ADT's camera articles explain that a camera only alerts for motion in areas it can see, so check the app to confirm the whole scene is visible; motion in blocked areas will not trigger alerts. Place the camera at head height or a little higher, tilted slightly down so it sees faces, and avoid backlighting from bright lights or the sun. Indoor cameras should not look through a window because glass reflections and the window size limit the view.
The checks in more detail
ADT's Alert Not Received article says camera notifications are set per camera and per event type: in Notifications, Cameras, make sure the camera has notifications on and that the event types you want, such as Animal, Motion or Package, are enabled. Object detection for person, package and vehicle is part of ADT's camera plans. If detection misses events, clean the lens, reposition to remove obstructions, check the battery and wifi and confirm the plan includes the features. If you get too many alerts, adjust event types and view.
Test by walking through the scene and checking the app. The indoor camera's privacy shield covers the lens when inactive, so motion is not detected while it is closed. Walk the route a visitor would take at different speeds and check the app after each pass. Check again at a different time of day, since sun and shadows change what triggers. Adjust the view in small steps.
Motion in blocked areas will not trigger alerts, so a chair, a plant or a porch post that blocks half the scene explains a lot of missed events, and moving it is cheaper than changing settings. Outdoor cameras see trees and traffic, so accept some false alerts at first and tune by event type and view over a few days instead of switching detection off. Compare what the camera sees in the app with what you can see standing where it is mounted, since a small mismatch in angle often explains why one side of a doorway is never covered.
Differential
Likely causes of “ADT cameras and doorbell camera misses motion or records too many events”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
A blocked view
What separates it The camera misses motion because something blocks part of its view of the room
How to confirm Clear the view and reposition the camera so that it sees the whole area you want to watch
- 2
Backlighting
What separates it Detection is poor because a bright light or window shines into the lens from behind the scene
How to confirm Change the angle of the camera so that no strong light source is behind the subject
- 3
Event types off
What separates it You get no alerts for one type of event because that event type is switched off in the settings
How to confirm Enable the Animal, Motion and Package alerts you want in Notifications for the camera
- 4
A closed privacy shield
What separates it The camera detects nothing at all because its privacy shield is closed over the lens
How to confirm Open the privacy shield so that the lens can see and detect motion again
- 5
A weak battery or wifi
What separates it Events are missed because the camera's battery is low or its wifi connection keeps dropping
How to confirm Charge the camera and improve the wifi signal so that it stays online and detects every event
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- The event types that are switched on for this camera
- What the camera view shows in the app
- The state of the camera's battery and whether it is charged
- The plan on the account, since features depend on it
Try in this order
0 of 7 completedCheck the whole scene
ReversibleCheck the whole scene in the app, because a camera only alerts for motion in areas that it can see, and blocked areas will not trigger.
Set head height and tilt
ReversibleSet the camera at head height, or a little higher, and tilt it slightly down so it sees people and not the ceiling.
Avoid backlight
ReversibleAvoid pointing the camera at backlight and windows, because bright light behind a subject makes movement hard to detect.
Enable event types
ReversibleEnable the event types you want in Notifications and then Cameras, so animals, motion and packages each send an alert.
Charge and check wifi
ReversibleCharge the battery and check the wifi at the camera, since a weak battery or connection means missed events.
Test by walking through
ReversibleTest by walking through the scene while you watch the app, to see whether the camera detects and records the movement.
Contact ADT
ReversibleContact ADT if it still misses motion or records too many events, and tell them the camera model and where it is placed.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- Indoor
- Has a privacy shield.
- Outdoor
- Watch for backlight and battery.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !If detection stays poor after adjusting, contact ADT through chat
- !If a feature is missing, check the plan
- !If alerts are too many, adjust event types
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Indoor camera setup and placement.
Notification troubleshooting.
Outdoor camera setup and charging.
Doorbell setup.
The company and its products.
Exact questions
Common questions
Do blocked areas alert?+
No, blocked areas do not alert, so if you have blocked out part of the view, movement there will not trigger the camera.
What event types exist?+
The camera can alert for event types such as Animal, Motion and Package, each of which can be switched on or off.
Can a window hurt detection?+
Yes, a window can hurt detection, because glass reflects light and bright scenes outside make movement hard to spot.
Does the privacy shield stop detection?+
A closed privacy shield stops detection, because the lens is covered and the camera cannot see anything at all.
Do plans matter?+
Yes, the plan matters for features such as object detection, so check what your plan includes if an event type is missing.
Why avoid windows?+
Avoid pointing the camera at windows, because glass causes reflections and the bright view limits what the camera can see.
What is backlighting?+
Backlighting is a light source shining into the camera, which makes the subject dark and hard to see.
What does a solid blue LED mean?+
A solid blue LED means the battery is fully charged, so you can unplug the charging cable.