Installation and User Guide

About This Guide

This guide provides a brief introduction to the Battery-Powered Security Camera with Built-In Solar Panel and the Tapo app, as well as regulatory information. Please note that features available in Tapo may vary by model and software version. Tapo availability may also vary by region. All images, steps, and descriptions in this guide are only examples and may not reflect your actual Tapo Camera experience.

Conventions

In this guide, the following convention is used:

More Info

Specifications can be found on the product page at https://www.tapo.com.
Our Technical Support and troubleshooting information can be found at https://www.tapo.com/support/.
The setup video can be found athttps://www.tp-link.com/support/setup-video/#cloud-cameras.

Introduction

FREE Built-In AI Detection - AI-powered person detection ensures you only get the alerts you need with no subscription fees.

Custom Activity Zones - Get alerts only for movement in selected areas for more relevant notifications and extended battery life.

2K QHD Live View - Every detail matters. Going beyond standard Full HD, the Solar-Powered Security Camera Kit offers impressive 2K QHD resolution for unmatched precision and clarity.

Choose Your Night Vision - Color night vision for low-light conditions or IR mode for pitch-black environments.

Detects Theft, Secure Privacy - Features instant tamper alerts and an encrypted microSD privacy lock to keep footage secure even if the camera is compromised.

Personalized Alarm Options - Create a custom alarm with adjustable spotlight brightness and your own audio in the Tapo app.

IP65 Weather Resistance - Ensures reliable operation through extreme environments including heat, snow, rain, and dust.

High-Efficiency Solar Charging - Just 50 minutes of sunlight enables all-day use.* The built-in battery lasts up to 150 days on a single charge.**

Wire-Free Installation - Offers freedom to be placed anywhere without the hassle of cords or power outlets.

Local and Cloud Storage - Save recorded videos to a microSD card or by using Tapo Care cloud services.***

*50 minutes of sunlight is based on standard environmental conditions (1000W/m², 25℃, AM1.5) and specified working scenes (up to 100 events triggered per day). The actual required time of sunlight may vary. 
**150-day battery life if based on Tapo laboratory tests with 300s of use per day. The time of use includes recording due to device settings, usage, router specifications, and environmental factors.
***microSD card purchased separately. Actual storage capacity depends on the size of the microSD card used. Subscribe for cloud storage at https://www.tapo.com/tapocare/

Appearance

1. Spotlights
2. Light Sensor
3. Lens
4. Microphone
5. Status LED
6. Motion Sensor 
7. Lock Button

8. microSD Card Slot: Open the cover. Insert a microSD card (not included) and initialize it on the Tapo app for local recording.
9. Reset Button: While the camera is powered on. Press and hold for 5s to reset Wi-Fi while keep other settings; Press and hold for 10s to reset to factory settings.
10. USB Type-C Charging Port: Open the cover for USB charging.
11. Speaker
12. Power Button: Press and hold for about 3 seconds to turn on/off the camera.
13. Solar Panel 

Camera Status LED Indication

Set Up Your Camera

Follow the steps below to get started with your new camera.

Step 1. Charge the Battery
The battery comes partially charged. We recommend that you fully charge the battery before mounting. This will take about 3.5 hours.

Notes:
1. Peel off film from the camera before use.
2. Charge the battery using the USB cable included in the package. (Some third-party cables may cause slow or failed charging.)
3. When plugged in, the LED will quickly blink amber quickly for 3 seconds. If not, make sure the power is running and check your connection.
4. Warning: Do not tear off the silicone part by force as it may affect the waterproof performance.
5. The camera may not power up after falling. Plug in the USB charger to power it on again.
6. Keep the ports firmly covered when not in use to ensure waterproof performance.
7. Check the battery status on the Tapo app after setup.

Step 2. Download Tapo App
Get the Tapo app from the App Store or Google Play, or by scanning the QR code below.

Step 3. Log In
Open the app, and log in with your TP-Link ID. If you don't have an account, create one first.

Step 4. Add Your Camera
Tap the + button in the app and search for your model. Follow the app instructions to complete setup.

Mounting Tips

Solar Panel Mounting Tips

The position and tilt angle of the solar panel greatly affect the solar efficiency.
1. Choose a location where the solar panel gets the most sunlight throughout the year.
2. Position the panel south-facing in the Northern Hemisphere or north-facing in the Southern Hemisphere. The recommended tilt angle between the panel and the horizontal ground is 35° ~ 45°.
3. Regularly wipe the panel to remove dust and debris.

Camera Mounting Tips

1. Avoid placing behind windows or glass. Both windows and glass can block the motion sensor of your camera, preventing motion detection.
2. Choose your mounting location. Proper camera mounting will prevent issues such as frequent false alerts.

• Avoid pointing the camera directly at swaying trees.
• Avoid pointing the camera in high traffic areas unless that is the desired monitoring location.
• Avoid pointing the camera directly at streetlights or sunlight.

3. Do not place the camera upside down.

4. Keep the motion sensor level for best results.

5. Tilt the camera downwards at an angle of about 20°.

6. Mounting your camera at an angle so movement crosses the lens's field of view will provide more accurate motion detection and AI detection.

*Do not mount facing the direction of movement.

7. For optimal detection performance, we recommend mounting the camera 7.2 ft (2.2 m) above the ground.

*You can adjust the sensitivity in Camera Settings > Detection > Wake-up Sensitivity.

Mount Your Camera

1. Drill Holes
Apply the mounting template sticker to the desired mounting place. Drill 3 holes according to the template.

2. Unscrew the Camera Base
Unscrew the camera base from the camera mounting bracket.

3. Secure the Bracket
Insert three anchors into the holes and use the screws to affix the bracket over the anchors. Screw the base onto the bracket.

4. Install the Camera
Install the camera on the base, adjust the angle by loosening the base, and secure it by tightening.
*Ensure the camera is securely attached to the camera bracket by tightening the bottom screw.

5. Adjust the Solar Panel
(1) Slide the Lock button up to loosen the solar panel, rotate it toward the sunlight, and then slide the button down to secure it.
(2) Tilt the solar panel at an angle of about 35° ~ 45° (recommended).

Support

For technical support, the setup videos, FAQs, warranty and more, please visit https://www.tapo.com/support/

Authentication

FCC compliance information statement

Product Name: Battery-Powered Security Camera with Built-In Solar Panel
Model Number: Tapo C425K

Responsible Party: 
TP-Link Systems Inc.
Address: 10 Mauchly, Irvine, CA 92618
Website: http://www.tp-link.com/us/
Tel: +1 626 333 0234
Fax: +1 909 527 6804
E-mail: sales.usa@tp-link.com
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures: 
Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected.
Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/ TV technician for help.
This device complies with part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions:
This device may not cause harmful interference.
This device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.
Any changes or modifications not expressly approved by the party responsible for compliance could void the user’s authority to operate the equipment.
Note: The manufacturer is not responsible for any radio or TV interference caused by unauthorized modifications to this equipment. Such modifications could void the user’s authority to operate the equipment.
FCC RF Radiation Exposure Statement
This equipment complies with FCC RF radiation exposure limits set forth for an uncontrolled environment. This device and its antenna must not be co-located or operating in conjunction with any other antenna or transmitter.
“To comply with FCC RF exposure compliance requirements, this grant is applicable to only Mobile Configurations. The antennas used for this transmitter must be installed to provide a separation distance of at least 20 cm from all persons and must not be co-located or operating in conjunction with any other antenna or transmitter.”
We, TP-Link Systems Inc., has determined that the equipment shown as above has been shown to comply with the applicable technical standards, FCC part 15. There is no unauthorized change is made in the equipment and the equipment is properly maintained and operated.

Issue Date: 2026-06-04

Safety Information
• This equipment shall be powered only by equipment whose output complies with Power Source Class 2 (PS2) or Limited Power Source (LPS) as defined in IEC 62368-1.
• Do not use a damaged charger or USB cable to charge the device.
• Do not use the device where wireless devices are not allowed.
• When using a USB charger, make sure the charger Adapter is easily accessible.
• Keep the device away from fire or hot environments. DO NOT immerse in water or any other liquid.
• Do not disassemble, repair, or modify the product.
• Do not place near automatically controlled devices such as fire alarms. Radio waves emitted from this product may cause such devices to malfunction resulting in an accident.
• Observe restrictions on using wireless products in fuel depots, chemical plants or when blasting operations are in progress.
• Do not use liquid to clean the product. Only use a dry cloth.
• Never put metal objects inside the product. If a metal object enters the product, turn off the circuit breaker and contact an authorised electrician.
• This product is not intended to be used when providing medical care. Consult the manufacturer of any personal medical devices, such as pacemakers or hearing aids to determine if they are adequality shielded from external RF (radio frequency) energy.
• Do not use this product in health care facilities. Hospitals or health care facilities may be using equipment that could be sensitive to external RF energy.
• Do not place heavy objects on top of the product.
• When you  leave the product unused for a long time, unplug the product from the power outlet.
• This product may interfere with other electronic products such as TV, radios, personal computers, phones, or other wireless devices.
• Operating Temperature: -20 °C ~ 45 °C (-4 °F ~ 113 °F)

Please read and follow the above safety information when operating the device. We cannot guarantee that no accidents or damage will occur due to improper use of the device. Please use this product with care and operate at your own risk.  

Explanation of the symbols on the product label
Note: The product label is on the bottom of the product and its power supply. Symbols may vary from products.
注意：產品標籤位於產品底部和電源供應器上。符號可能因產品而異。

Symbol         符號解釋	Explanation 解釋
	Class II equipment Class II 設備
	Class II equipment with functional earthing 具有功能接地的Class II 設備
	Alternating current 交流電
	DC voltage 直流電壓
	Polarity of output terminals 輸出端子極性
	Indoor use only 僅限室內使用
	Dangerous voltage 危險電壓
	Caution, risk of electric shock 注意，有觸電危險
	Energy efficiency Marking 能源效率標示
	Protective earth 保護地線
	Earth 地線
	Frame or chassis 機架接地
	Functional earthing 功能地線
	Caution, hot surface 警告，表面高溫
	Caution 警告
	Operator’s manual 操作手冊
	Stand-by 待機
	“ON”/”OFF” (push-push) 「開」/「關」 ( 按壓式)
	Fuse 保險絲
	Fuse is used in neutral N 保險絲用於中性線N
	RECYCLING This product bears the selective sorting symbol for Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE). This means that this product must be handled pursuant to European directive 2012/19/EU in order to be recycled or dismantled to minimize its impact on the environment. User has the choice to give his product to a competent recycling organization or to the retailer when he buys a new electrical or electronic equipment. 回收利用 本產品標示有「廢棄電氣電子設備（WEEE）」的分類回收標誌。這表示本產品必須依據歐盟指令 2012/19/EU 進行妥善回收或拆 解，以減少對環境的影響。 使用者可選擇將本產品交給合格的回收機構，或在購買新電器或電子設備時，交回給零售商進行回收處理。
	Caution, avoid listening at high volume levels for long periods 注意，避免長時間以高音量收聽
	Disconnection, all power plugs 斷開所有電源插頭