How to Set Up the Deterrent Feature on Your Recorder

Super Admin
07 May 2026
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Deterrent features like floodlights or spotlights, siren, and SwannForce™ or Enforcer lights can take your security system to the next level by actively discouraging unwanted activity.

Deterrent Features are Lights, Siren, and Enforcer or SwannForce™ (red and blue lights)

Deterrent Features are Lights, Siren, and Enforcer or SwannForce™ (red and blue lights)

In this guide, we’ll walk you through the process of how to activate these features automatically, ensuring you have all the tools and knowledge you need to make the most of your security recorder's capabilities.

NOTE: If you want to know how to activate them manually, check out this article instead: How to Manually Activate the Deterrent Feature

Things To Prepare

  1. A camera with a built-in deterrent feature - If the camera does not have a deterrent feature, the deterrent option will be greyed out in the main menu.
  2. A TV or monitor connected to the recorder - To see the recorder's Menu. See What kind of TV or monitor is compatible with my DVR / NVR?
  3. A USB mouse - To navigate through the Menu.
  4. Detection Mode must be PIR and Motion or PIR and Person/Vehicle or Human & Vehicle Detection (latter is for NVR-ADVANX) - you can find this setting in Alarm > Detection. Check out what each recorder's interface looks like in the images below.

DID YOU KNOW? The Swann Security app allows access to certain recorder settings on compatible models like the MaxRanger4K™. For example, options such as Light on Motion and Siren on Motion can be toggled on or off directly from the app to control deterrent features.
However, advanced settings like the Deterrent Schedule (more on this below) are not yet available through the app. If the schedule disables deterrent features during specific hours, the lights or siren won’t activate, even if toggled on. To adjust these settings, you'll need to connect a display and mouse directly to the recorder.

How to Automatically Activate Lights, Siren, or SwannForce™ or Enforcer

Set a Schedule

Go to Menu > Alarm > Deterrent Click the "gear" icon under Schedule.

Menu > Alarm > Deterrent > Schedule

Menu > Alarm > Deterrent > Schedule

By default, the spotlight and siren (if enabled) will trigger between 04:30 p.m. to 06:30 a.m. when a motion is detected.

You can change this according to your needs. Each square represents 30 minutes. Using the mouse, click on a particular square to change or click and drag the mouse over the squares corresponding to your desired period.

Click Save to save changes made. Right-click the mouse to exit.

Deterrent Schedule

Deterrent Schedule

Enable Deterrent

With your schedule set, the next step is to enable the specific deterrent features you want to activate automatically when the camera is triggered.

Return to the Deterrent tab and check the boxes for the deterrent features you’d like to enable. For example, in this case, channels 1 to 3 have both the "Light" and "SwannForce" enabled. This means that if these cameras are triggered during a time when the deterrent is active on the schedule, the light and SwannForce™ will automatically activate.

You’ll also notice a "Duration" column, which lets you customize how long each deterrent feature will stay active once triggered. This ensures your system responds effectively while fitting your specific needs.

ON or OFF for Lights, Siren, and Enforcer or SwannForce™

ON or OFF for Lights, Siren, and Enforcer or SwannForce™
Checkboxes will be grayed out if the camera doesn't have the deterrent feature available. For example, if you have an NHD-1200D, only the checkbox under "Light" is available as this camera doesn't have Siren or SwannForce™.

Detection Area and Sensitivity

If the deterrent features are activating too frequently, you can adjust the detection area and sensitivity settings for greater control. By default, the "detection area" covers the entire camera view, shown as a red box.

Detection Area and Sensitivity

Detection Area and Sensitivity

To modify the detection area, click the "gear" icon under Setup for the specific channel. This will display the detection area and sensitivity settings. To adjust, click and drag to add or remove red boxes from the detection area.

For "sensitivity", keep in mind that higher numbers make the camera more sensitive to motion. Adjust this as needed to balance responsiveness. Once done, right-click on the mouse to save and exit. Finally, click Apply to confirm all changes.

NOTE: Detection area and sensitivity settings are applied per channel. If you want to adjust additional channels, repeat these steps for each one.

← Swipe left or right to navigate →

How to Deactivate or Turn Off the Deterrent Features

Go to Menu > Alarm > Deterrent and uncheck the checkbox of the Deterrent that you want to disable (e.g. "Light") to stop it from turning on when it gets triggered.

ON or OFF for Lights, Siren, and Enforcer or SwannForce™

ON or OFF for Lights, Siren, and Enforcer or SwannForce™

On some recorders, you can also do this via the Swann Security app. Go to More (bottom-right) then choose your recorder. Go to Alarm Settings then select a channel and disable "Light on Motion" or "Siren on Motion" - it is similar to unchecking the checkbox via recorder's Menu.

If you have an NVW-MR4K Power Hub, turning on or off the deterrent via the app only works for NVW-MR4KCAM Solar Camera.

Other compatible cameras to the Power Hub must be configured via its Menu

Conclusion

By enabling the deterrent features on your recorder, you’re adding a proactive layer of security to your system. Once these features are activated and set up to work automatically, you can trust your system to work harder for you around the clock.

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