FAQ

FAQ By Product

General

No. Currently, the only way to use Bosma products is through the BOSMA mobile app, available on iOS and Android.

No. All basic device features are free after purchase. We do have an optional subscription service called Bosma Assist that offers certain advanced features such as cloud storage and package detection, but it’s not required.

(1) On the Bosma app, Home Screen -> Menu (top left corner) -> Store

(2) Visit our online home security product store: https://www.bosmasmarthome.com/shop/

Home Screen -> Menu (top left corner) -> About -> App Changelog

(1) We regularly post important updates, new features, and exclusive deals to all of our users in the Announcement page on the Bosma app at:

  • Home Screen -> Menu (top left corner) -> Announcement

(2) You can also subscribe to our newsletter at www.bosmasmarthome.com (at the bottom of the page). We typically send offers and new product announcements through the newsletter.

(3) Follow us on social media for updates and announcements. 

  

There are many ways you can contact us. For all written messages, we usually respond within 24 hours.

(1) You can send an email to support@bosmasmarthome.com 

(2) You can leave feedback in the app at Home Screen -> Menu (top left corner) -> Feedback.

(3) You can live chat with us on www.bosmasmarthome.com . Availability: 9:30am to 5:30pm PST, Monday through Friday. If we missed your chat for some reason, please send us an email instead.

(4) You can call us at 1 (800) 976-0881 Monday- Friday 9:30am to 5:30pm PST.

(5) You can use the contact form at www.bosmasmarthome.com/contact.

We look forward to hearing from you soon!

Account & Login

No. Currently you may only reset your account password in the app. We will enable changing your password on the website in the future.

On the Bosma app’s login screen, tap the “Forgot Password” link, and enter your Bosma account email on the following page. You will receive an email with a verification code. Enter the verification code and your new password on the next page, and tap “Submit” to reset your password.

Make sure you select the country where your devices are physically located. Your devices will connect to the local servers in the country you selected, so if you selected a different country than where your devices are, you may experience unstable connection, lagging, or firmware update failures.

In the Bosma app, Home Screen -> Menu (top left corner) -> Tap your username at the top

For security reasons, we only allow one account to be actively logged in on one device at any time. When an account logs in on a new phone, it will be automatically logged off on the original phone, and you’ll receive a notification on your original device.

If you want to use the app on multiple phones, you can create separate accounts and share device access with these new accounts via Family Management.

  1. Make sure you have entered the correct email address.
  2. The email should come from register@bosmasmarthome.com , double check it is not in your spam/junk folder.
  3. If it’s not in the spam/junk folder, try re-requesting the email on the app.
  4. If still not found, please contact our customer support and provide the email address you wish to register with.

Devices

Most of the time, you do not need to know your device’s MAC address for any of its functionality. If you want to set up the device, please refer to how do I add a new Bosma device.

If you do need to know the device’s MAC address, you would need to first set up the device under a 2.4Ghz WiFi hotspot. Then, you can log in to the router’s admin panel and look for the MAC address of the Bosma device you just set up (the exact steps to check a connected device’s MAC address varies by router). Alternatively, you can contact us after setting up the device and we will let you know the device’s MAC address.

Most Bosma devices require a 2.4Ghz WiFi hotspot (5Ghz not supported) with WPA or WPA2 encryption (Open network and WEP encryption are not supported). Bosma security cameras also require a minimum of 2Mbps upload speed.

Bosma devices can support a micro SD card up to 128GB

If your security camera or video doorbell has a physical defect (e.g. reset button broken, camera does not turn, indicator light not working), please contact customer support. If the defect is not caused by misuse and the product warranty has not expired, we will arrange for a replacement.

If you created a new Family after you have set up some devices under your account, the devices won’t be automatically added to the Family. You may need to manually add them to the Family. After that, you should see the devices on the home page.

Yes. You will need to reset your Bosma device and use another account to set it up again. For instructions on how to reset the device, refer to How do I reset my Bosma device

It is recommended that no more than 2 phones are watching live view at the same time, or live view performance may be affected. Note that an account can be logged in on one phone at any time, but you can share access with other accounts.

No. We currently only support Android and iOS apps. We also currently do not officially support Android tablets, though you can download the app and install it on Android tablets to use.

You can add as many devices as you want to your Bosma account. However, your router and internet service may not be able to support too many devices. Generally, it is recommended that you have fewer than 8 devices under the same router to avoid connectivity and live streaming issues.

You can find all devices in the Bosma app: Home Screen -> Menu (top left corner) -> Devices.
Note that if you have an active Family, the list will only show devices under that Family by default. To view all devices under your account, either add all devices to your Family, or switch to personal view on the home screen by tapping the Family name at the top and selecting your nickname in the dropdown menu.

Devices Settings

First, check whether you can see past events in the Event History on the Bosma app.

If you do see Event History entries, then:

  1. Check whether the Bosma app has notification permission in your phone settings.
  2. Check whether notification for the device is enabled. You can go to Device Settings -> Event & Notifications, and see if the “Notification” option at the bottom is enabled.
  3. Check your current Security Mode. Certain Security Modes may disable notifications, e.g. “Home” and “Disarmed” mode both disable notifications by default.

If you don’t see Event History entries, then:

  1. Check whether your camera’s Recording Mode is set to “Never.”
  2. Check whether your camera has an active Recording Schedule in Device Settings -> Recording Schedule. If a Recording Schedule is active, the camera does not record events outside of the scheduled period.

If all settings are correct and you still don’t receive notifications, please contact customer support.

If both the current and new WiFi hotspots have internet access and can be detected by the device, you can choose to connect to the new hotspot in the Bosma app: go to Device Settings -> Wi-Fi Settings to choose the new WiFi hotspot.

If you’re moving the camera to another home, or the current or the new WiFi hotspot does not have internet access, you would need to reset the device, and set up the device again.

There are a few options you can use to manage your Bosma cameras and reduce the number of notifications. In Device Settings, select “Event & Notification”, then:

  1. Toggle off the event types you’re not interested in being notified about, e.g. you can turn off Sound Detection.
  2. Increase minimum notification interval. By default, the minimum notification interval is 3 minutes. You can change this setting under “Notification Interval” at the bottom of the page.
  3. Decrease sensitivity. By default, sensitivity level is set at medium. You can change it under “Motion Sensitivity” at the bottom of the page.
  4. You can choose to disable notifications from any Bosma device by toggling off “Notification.”
    • Note that video recordings are not affected by this setting (i.e. you can still see events and play recordings in Event History, you just won’t be notified.)

Alternatively, you can use Security Modes to quickly change notification settings for multiple devices.

In the Bosma app, go to Device Settings -> SD Card. If the SD card is recognized, you should see a pie chart of its available and used storage space, and you should also see a “Format SD Card” option at the bottom.

If your SD card is not recognized, the page will show a “No SD Card” text. Please check whether you have correctly mounted the SD card in the device. 

Note that Bosma devices support a micro SD card up to 128GB, and it must be formatted in FAT32 (you can use your PC to format the SD card to FAT32). If you inserted an SD card while the device is powered, you would need to restart (power off then on again) the device for the SD card to be recognized.

If your SD card is still not recognized, please try another SD card if available, or contact customer support.

(1) You can turn off your camera in the Bosma Device Settings -> Camera ON/OFF -> Select “Turn off” 

(2) You can use Security Modes to quick toggle multiple cameras at the same time.

  • Note that if the camera is turned off, no video will be recorded and you will not be able to watch the live view from the camera on your phone.

By default, video recording is event based, i.e. it only records when an event is detected. You can turn on Continuous Recording in the Bosma app:  Device Settings -> Event & Notification -> Select “Continuous” under “Recording Mode.” 

  • Note that Continuous Recording significantly increases storage usage. 

You can also disable video recording by selecting “Never” under “Recording Mode”.

By default, Sound Detection is disabled. You can enable it in your Bosma app: Device Settings -> Event & Notification -> Toggle on “Sound Detection”.

By default, Color Night Vision is disabled. To adjust this, you would need to turn on Color Night Vision. 

  • Note that Color Night Vision requires a small amount of environmental lighting, so if the camera’s surrounding is completely dark, it’s recommended to turn off Color Night Vision.

Access this feature in your Bosma app: go to Device Settings, select “Color Night Vision”, and select “Turn on”

In the Bosma app, go to Device Settings -> Device Name, type the new name for the device, and tap “Save”.

(1) First, make sure the Bosma device has a stable connection to WiFi and is powered on.

(2) Try updating the firmware again in Device Settings -> Firmware Update.

(3) Try resetting and setting up the device again in the Bosma app. Then, try updating firmware again.

(4) Try manually updating the firmware.

(5) If the issue persists, please contact our customer support.

(1) If a new firmware version is available for your device, you’ll be redirected to a batch update page when you open the app. Tap “Batch Update” or the “Update” button on each device to begin the firmware update. Stay on the page and wait for 2-3 minute for each update to complete. When updates are done, you’ll get a success popup message.

(2) You can also update the firmware of each device in Device Settings -> Firmware Update.

(3) You can also enable automatic firmware update in Device Settings -> Firmware Update. Automatic updates will happen between 2:00 am and 3:00 am when a new firmware is available. The device will not perform auto-update if an event is triggered during that time.

(4) On some devices, you can also manually update the firmware with a micro SD card.

(1) Home Screen -> Menu (top left corner) -> Devices -> tap the ⚙️ button at the top right corner of a device.

(2) Home Screen -> Tap on a device to enter Live View or Device Home Page -> Tap the ⚙️ button at the top right corner.

Video & Recording

On the security camera’s Live View, tap the resolution button located at the top right corner of the video screen, and select your desired resolution. If you select “Auto”, the app will choose the optimal resolution based on your network condition.

The Bosma app does not support deleting a single video recording from the micro SD card, but you can:

(1) Format the SD card from the app to delete ALL videos

(2) Read the SD card on your computer (you may need an SD card reader or micro SD card adapter) and delete selected videos as individual files.

You can delete Event History entries, but it does not delete the associated video recording from the SD card.

Yes. The security camera will continue recording videos. Once internet connection is restored, you can view recordings on the app. However, you may not receive notifications from the device while internet connection is lost.

When the SD card is full, the oldest video recordings will be automatically deleted and new ones will continue to be recorded.

Yes. The security camera’s video recordings are stored in standard mp4 format. You can download the recordings to your phone/computer and play them with most video players (e.g. VLC Player)

Bosma Sentry Video Doorbell:

On the Bosma app, go to Event History and play the recording you want to download. On the playback page, there should be a download button at the top right corner of the screen. Tap that button and the recording will be downloaded to your phone’s memory storage.

All Bosma Security Cameras and Video Doorbells:

Remove the SD card from your Bosma camera device, then use a micro SD card adapter to read the SD card on your computer. You should find all recordings on the SD card, grouped by date.

No. Device video recordings are still stored on the inserted micro SD card.

Event History

If your security camera does not have an SD card, you would still see all events in the Bosma app under Event History. If you tap on the thumbnail, you will see a snapshot image. If you tap anywhere else, the app will try to load the video recording, but it would say it’s not found since you don’t have an SD card inserted.

In the Bosma app, under Event History, tap the edit button at the top right corner and select the events you want to delete (or tap the select all button at the bottom left corner to select all currently visible events). Once selection is done, tap the trash can button at the bottom right corner to delete the events.

In the Bosma app, under Event History, tap on each filter at the top and select your desired filters, then tap “OK” to save the selection.

Event History entries and their snapshots are available for up to 15 days. However, if you have a local storage, the corresponding video recordings are not deleted (unless storage is full, in which case the oldest recordings are automatically deleted).

Events are stored and accessed in the Bosma app under Event History. 

  • Note that if you have an active Family, the list will only show devices under that Family by default. To view all events from devices under your account, either add all devices to your current Family, or switch to personal view by tapping the Family name at the top of the home page and selecting your nickname in the dropdown menu

Family Management

Currently only the “Home” mode is customizable. To customize, access the Bosma app, go to Home Screen -> Menu (top left corner) -> Family -> Select a family -> Security Modes -> “Home”. We are working to add custom modes in the near future.

Make sure you are currently in a Family. On the Home Screen of the Bosma app, you should see your current Security Mode at the center. Tap the button and you will be able too switch between different modes.

Security Mode is a feature under Family Management. It is a fast and simple way to update devices settings of multiple devices at the same time. Each mode corresponds to a common scenario. The default settings are:

  • Away: Turn on all cameras and enable motion detection on all cameras. This is recommended when you’re leaving home
  • Disarmed: Turn on all cameras and disable motion detection on all cameras. This is recommended when you want to be free from notifications
  • Home: Turn off all cameras and disable motion detection and sound detection on all cameras. This is recommended when you’re returning home. This mode is customizable. To customize, in the Bosma app, go to Home Screen -> Menu (top left corner) -> Family -> Select a family -> Security Mode -> “Home”

Device sharing using the Share feature has been deprecated. Please use Family to share device access instead. We will disable this feature shortly (most likely before 2021). If you have previously shared device access with this feature, we recommend that you delete the sharing and, instead, add the shared devices and people you’re sharing with to your Family. We will send a few reminders to you before we officially disable this feature.

Bosma security devices added to the Family are automatically shared with all Family members. To invite Family members, refer to this question.

In the Bosma app, go to Home Screen -> Menu (top left corner) -> Family -> Select a family -> Devices -> Select the device to be removed -> “Remove Device”

In the Bosma app, go to Home Screen -> Menu (top left corner) -> Family -> Select a family -> Devices -> tap the “+” button at the top right corner -> choose the devices you want to add to the Family from the list, and tap “Save”

Family members can invite more people into the Family or remove Family members (except the Administrator/creator). They can also add their own devices to the Family or remove devices from the Family.

In general, Family members have extensive control and access over your Family configuration and all devices in your Family. As such, please only invite people you trust into your Family.

In the Bosma app, go to Home Screen -> Menu (top left corner) -> Family -> Select a family -> Members -> Select the member to be removed -> tap “Remove Member”. Note that a member may not remove the Administrator (creator) of the Family.

In the Bosma app, go to Home Screen -> Menu (top left corner) -> Family -> Select a family -> Members -> tap the “+” button at the top right corner and enter their Bosma account email address. They will receive an invitation email, and when they accept the invitation by clicking the invitation link in the email, they’re successfully added to your Family.

In the Bosma app, go to Home Screen -> Menu (top left corner) -> Family. Tap the “+” button at the top right corner to create a new Family.

We introduced the Family feature for two main purposes: device sharing and security modes. You can create a Family and invite your family members, housemates, and anyone you’d like to share device access with, or you can request to join an existing Family. Note that because Family members have full access to your Bosma devices, please only invite people you trust into your Family. We have a video tutorial of the Family feature here.

Bosma Assist

Each Bosma Assist subscription can support up to 3 devices.

Yes. We currently offer a 3-month free trial for Bosma Assist Pro!

The price for Bosma Assist ranges from $1.99/month for the most basic configuration (7-day cloud storage) to $6.99/month for the Pro configuration (all features). We also offer discounts for yearly subscriptions. Learn more about pricing and configuration details on our pricing page.

You can learn more about Bosma Assist’s features here. We are always improving our products and services, so expect more features to come to Bosma Assist.

Bosma Assist is a subscription service for advanced features on some of our home security products. It includes cloud storage, package detection, facial recognition, and more.

Home page -> Bosma Assist -> My Subscriptions -> Select a subscription -> Tap “Edit” on the “Active Devices” section -> Select the device you want to add/remove -> Tap “Confirm”

Privacy & Legal

No, a new owner cannot see your Event History. They also cannot access your video recordings, unless the micro SD card on the security camera was not removed. We advise that you format or remove the SD card from your Bosma camera or smart doorbell before giving the device to someone else.

We do not store your card information. Instead, your card details are securely saved on Stripe, and we only use a token to charge your card.

No. We only use data we collect from our customers to provide services for you. See our Privacy Policy for more details.