Camera access follows ADT's user roles. The Primary user has complete access including live view, saved media, settings and billing; an Admin can stream live, view and manage saved media, access settings and notifications and create rules; a Standard user can view live and saved media, arm and disarm and control their own notification method; a Basic user gets a code for the Base or Keypad only and has no app login, so cannot view cameras.
The checks in more detail
Only the Primary and Admin roles can invite, add and remove users. Manage users in the ADT+ app or at plus.adt.com. If the household has a camera-only system, you likely will not need the Basic role, and the Duress role is not available to camera-only customers. Each person should have their own login rather than sharing yours. If someone cannot view a camera, check their role, that they accepted the invitation and that the camera is online.
Remove people when they no longer need access, since Standard users can view live and saved media. Downloading a clip is a way to share a single moment without giving access. Keep a list of who can see your cameras and review it when someone moves out. A new user who sees nothing may have signed in with a different email. Ask new users to open the live view once.
A camera-only system does not use the Basic or Duress roles, so if you are seeing role options that do not fit, check whether your system includes a Base. A person who only needs to check the front door can be a Standard user, which lets them view without changing settings or seeing billing. ADT's roles let you give a family member view access without giving them billing, so use the Standard role for anyone who only needs to see the cameras.
Differential
Likely causes of “ADT cameras and doorbell camera shared users or family members cannot control it”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
A Basic role
What separates it A family member cannot view the cameras because they have been given a Basic user role
How to confirm Make them a Standard user, who can log in to the app and view the cameras
- 2
An invitation not accepted
What separates it The person cannot log in because they have not accepted the invitation that was sent to them
How to confirm Resend the invitation and ask them to accept it from their email or phone
- 3
A shared login
What separates it It is unclear who viewed the cameras because everyone signs in with the same login
How to confirm Give each person their own account so that the activity is recorded for each person
- 4
A camera-only system
What separates it A Duress role is not available because the system only has cameras and no monitored security system
How to confirm Use the roles that are available for a camera-only system, such as Primary, Admin and Standard
- 5
A former user
What separates it A person who left the household still has access to the cameras from their own phone
How to confirm Remove them from the user list the same day they leave so that they lose access
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- The role of the person who has the problem
- Whether the invitation has been accepted
- The state of the camera and whether it is online
- Whether it is a camera-only system
Try in this order
0 of 7 completedOpen user management
ReversibleOpen user management in the app or the portal, where each person's role and invitation status are shown.
Invite a Standard user
ReversibleInvite a Standard user for viewing, so they get their own login and can watch the cameras from their phone.
Avoid Basic for camera access
ReversibleAvoid using Basic for camera access, because Basic users have no app login and so cannot view the cameras.
Use separate logins
ReversibleUse separate logins for each person, so you can see who did what and remove one person without affecting others.
Remove users who leave
ReversibleRemove users who leave the household on the same day, so their access to the cameras stops straight away.
Share a clip
ReversibleShare a clip for a single moment, by downloading it from the app, when you do not want to give someone a login.
Contact ADT
ReversibleContact ADT if the person still cannot view the cameras, and tell them the role and the camera model.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- Roles
- Primary, Admin, Standard, Basic and Duress.
- Cameras
- Viewable by Standard and above.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !If access still fails, contact ADT through chat and give them the person's role
- !If a former user still has access, remove them
- !If you only want to share one moment, download the clip and send it instead of sharing access
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Primary, Admin, Standard, Basic and Duress users.
Indoor camera setup and placement.
Outdoor camera setup and charging.
Doorbell setup.
The company and its products.
Exact questions
Common questions
Who can view cameras?+
The Primary user, Admin users and Standard users can view the cameras, each with their own login in the app.
Can Basic users view?+
No, Basic users cannot view the cameras, because a Basic user is a code-only user with no app login.
Is Duress available for camera-only?+
No, Duress is not available for a camera-only system, since it needs a professionally monitored security system.
Can I share a clip?+
Yes, you can share a clip by downloading it from the app, which is useful for sending one moment to someone.
Should everyone have their own login?+
Yes, everyone should have their own login, so that you know who is using the cameras and can remove access when needed.
Can I remove a user?+
Yes, you can remove a user from the user list at any time, and they lose access to the cameras at once.
Does the outdoor camera use a mount?+
Yes, the outdoor camera fixes to the wall with a mount and plate, which hold it at the right angle.
Do cameras record all the time?+
No, the cameras record events on the plan, not around the clock, so you see clips of motion and other events.
Can I talk through the camera?+
The indoor camera has two-way audio, so you can talk through it from the app.