Hikvision app for cloud video surveillance
If you’re looking for a mobile camera app for Hikvision and want to find out how to set it up, you’ve come to the right place (there’s also a browser-based desktop version!). You might have already tried the Hikvision android app and the Hikvision iOS app – Hikvision Connect – but it fell short of what you were expecting. That’s where Videoloft comes in.
Whether you own a Hikvision security system or you’re a security professional looking for a remote viewing solution for your customer’s Hikvision cameras, Videoloft can help.
Videoloft is a cloud video storage and mobile app for Hikvision CCTV cameras, available both for iPhone and Android as well as a browser-based desktop app.
Whilst there are other mobile apps for Hikvision cameras out there, such as HikConnect, Videoloft offers an array of further features, including:
- Remote viewing of live and upto 4k recorded video
- Multi-site access for an unlimited number of users
- Multi-camera event playback
- Unlimited motion alerts, personalized AI powered alerts and camera status alerts
- Recording scheduling and alert scheduling
And so much more!
This guide will take you through all Videoloft features and how to set them up for your cameras once they have been connected to the Videoloft cloud.
Hikvision camera app setup
If the Hikvision cameras haven’t been connected to the Videoloft cloud yet, then follow this step-by-step guide to complete the camera app setup.
If you already have a Videoloft account, download the app on your iPhone or Android mobile phone, log in and get started!
Read on to learn more about mobile and browser-based desktop app setup and how to use it with your Hikvision cameras.
App setup: Remote viewing of live and up to 4K recorded video
Videoloft mobile (and browser-based desktop) app gives you 24/7 remote access to your Hikvision cameras’ live streams and recorded video at up to 4K resolution.
By default, Videoloft records on motion only, but offers continuous recording as well. When motion is detected on one of your Hikvision cameras, Videoloft will save that footage to the cloud. It will store it for the duration of the cloud recording subscription plan (e.g. 7, 30, 40 days).
- To view Hikvision cameras’ live video in the mobile app, from the main menu screen tap ‘Viewer’
- Search for a particular motion event by tapping the calendar icon
- Choose the date you are interested in looking at
- To view a particular motion event, tap on the event you want to watch
- Each recorded event can be:
- Replayed
- Shared it with anyone as a video or as a picture
- Downloaded it to your phone
- Permanently deleted
App setup: Hikvision camera motion detection
With the Videoloft mobile app you can remotely control your Hikvision cameras and set up detection zones. To adjust these settings, simply follow the steps outlined below.
- Choose the camera you want to adjust the motion detection settings for by tapping the cog icon
- Scroll down to ‘MOTION DETECTION’ section
- To adjust camera sensitivity tap ‘Sensitivity Threshold’ and choose a value between 1 and 10.
- The sensitivity will depend on Hikvision camera’s location as well as the likelihood of movement: the lower the value you choose the higher the camera’s sensitivity is.
- To set up or adjust camera detection zones tap ‘Detection Zones’
- Using your finger draw to mask the area you don’t want to monitor
App setup: Alerts for Hikvision cameras
Motion alerts
With the Videoloft mobile app you can get notified when something happens on your Hikvision cameras with unlimited motion activated alerting. To adjust these settings, simply follow the steps outlined below.
- Choose the camera you want to adjust the motion detection alerts for by tapping the cog icon
- Scroll down to ‘ALERTS – Motion / Analytics’ section
- To switch the motion detection alerts on simply use the toggle button
- You can also choose the type of alerts you will receive when motion is detected
- If alerting is switched on, but you don’t want to receive them for every motion event you can set a minimum gap between alerts. The minimum gaps for push notifications and emails need to be set up individually. To set up the minimum gap between alerts, tap on ‘Min Gap Between Notifications’ or ‘Min Gap Between Emails’
- For push notification alerts choose minimum gap from 1 minute up to 2 hours
- For email alerts choose minimum gap from 10 minutes up to 24 hours
Camera status alerts
With the Videoloft mobile app you can get notified if your Hikvision cameras go offline or come back online. Please note you’ll have to set this up for each camera individually. To adjust these settings for other cameras, simply follow the same steps as outlined below.
- Choose the camera you want to adjust the motion detection settings for by tapping the cog icon
- Scroll down to ‘ALERTS – Camera Status’ section
- To switch the camera status alerts on simply use the toggle buttons for push notifications and/or email alerts
Smart alerts
You can also use the Videoloft mobile app to configure personalized and smart AI powered alerts for your Hikvision cameras. Please note Videoloft’s video analytics is available as an add-on feature. To build personalized alerts based on object detection or text recognition via the mobile app follow the steps in this setup guide.
While analytics alerts can be built via the mobile app only, you can use Videoloft web viewer on your PC or Apple to search and view analytics based events from your Hikvision cameras.
App setup: Scheduling for Hikvision cameras
Schedule when your Hikvision cameras record and you receive alerts. Configure these schedules for specific cameras and/or time periods.
Camera scheduling
With the Videoloft mobile app you can set up a cloud recording schedule for your CCTV cameras and apply it to all cameras.
- Choose a camera you want to adjust the cloud recording schedule for by tapping the cog icon
- Tap on ‘Camera Schedule’
- Tap on a day you want to set the schedule for, then tap ‘Add schedule event’
- Set the start and stop time(s) as required
- Click ‘Save’
Alert scheduling
With the Videoloft mobile app you can set up an alert schedule for your Hikvision cameras and apply it to all cameras.
- Choose a camera you want to adjust the cloud recording schedule for for by tapping the cog icon
- Scroll down to ‘ALERTS – Motion / Analytics’ section
- Tap on ‘Alert Schedule’
- Tap on a day you want to set the schedule for, then tap ‘Add schedule event’
- Set the start and stop time(s) as required
- Click ‘Save’
App setup: Remote PTZ controls for Hikvision cameras
With the Videoloft mobile app you can remotely control Hikvision PTZ cameras.
- You’ll first need to enable PTZ controls from the camera’s settings screen
- Choose a camera you want to enable the PTZ controls for by tapping the cog icon
- To switch the PTZ controls on simply use the toggle button
- Once you’ve enabled the PTZ control, simply tap on the PTZ icon to remotely control the camera
- Use arrows to pan and tilt the camera, and + and – icons to zoom in and out
- If you use the ‘Continuous’ toggle button that will continue moving the camera indefinitely
Why Videoloft mobile app for Hikvision CCTV cameras?
In summary, in addition to numerous features and benefits, Videoloft mobile app is also available as a browser-based desktop app. It’s a scalable and flexible solution compatible with a wide range of professional security cameras other than Hikvision, such as Axis, Dahua or Uniview.
So, what’s next? Are you ready to connect your Hik pro system to the cloud with the Videoloft app?
Interested in Videoloft for your home or Videoloft for your business? Look no further, choose your cloud plan, and create your account by getting started.
