Dynamic or Descriptive Notification in Swann Security App
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This guide introduces Dynamic or Descriptive Notification feature—a powerful way to receive smarter, more informative alerts on your phone. When a motion event is detected, you’ll receive a notification that includes:
- A thumbnail image from the moment
- A brief description of what the camera saw (e.g., “Person detected”, “Car moving”)
Prerequisites
- Your device must meet the requirements for Swann Security Cloud Storage, including an active Secure+ subscription
- No setup needed: If you're already receiving notifications, descriptive alerts will begin automatically once you subscribe.
Choose Where to Start
Check if You Have a Secure+ Subscription
This feature is only available with a Secure+ Plan.
- Open the Swann Security app.
- Tap then
- Check if your account has a registered plan.
Why this helps? Dynamic or Descriptive notifications are a premium feature unlocked through Secure+. Without a valid subscription, you’ll only get standard motion alerts.
Make Sure You Have a Supported Device
Dynamic or Descriptive notifications are only available for Swann Security recorders (with Agent version 4.2.x or above) or standalone cameras.
Supported devices are those that can upload clips to the cloud. See list here
Why this helps? DVR- or NVR-based systems don’t currently support this feature.
How Dynamic or Descriptive Notifications Work
Once activated, the feature runs automatically in the background:
- Your camera detects motion (must be recording).
- Swann AI analyzes the footage.
- A notification is sent with:
- A thumbnail from the clip
- A description, like in the screenshots below
No extra configuration is needed.
Why this helps? Descriptive alerts allow you to judge the importance of a motion event without opening the app.
Not receiving descriptive alerts?
Update your app
Go to the App Store or Google Play and update the Swann Security app if one is available.
Restart your camera
In the Swann Security app, go to Devices > choose your device > Advance > Reboot
Check notification permissions
You can follow this article for a complete guide on which settings to check.
Log out and log back in
This resets session tokens and refreshes your access to premium features
Why this helps? Some devices or accounts may need a reset to recognize your subscription and display enhanced features.
Summary & Next Steps
You’ve now learned:
- What Dynamic or Descriptive Notifications are.
- What devices and plans support them.
- How to troubleshoot if they’re not showing up.
If everything checks out and you're still having trouble, feel free to contact Swann Support for a deeper look.