Improving the Accuracy of Tapo's Person Detection
Tapo cameras offer powerful AI-driven features like Person Detection, which is designed to reduce unwanted notifications by alerting you only when a human is spotted. However, if you're receiving false alerts for shadows, pets, or cars—or if the camera is missing people entirely—some fine-tuning is required. This guide will help you optimise your settings for more accurate results.
Why is My Person Detection Unreliable?
The AI works by analysing shapes and movement patterns, but it can be tricked. Common causes for inaccuracy include:
- Poor Camera Placement: A camera angled towards a busy street, swaying trees, or areas with dramatic shadow changes will struggle to differentiate threats.
- Incorrect Sensitivity Settings: The motion sensitivity might be set too high, causing the camera to over-analyse minor movements.
- Complex Lighting: Strong backlighting or rapidly changing light conditions (like car headlights at night) can confuse the detection algorithm.
- Outdated Firmware: TP-Link regularly releases firmware updates that include improvements to their AI detection features.
How to Fix and Fine-Tune Tapo Person Detection
Making adjustments in the Tapo app is key to improving performance.
### 1. Optimise Camera Placement and Angle
This is the most critical step for reliable AI detection.
- Angle: Point the camera downwards to focus on your property (e.g., your driveway, garden path) and minimise the amount of public road or pavement in the frame.
- Height: Install the camera at a height of 2-3 metres (7-10 feet). This provides a clear view and helps the AI distinguish the shape of a person.
- Avoid 'Noisy' Backgrounds: If possible, avoid pointing the camera directly at bushes or trees that move a lot in the wind.
### 2. Adjust Motion Sensitivity
Person detection often works on top of general motion detection. If the base motion sensitivity is too high, it will trigger the AI analysis too frequently, leading to errors.
- Open the Tapo app and select your camera.
- Go to Camera Settings (the gear icon).
- Tap on Detection & Alerts.
- Select Motion Detection.
- You will see a Motion Sensitivity setting (Low, Normal, High). If you are getting many false alerts, reduce the sensitivity from High to Normal, or from Normal to Low.
- Test the new setting to see if it provides a better balance.
### 3. Configure Activity Zones
Activity zones tell your camera to ignore motion in certain parts of the frame. This is essential for eliminating false alarms.
- In the Detection & Alerts menu, go to Activity Zones.
- Create zones that only cover the specific areas you want to monitor. For example, draw a zone over your walkway but exclude the public pavement and the street.
- If a tree or bush is causing false alerts, draw the zone to exclude it. You can create multiple zones for different areas.
### 4. Update the Camera's Firmware
Ensuring your camera has the latest software is crucial for the best AI performance.
- In the Tapo app, go to the 'Me' tab at the bottom.
- Select Firmware Update.
- The app will scan for your devices and notify you if any updates are available. Follow the prompts to install them.
### 5. Consider Tapo Care
For some camera models, the most advanced AI features (including more sophisticated person, pet, and vehicle detection) are part of the Tapo Care subscription service. If you've tried all the steps above and still need higher accuracy, check if your camera has enhanced features available through a subscription.
By methodically adjusting your camera's position and fine-tuning its software settings, you can significantly improve the accuracy of the person detection feature and start receiving alerts that truly matter.