NVR email-to-text setup guides
These guides show how to forward NVR and security-camera email alerts to NVRtxt so they arrive as text messages. The flow is the same for every brand: set up a mailbox to send from, point the recorder’s email alerts at your NVRtxt address, and add the phone numbers that should get them.
The basic flow
How NVR texting works
Set up a sending mailbox
Point email alerts at NVRtxt
Add phone numbers
Set up a sending email account (once)
NVRtxt receives your alert emails, but your recorder still needs a mailbox to send from. The simplest option is a free, dedicated Gmail or Outlook account with an app password — most NVRs can’t do modern sign-in, and an app password works around that. You only set this up once and can reuse the same sending account across every recorder and endpoint.
| Provider | SMTP server | SSL port | STARTTLS port |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gmail | smtp.gmail.com | 465 | 587 |
| Outlook.com | smtp-mail.outlook.com | — | 587 |
| Microsoft 365 | smtp.office365.com | — | 587 |
| Yahoo Mail | smtp.mail.yahoo.com | 465 | 587 |
By manufacturer
Pick your brand
Don’t see yours? Start with the universal approach above — NVRtxt’s parser handles almost any recorder that can email an alert.
Hikvision
TunedHikvision NVRs and DVRs can email motion, line-crossing, and intrusion alerts over SMTP. Point those emails at your NVRtxt address and each one arrives as a clean text like "Motion: Driveway (D1) 12:58 PM".
Hikvision setup guide →LTS (Platinum)
TunedLTS Platinum recorders are Hikvision OEMs and use the same EVENT TYPE / EVENT TIME / CAMERA NAME(NUM) alert layout, so NVRtxt parses them with the dedicated Hikvision-grade template for clean, readable texts.
LTS (Platinum) setup guide →Dahua
Dahua NVRs and DVRs email alarm events (motion, IVS tripwire, SMD) over SMTP. NVRtxt’s structure-aware parser pulls the event, channel, and time out of the Dahua "Alarm Event / Alarm Name / Alarm Time" layout and texts you a one-line summary.
Dahua setup guide →Uniview (UNV)
Uniview (UNV) NVRs email motion and smart-event alerts over SMTP. NVRtxt reads the "Event Type / Channel / Alarm Time" layout and turns each alert into a short, readable text.
Uniview (UNV) setup guide →Reolink
Reolink NVRs and cameras can send email alerts over SMTP when motion or a person/vehicle is detected. Point those emails at NVRtxt and they arrive as texts on any phone.
Reolink setup guide →Amcrest
Dahua OEMAmcrest recorders are Dahua-based and email alarm events over SMTP. NVRtxt reads the Dahua-style alarm layout and texts you a clean one-line alert.
Amcrest setup guide →ANNKE
Hikvision / Dahua OEMANNKE recorders run Hikvision- or Dahua-style firmware and email alerts over SMTP. NVRtxt’s universal parser handles either layout and texts you a clean alert.
ANNKE setup guide →Lorex
Many Lorex recorders can email motion and smart-detection alerts over SMTP. Point those emails at NVRtxt to get texts on any phone, no Lorex Home login required.
Lorex setup guide →Swann
Swann DVRs and NVRs that support SMTP email can forward motion alerts to NVRtxt, which cleans them into texts for any phone.
Swann setup guide →Hanwha Vision (Wisenet)
Hanwha Vision (Wisenet, formerly Samsung Techwin) NVRs and cameras include an SMTP email transfer for events. Send those to NVRtxt for clean texts.
Hanwha Vision (Wisenet) setup guide →Speco Technologies
Speco Technologies recorders can email motion and event alerts over SMTP. NVRtxt turns those into short texts for any phone.
Speco Technologies setup guide →Digital Watchdog (DW)
Digital Watchdog recorders (VMAX line) and DW Spectrum IPVMS can email events over SMTP. Send them to NVRtxt to get texts.
Digital Watchdog (DW) setup guide →Honeywell
Honeywell recorders (Performance and 30 Series, among others) can email alerts over SMTP. NVRtxt cleans those into texts for any phone.
Honeywell setup guide →Axis Communications
Axis devices use a Recipients + Rules model: define an email recipient, then a rule that emails on motion or analytics. Point the recipient at NVRtxt for texts.
Axis Communications setup guide →VIVOTEK
VIVOTEK cameras and ND-series NVRs can email events over SMTP using a mail server plus an event rule. Send those to NVRtxt for texts.
VIVOTEK setup guide →GeoVision
GeoVision systems (GV-System / GV-VMS and standalone recorders) can email alerts over SMTP. Point the recipient at NVRtxt to get texts.
GeoVision setup guide →Night Owl
Night Owl recorders that support SMTP email can forward motion alerts to NVRtxt, which turns them into texts for any phone.
Night Owl setup guide →Q-See
Dahua-based (legacy)Legacy Q-See recorders are largely Dahua-based and can email alerts over SMTP. NVRtxt reads the Dahua-style layout and texts you a clean alert.
Q-See setup guide →Blue Iris
Blue Iris is Windows NVR software with flexible email alerts. Because you control the message text with macros, you can make the resulting SMS extremely clean.
Blue Iris setup guide →Synology Surveillance Station
Synology Surveillance Station can email notifications on camera events using DSM’s SMTP settings. Point the recipient at NVRtxt to get texts.
Synology Surveillance Station setup guide →