NVRtxt
Get started

ANNKE NVR text alerts: email-to-SMS setup

ANNKE 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.

Family: Hikvision / Dahua OEM. Template to select: generic

What you’ll need

  • An NVRtxt account and an endpoint (created in step 1).
  • A mailbox for the recorder to send from — a free Gmail/Outlook account with an app password works.
  • Access to your ANNKE recorder’s settings (web interface or local monitor).
  • The phone number(s) that should receive the texts.
  1. 1

    Create your NVRtxt endpoint

    In your NVRtxt dashboard, add an endpoint and choose the “generic” template. NVRtxt generates a unique inbound address for it, like front-door-a1b2c@alerts.nvrtxt.com.

    Open your dashboard
  2. 2

    Set up an email account to send from

    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.

    ProviderSMTP serverSSL portSTARTTLS port
    Gmailsmtp.gmail.com465587
    Outlook.comsmtp-mail.outlook.com—587
    Microsoft 365smtp.office365.com—587
    Yahoo Mailsmtp.mail.yahoo.com465587
    Tip: turn on 2-Step Verification for the account, then generate an app password and use that 16-character value as the SMTP password — typed without the spaces Google shows (they’re display-only, and some recorders reject them). Use the account’s full email address as the user name.
  3. 3

    Configure ANNKE email (SMTP) settings

    Hikvision-style models: Configuration → Network → Email. Dahua-style models: Setup → Network → SMTP (Email). On the recorder: Menu → Network → Email.

    • Identify your firmware by the menu wording, then follow the matching brand’s steps. Either way you’re entering an SMTP server, port, encryption, mailbox credentials (app password), and the NVRtxt endpoint as the recipient.
  4. 4

    Turn on email for the events you want texted

    Find Motion Detection under Event / Video Detection, enable it, tick "Send Email" (or the email linkage), and set the arming schedule.

  5. 5

    Set the recipient to your NVRtxt address and send a test

    Set the recorder’s recipient/receiver to your NVRtxt endpoint address, then use the built-in Test button. A test email should reach NVRtxt within seconds — you’ll see it appear in your Activity log.

  6. 6

    Add phone numbers and confirm delivery

    In NVRtxt, open the endpoint and add the phone numbers that should receive alerts in E.164 format (for example +15555550123). Trigger a real event and watch the Activity tab — each alert is logged as received → parsed → sent. Recipients can reply STOP to opt out anytime.

Tips for ANNKE

  • If you’re unsure which firmware you have, the "generic" template handles both ANNKE layouts.

Optional: include a snapshot image

Want the camera image in the text too? In your ANNKE email or event-linkage settings, turn on “Attach picture” (sometimes labeled “Attach JPEG” or “Image”). Then set this endpoint’s Snapshot option in NVRtxt to Link — a tap-to-view image link that keeps it a low-cost SMS — or Image, which sends the picture inline as an MMS. NVRtxt attaches the snapshot to each alert automatically.

What the text looks like

NVRtxt reads the alert ANNKE emails and pulls out the event, camera, and time, so your phone gets a single clean line instead of a full email.

The alert email

Subject: ALARM-Motion Detected

EVENT TYPE: Motion Detected
EVENT TIME: 2026-06-29,19:03:41
CAMERA NAME(NUM): Side Gate(D2)

The text you receive

NVRtxt

Motion: Side Gate (D2) Jun 29 7:03 PM

Delivered · now

ANNKE text alerts: FAQ

How do I tell if my ANNKE is Hikvision- or Dahua-based?
Check the email menu: "Configuration → Network → Email" with EVENT TYPE-style alerts is Hikvision-style; "Setup → Network → SMTP(Email)" with "Alarm Event"-style alerts is Dahua-style. The generic template works for both.

Ready to text your ANNKE alerts?

Create an endpoint, paste the address into your recorder, add your number.

Get startedBrowse guides