Tapo
RJW
I have been trying off and on to update the firmware with no success.
I am on version 1.0.8 and trying to update to v 1.0.14 Hardware is V1.0
The app tells me it was successful but when I check the version in the app it has not changed.
I have the camera within 5 feet of my phone and my router.
I have tried to update from my wireless network, wired network and my mobile device. None of it works.
Brian D.
I had this on my house for pretty much 1 year exactly. It's up on the second floor. No one can reach it. It literally just fell apart. I have 12 tapo cameras. This design is junk.
Mary Wells
We love this camera. The only reason I won’t give it 5 stars is because right at having it a year, the rotating camera broke off the mounting bracket. My son threw it away so now they won’t replace it because I have no picture of it. Lesson learned I guess. I did purchase 3 of them so we did put another one up. The night vision is really good and clear. It was easy to set up and the sound quality is amazing as long as the wind isn’t blowing.
Sergii
Not bad at daylight. But nothing special at night. If you wanna see car plates at night this camera cannot do that. Just buy any cheap 2k Tapo camera, they are almost the same
Djeison
In addition to this camera, I have cameras from four other different Tapo/TP-Link models. In total, I have 14 cameras, an IR sensor, a doorbell, a water leak sensor, 4 doors sensors, 3 hubs and 19 smart switches.
The image quality is good, but it doesn't have as many different as other models like the C246 or C236 (These work as intended, tracking movement and returning to their original position). There is no noticeable difference in image quality in night vision mode.
What bothers me the most is that they constantly lose their position. I have two cameras of this model, and both have the same issue: they lose their position.
The motion-tracking function is good; it would be top-notch if it didn't lose its starting position, sometimes when I access it via the app, the camera is literally facing the wall.
I disabled the motion tracking function to continue using my two cameras.
The listing stated it operates on a 2.4GHz network, but it actually requires a 5GHz network. I had set up a 2.4GHz network at home specifically for my smart devices, but I couldn't get this model to connect to it. After a lot of research, I connected it to the 5GHz network, and then it worked.
Unless you are looking for a camera for a fixed position, this model is worth it; however, if you are looking for a camera that tracks movement, avoid this one, it isn't worth the money.
I like Tapo products because of the ability to save footage to memory cards installed directly in the camera. You can enable continuous recording, save it to the micro sd card, and access it via the app.
The hub they have is no good, but that’s a topic for another review.
Jerome Medina
Works good!
Customer
Broke after 4 months. They used cheap parts
Martin
Really good camera works great
KT
Worked great for the first 10 months then one weekend when we’re out of town, the camera decided to separate itself from the mounting base while painting on a motion detection. The plastic bosses with screws in them in the camera broke, letting the camera dangle by the wire. I really did like the camera, but I would expect it to last longer than it did would not recommend for longevity.
Customer
Buena marca, no es tan grande
Yasmany Trujillo Mendizábal
The best I've seen on the market, I recommend it 100%
Ish
I would not recommend this because they sent me a faded camera it was all mest up because of the sun. I’m pretty sure it was used because the box was open and it has tape all over it.
Shi
Too expensive! The image quality is not really that much better than the 2K cameras. The tracking capability tracks people alright but it is way TOO SLOW to return to its home position even if there is no more movement.
RhondaC
Two large cables with bulky connectors hang from the camera. This was too unsightly for me to hang on the front of my house. One connector didn’t have anything to plug into it. It is there for additional accessories that would be purchased separately. Also the power cord doesn’t allow you to install far from the outlet and the connection doesn’t match most cameras to purchase an extension. I didn’t even try using the camera and returned it.
Eh
In less than a year, this camera has broken for no reason. It was not put in a place where it was exposed to harsh conditions. It simply broke. Customer service has been terrible about dealing with it. I should have stuck with Wyze. You’ll see in the video, it just falls down.
I have to get up on a ladder and take it down to take more pictures because the ones that I’ve sent them apparently aren’t sufficient or they don’t believe that I purchased the camera and so I need proof.
Also, the image was not good at night. You could see all of the humidity in the air. That’s what looks like a web or a film over the image in the night pic
Motion detection is mediocre. It constantly alerts to a person when it’s just a car driving by.
SG
I looked at the reviews. I read the features and the price was amazingly cheap so I bought this camera. Unfortunately, upon receipt I noticed a glaring design flaw - the power chord is also attached to an Ethernet chord and would require me to drill a hole just shy of 1”!!! Yes, again, the hole needed to run the power chord is 1”! I’ve installed other cameras with much better design and am shocked they didn’t make it so you can run a much smaller power chord through the wall or a number of other simple ways (like a housing for the chord) to make installation easy. I was hoping to give this camera 5 stars and was excited to use it but now it is a 1 star paperweight that I do not believe I will ever be able to use!
Thomas A
These are great. Notifies me of a person or vehicle entering my property before they ever get on mt property. I’ve decided to use these all around my house for security cameras. There’s no monthly charge unless you want to store the videos on the cloud. Definitely would recommend them!
HappyUser
I purchased this Tp-Link® Tapo™ model C560WS to replace a "3rd Generation" RING® Stick-Up™ outdoor camera. NOOOO CONTEST!!
PROS: In it's class, the TP-Link C560WS is unsurpassed in CLARITY!, RESOLUTION!, RANGE of MOTION!, and FUNCTION! Move it UP!, DOWN!, LEFT!, or RIGHT from your phone! 4K SHARPNESS! The $84 price was nice too! The setup is pretty easy, but I strongly suggest a new user read all the "Outdoor Installation Tips" and ESPECIALLY, the "Software-Loading Instructions" located on the Tp-Link® website, while waiting on delivery of your Tapo™ camera.
CONS: VIEWING ON A PHONE IS JUST-NOT-ENOUGH, PARTICULARLY FOR SENIOR CITIZENS!! There are instructions for watching a "live" feed from your Tapo™ model C560WS camera via a 3rd party software program like "VLC MEDIA PLAYER®" (and it WORKS!) As you can see from the time-stamp, one photo below was taken at 9:22 PM - pitch black outside, and the other is daytime! I cannot think of one reason why Tp-Link® doesn't include a PC and Mac version of their camera's phone software, to download for those BIG Mac and PC screens! Tp-Link® should check out the "RING®" software - it is A-W-E-S-O-M-E!
• THE INFORMATION BELOW WILL ALLOW YOU TO ACCESS YOUR TAPO® CAMERA ON A PC •
IMPORTANT! ... 1) Your PC and cell phone MUST be on the "SAME NETWORK". 2) Download and install the Tapo™ Software. 3) To be able to access your camera on a PC, you need to FIRST create a "separate" account "WITHIN" the newly installed Tapo™ mobile phone software, so that your router will allow the connection!
iPhone® DIRECTIONS:
The following directions are what I used to set-up/grant PC access to my Tapo™ model C560WS, using a 6 year-old iPhone® XR™, and after installing "VLC Media Player®" software (Google it) on my Dell® desktop PC ...
Step 1: After installation, launch the new Tapo™ software on your phone.
Step 2: Tap on the "Settings Icon" (upper right-hand corner).
Step 3: Scroll down to "Advanced Settings".
Step 4: Tap On "Create Account".
Step 5: Choose a Username and a "STRONG" password - Then make SURE the "Camera Account" button is turned to "ON".
Step 6: Tap on "Save".
PC DIRECTIONS:
Step 1: After installing, launch the "VLC® Media Player" program, then click on "MEDIA".
Step 2: Click on "Open Network Stream" from the drop-down menu.
Step 3: Using your **"TAPO CAMERA C560WS's I.P. ADDRESS"**, enter the following command:
rtsp://your IP Address/stream1
Example: rtsp://192.165.42.60/stream1
Step 4: A login box will appear asking for the username and password you earlier created in the Tapo® software.
Step 5: Click on the "PLAY" button or from the drop-down list. DO NOT CHOOSE "STREAMING" - IT WON'T WORK!!
Step 6: ENJOY THE VIEW on your 34" screen!! :)
**How To FIND your Tapo™ model C560WS's "I.P. ADDRESS"**
• Launch the new Tapo™ software on your phone.
• Tap on the "Settings Icon" (upper right-hand corner).
• Scroll down to "Advanced Settings".
• Tap On "Network Settings".
• It may be "greyed-out", but the first entry is your camera's I.P. Address.
Hope this was helpful.
JDR_Missouri
I had this up for only a few days when we had an e-biker trespass through our circle driveway.
Not only did the camera catch the motion, but the 4K clarity allowed me to read the brand of e-bike he was on. Easy to install, setup, and monitor. Very happy with tp-link tapo products.
B&R
Support is responsive,
This product is new and missing some features found in older models that I find more useful.
Currently running firmware 1.1.4, testing 1.1.5
There is no return to (a set) home position after inactivity. so camera pointed right normally detects and follows activity to center such as a dog walking and lays down, then further walks to the left. may leave the camera to the left or center but no return to the right.
H265 only on stream 1 H264 on lower quality stream 2 and 3 this is only an issue for older DVR / software setups. Not a concern for most people but so you know for those that search for info inside a review.
Also of the two cameras purchased first one arrived broken and detached camera from motor mount
Overall I have more than a dozen tapo cameras they are a good company with good models, and some lesser models
Buyer
I already had 4 of the tc85 magcams, but had issues with wifi connectivity that made viewing live feed painful at times (connection would take a while or downright fail). Figure if I could hardwire, it would at least help with that. So changed a couple of cameras from wifi to hardwired.
Connection is obviously more reliable, but it still takes a couple of seconds to see the live feed - so maybe the delay in viewing is at least in part due to the system itself.
Installation is pretty forward but for one issue... the power adapter is shaped so that it will not fit into a standard outdoor receptacle with cover (see picture). Had to buy a third party power supply. And the weather proofing jacket for the ethernet cable is made for sleeved on non jacked ethernet cables (can't fit a pre wired ethernet cable thru), so for most diy'rs with access to the tools, it is basically useless.
Still need to test for a couple of weeks to see how they perform but first impressions were not good
Volodymyr Haponenko
Excellent!!
Roger Lodge
I did have the Tapo C121 as my driveway camera and it was only OK. What I liked is the small size and that it comes in BLACK because black blended in with the house and didn’t draw as much attention. The problem I had with that camera was because of the distance from my router, it had a weak wifi signal and poor playback.
With this new camera, it's much bigger and only comes in WHITE, and immediately draws your attention to it. However, I'm beginning to think that may be a good thing. I just don't want an eyesore on the front of the house. A huge benefit with this cam is the available ethernet connection. I haven't wired that yet but I'm looking forward to having ethernet and no lag or weak signals. Also, the video quality is a big improvement over my old camera. The tracking works really well. Honestly, it's eerie having the camera turn and follow me. I set it so that when it detects a person in my driveway, Smart Detection turns on the spotlight. I want anyone in my driveway to know without a doubt they are being recorded.
I'm still tweaking things a bit, but I found that by increasing the brightness of my Tapo bulbs in the outdoor sconces, it's bright enough at night for this camera to stay in full color mode without needing it's infrared on.
I'm really happy with it so far and plan to get another one for the back of the house.
Yenee
I bought the Tapo C560WS 4K 8MP camera for about and put an about 500 GB internal memory card.
I live in a very cold area (in winter time), so I couldn’t install it outdoors. Instead, I mounted it inside the house, facing the window.
Pros:
• The Tapo app is easy to use, and managing the built-in storage is simple.
• During the day, it can show the outside view through the window fairly well.
• Setup and connection were quick and smooth.
Cons:
• At night, it’s almost useless when placed behind glass. The IR light reflects off the window, showing only glare instead of the outside.
• Even though it’s advertised as 4K, the image clarity is disappointing — even in daylight, license plates and people’s faces are not clearly visible.
• It cannot handle freezing temperatures, so true outdoor use is not realistic in cold regions.
• Overall video quality feels lower than expected for a 4K camera.
Verdict:
If you plan to use it indoors in mild weather for basic daytime viewing, it’s fine. The app and storage system are excellent.
But if you need clear identification or reliable night security, especially in cold climates, it won’t meet expectations.
★★★☆☆ (3 out of 5 stars)
→ Simple to use, good app, but weak performance for window setups and cold weather environments.
Robletto
Nice little security camera, clear pic the zoom works but when check the recording from SD card there is never zoom, I'm still learning! The installation was easy I didn't even used a cable, the camera found the wifi good no problem.
The pic is great but I don't think it's 4k you can not read the license plate of a car
01/08/2026 well just letting you know the camera is still working just like day one, I will get another one soon, happy new year.
Anonymous Reviewer
At this point, I have tested most of the different versions of Tapo's security cameras, and this one is definitely one of my favorites. Value wise, this camera punches way above its price point, as I have come to expect from Tapo. It has all of the base features that I have come to expect from their cameras, such as the detection features, 24/7 recording, two way audio, and quick, simple setup through the Tapo app. While the 4K video resolution is definitely superior to other Tapo offerings, don't expect to deduce someone's eye color from across the street. I have this camera mounted under the eaves at the corner of the garage, and I can read a license plate on a vehicle as it drives down the street about 50 feet away, but I cannot read the writing above and below the license plate number. The Pan and Tilt is really what puts this camera into the top tier for me. Given that this is mounted at the corner of my house, I can effectively see my whole front yard, including the bit down the side of the house. I really like that I can also angle the view towards the front door or even into the garage when the door is up. The presets further enhance this benefit by making it quick and easy to point the camera to a predetermined viewpoint in case there is activity that is sufficiently out of frame such that it does not trigger the motion tracking. I have had issues with the saved presets failing to return to the intended view, almost as if the pan/tilt has lost its calibration. Thankfully, these occurrences have been isolated and it typically works well. Speaking of the auto-tracking, it is definitely a work in progress and could be improved. It often seems a bit...groggy, especially for fast moving objects like vehicles that cross the frame abruptly. For slower moving objects like people walking their dogs down the sidewalk in front of the house, or subjects moving towards the camera, the tracking not only makes it much easier to monitor activity, but the motion of the camera staring them down could also potential serve as an enhanced deterrent for anyone with nefarious intent. The detection features, like all of their camera models that share the app interface, could use further refinement, but considering that it is AI based and does not require a subscription, I don't think I have much room to complain. My only real gripe, which is somewhat unique to the Pan/Tilt variety of camera, is that the line crossing detection and zone configurations are somewhat subjective since they are fixed to the camera's framing, not the scene, so if the camera moves, the reference for the line crossing moves with the camera, largely defeating the point. Other than that, the software features that Tapo provides are excellent overall, especially when you invest in a decent capacity memory card. I have a 256gb card in this camera, and the storage capacity is impressive. I have another 4k Tapo camera with the same size card that has 87 DAYS of 24/7 recording that I can reference if the need arises! Overall, I love this camera and its performance only further strengthens my loyalty to the Tapo brand.
Heather Rayne
We like that it catches the wildlife.
Revu Rampage
This camera exceeded my expectations. The 4K resolution delivers incredible clarity—I can easily make out small details like license plates. The pan/tilt feature with motion tracking works smoothly and ensures nothing is missed, and the zoom keeps images sharp even when magnified. I appreciate the AI detection with facial recognition, which helps cut down on unnecessary alerts. The night vision modes are impressive, especially the full-color option. Setup was simple with dual-band Wi-Fi, and I really value the option to use local storage without a subscription. Overall, it’s a well-built, reliable, and feature-packed security solution.
Muy buen producto
Estaba esperando el lanzamiento de esta cámara para actualizar la que tenía anteriormente ya que está ofrecía resolución 4k 8 mp para mejorar la calidad de las imágenes pero en tan solo 12 dias de instalación empezó a tener problemas con la imagen rallas de colores
aj johnson
This is my first security Camera and I recommend this one any day for a simple camera.
It's very clear pictures even on infrared at night, you can see details on cats.
It has many adjustments for detection, animals, people, vehicles, movement, and can adjust sensitivity and notifications for them too.
You can set it to follow whatever it sees until it's out of rotation range so the camera will follow you back and forth in your yard all day if it sees you once haha.
It has options to set off alarms and lights when it detected something too, i don't use the alarm im sure neighbors would hate to hear blaring to simply know a cat wandered past my house at 2 am.
Very easy to install and set up with the app and wifi. Wifi range i can't speak for mine is only about 15 ft away from a router.
Very clear images as you can see and an option to have less quality images also.
Very nice camera for the price.
Also subscription is very affordable being only $3.50 per month or else 30 something for annual i think i remember right.