ADT's indoor camera article lists 2K live video, downloadable clips and two-way audio, and its camera articles give placement advice that decides picture quality. Install the camera where the home's wifi is strong, since weak signal lowers quality. Avoid pointing it toward bright lights or the sun to prevent backlighting, and avoid looking through a window, where glass creates reflections and the window limits the view. Place it at head height or slightly above and tilt it downward so faces are clear.
The checks in more detail
Keep the lens clean: dirt, water spots and spider webs blur the image and glow at night. Charge the outdoor and doorbell batteries, since low power can reduce performance. If video is choppy, restart the router, move the camera closer and check the app for the connection. If the view is dark at night, check nothing is close to the lens reflecting infrared. The privacy shield on the indoor camera covers the lens when inactive, so a black picture may simply mean the shield is closed.
If quality stays poor on a strong connection, remove and re-add the camera and contact ADT chat with a screenshot. Take a daytime and a night screenshot and compare them to see whether the fault is light or signal. A spider web on the lens glows at night, so check it before adjusting settings. Set expectations by the busiest time of day.
Placing the camera at head height and tilting it down is ADT's own advice for a good view of faces, and it is also the position least likely to catch glare from the sky. ADT's indoor camera offers 2K video, so if the picture looks soft, check whether the lens has fingerprints, since a smudge looks like poor resolution. The privacy shield on the indoor camera closes on its own when inactive, so before you worry about a black picture, wake the camera from the app and see whether the shield opens.
Differential
Likely causes of “ADT cameras and doorbell camera video is blurry, dark, frozen or delayed”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
A weak wifi signal
What separates it The video is choppy because the wifi signal reaching the camera is not strong enough
How to confirm Improve the signal by moving the camera or the router closer together, or by adding a mesh node
- 2
Backlighting
What separates it The picture looks washed out because a bright light or window is shining behind the subject
How to confirm Change the angle of the camera so the light is not directly behind what you want to see
- 3
A window view
What separates it The view shows reflections and glare because the camera is pointing at a window
How to confirm Move the camera away from the window to a spot with a steady, even light
- 4
A dirty lens
What separates it The picture is blurry because the lens is dirty with dust, fingerprints or a smear
How to confirm Clean the lens gently with a soft cloth and check the picture again
- 5
A closed privacy shield
What separates it The picture is completely black because the camera's privacy shield is closed over the lens
How to confirm Open the privacy shield so that the lens can see the room and the picture returns
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- A screenshot of the poor picture from the app
- The wifi signal strength at the camera
- The condition of the lens and whether it is clean
Try in this order
0 of 7 completedCheck wifi
ReversibleCheck the wifi at the camera, because a strong signal gives smooth, sharp live video and a weak one causes freezing and delay.
Clean the lens
ReversibleClean the lens with a soft cloth, wiping gently, since dust and fingerprints make the picture look blurry.
Change the angle
ReversibleChange the angle of the camera to avoid direct sun and bright lights, which cause glare and washed out video.
Avoid windows
ReversibleAvoid window views for the indoor camera, because reflections and outdoor brightness reduce the quality of the picture.
Check the privacy shield
ReversibleCheck the privacy shield is open, because a closed shield blocks the lens and gives a black picture.
Charge the battery
ReversibleCharge the battery for the outdoor camera and the doorbell, since a low battery can reduce quality and cause delay.
Contact ADT
ReversibleContact ADT with a screenshot if the picture stays poor, so support can see what the camera is showing.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- Indoor
- 2K video and two-way audio.
- Outdoor
- Watch glare and battery.
- Other models this page answers
- These steps also fit the Outdoor Camera.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !If quality stays poor, contact ADT through chat
- !If the lens is damaged, contact ADT rather than trying to repair it yourself
- !If only night video is poor, check reflections
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Indoor camera setup and placement.
Outdoor camera setup and charging.
Doorbell setup.
Offline meaning and fixes per device.
The company and its products.
Exact questions
Common questions
Does a window hurt quality?+
Yes, a window hurts quality, because glass reflects light and the bright scene outside makes the picture dark and blown out.
Does backlight hurt?+
Yes, backlight hurts, because a bright light behind the subject makes the camera expose for the light and darkens what you want to see.
Why is the picture black?+
A black picture usually means the privacy shield is closed, so open it and check that the picture returns.
Does battery affect quality?+
Yes, the battery can affect quality on the outdoor camera and doorbell, because a low battery can reduce performance.
Should I clean the lens?+
Yes, clean the lens now and then with a soft cloth, since a dirty lens is a very common cause of a blurry picture.
What are the doorbell power options?+
The doorbell can run on its battery or be wired to the existing doorbell wiring, depending on what suits the door.
What does the release pin do?+
The release pin frees the doorbell from its mounting plate, so you can take it off to charge or service it.
How long is the pairing button held?+
Hold the pairing button for about three seconds until the camera starts pairing, as the app instructs.