How to Fix Delayed Notifications on Your Tapo Camera
A Tapo camera is a simple and effective way to monitor your home, but its value is significantly reduced if the notifications arrive late. An alert that appears on your phone minutes after an event has happened is a frustration and a security risk. If you're experiencing a lag with your Tapo alerts, this troubleshooting guide will walk you through the common causes and solutions.
## Understanding Why Tapo Notifications Get Delayed
When your Tapo camera detects motion, a sequence of events has to happen for the notification to appear on your phone. A delay is usually caused by a bottleneck in this communication chain.
Common causes for Tapo alert delays:
- Weak Wi-Fi Signal: This is the most frequent culprit. If your camera has a poor connection to your router, it takes longer to upload the detected event to the cloud, which in turn delays the push notification to your phone.
- Phone Power-Saving Modes: Modern smartphones are very aggressive with battery management. They can put apps like Tapo into a 'deep sleep' mode, preventing them from receiving instant notifications to conserve power.
- Poor Mobile Data Connection: The delay might not be with the camera at all, but with your phone's ability to receive the alert from the server, especially if you have a weak 4G or 5G signal.
- Network Latency: General slowness on your home network, perhaps due to many other devices being used at the same time, can create a small delay.
- Outdated App or Firmware: Running an old version of the Tapo app or the camera's firmware can sometimes cause performance issues.
## Your Step-by-Step Guide to Instant Tapo Alerts
Let's work through these issues one by one to get your notifications back up to speed.
### 1. Check and Optimise Your Wi-Fi Connection
Start with the most likely cause.
- Check Signal Strength: In the Tapo app, go to your camera's settings and look for a Wi-Fi signal strength indicator (often in the 'Device Info' or 'Network' section). It should ideally be two or three bars. If it's only one bar, you've likely found your problem.
- Move Your Router: If possible, try moving your Wi-Fi router to a more central location in your home, or at least closer to the Tapo camera.
- Move Your Camera: If you can't move the router, try moving the camera. Even a few feet can make a big difference, especially if it means avoiding a thick wall or a large metal appliance.
- Consider a Wi-Fi Extender: If distance is an issue you can't solve by moving things, a simple Wi-Fi range extender placed halfway between the router and the camera can provide a strong, stable signal.
### 2. Configure Your Smartphone's Settings
You need to tell your phone that Tapo notifications are a priority.
- Disable Battery Optimisation for Tapo:
- On Android: Go to Settings > Apps > Tapo > Battery. Select "Unrestricted" or "Don't Optimise". The exact wording varies by phone manufacturer.
- On iPhone: Go to Settings > General > Background App Refresh and ensure it is turned on for the Tapo app.
- Check Notification Permissions: Go to your phone's notification settings for the Tapo app and ensure all permissions are granted, including lock screen alerts and banners.
- Check 'Do Not Disturb' Mode: Make sure your phone isn't in a 'Do Not Disturb' or 'Focus' mode that is silencing notifications from the Tapo app.
### 3. Update Everything
Ensure your software is up to date to benefit from the latest performance improvements.
- Update the Tapo App: Go to the App Store (iOS) or Play Store (Android) and check for any updates to the Tapo app.
- Update Camera Firmware: In the Tapo app, go to the camera's settings and look for a 'Firmware Update' option. Install any available updates.
By systematically addressing these potential bottlenecks, you can eliminate the frustrating delay and ensure your Tapo camera alerts you the moment something happens.