add a device. The wording varies between app versions.
- 3
Scan the QR code
Scan the QR code on the recorder sticker or on-screen. If it won't scan, enter the device ID manually.
- 4
Enter the recorder password
Type the recorder's password and name the system after the property.
- 5
Test on cellular
Turn off Wi-Fi, open live view and playback. Swann's listing warns that streaming video over 4G/5G counts toward your mobile data allowance.
The alternative: IP address or DDNS
Some Swann recorders can be reached by IP address or a DDNS name, which needs port forwarding and leaves the recorder exposed to the internet. Pairing by QR code avoids that. If you need the manual route, read how to set up port forwarding for a camera recorder first.
Troubleshooting
- Recorder offline. Check the network cable goes to your router, restart the router and recorder, and confirm the recorder's network page shows internet.
- Locked out after wrong passwords. Recorders block logins for a while after repeated failures. Wait, then use the right recorder password. Swann tech support handles forgotten recorder passwords.
- Recorder not found. It may be an older model not supported by Swann Security. Check Swann's compatibility list.
- Firmware too old. Update the recorder firmware (many current models can update from the app or the recorder menu) before re-pairing.
VuePoint Secure can add live monitoring to the same Swann cameras through an on-site edge device that needs no port forwarding.
Common questions
- Why doesn't my older Swann system appear in Swann Security?
- Swann Security only supports Swann's current recorder series and Wi-Fi cameras. Older systems use older Swann apps; Swann's compatibility list shows which.
- Is there a monthly fee to view my cameras?
- No. Remote viewing of your recorder's live and recorded video is free. Swann sells optional extras separately.
- Why is my phone data use high?
- Live video is heavy. Lower the stream quality in the app and close live view when you're done.
Stuck getting your Swann system online?
Tell us the recorder model and what the app is showing. We'll tell you what we'd check next.