DMSS App Guide: Set Up Dahua CCTV on Your Phone and PC

DMSS is Dahua’s free mobile app for viewing and managing Dahua CCTV. It covers what the older gDMSS (Android) and iDMSS Plus (iPhone) apps used to do. Download it from Google Play or the App Store and create an account. Then add your recorder or camera by scanning its QR code or entering its serial number (SN). After that you can watch live video, play back recordings and get alarm alerts on your phone.

This guide covers the current DMSS app as listed in Singapore’s Google Play and App Store on 4 November 2026. It also uses Dahua’s own DMSS App User’s Manual (V1.4.0, January 2022). The app in the stores is now version 2.6.31, so menu names may have changed since the manual was written. Treat the menu paths below as a guide rather than an exact script.

Key Takeaways

• DMSS is one app for Android and iPhone. It does the job of gDMSS and iDMSS Plus, whose Singapore store pages were gone when we checked on 4 November 2026.
• You need a DMSS account (email and password) to use the app.
• Add devices by QR code or SN (P2P), by IP address or domain, or by searching your local network.
• You can share a device with up to 6 other DMSS users and choose what each one can do.
• Dahua’s manual and the store listings cover DMSS for Android and iPhone only. On a Windows PC, use Dahua’s desktop client, SmartPSS Lite.

What is the DMSS app?

DMSS is Dahua’s mobile surveillance app. In Dahua’s words, it offers “remote monitoring, video playback, push notifications, remote configuration, device sharing and entrusting” (Dahua DMSS User’s Manual V1.4.0, section 1.1). It works with Dahua IP cameras (IPC), NVRs and XVRs, plus door stations (VTO), doorbells, alarm hubs and access controllers.

The Google Play listing shows the same feature list: live view, playback, instant alarm notifications, device sharing, alarm hub, visual intercom and access control. On both stores the publisher is Hangzhou Dong Bin Information Technology Co., Ltd. (Google Play, App Store). This is the app the Dahua manual describes, so it is the correct one to install.

Is DMSS the same as gDMSS and iDMSS?

Not quite. DMSS is the newer, single app for both Android and iPhone. gDMSS (Android) and iDMSS Plus (iPhone) were Dahua’s older apps for the same job. When we checked on 4 November 2026, Google Play and Singapore’s App Store both said those older apps could not be found. DMSS is listed on both stores.

If you still have gDMSS or iDMSS Plus on an old phone, it may keep working for a while. But you can’t download it on a new phone, so moving to DMSS now saves trouble later. Dahua lists NVRs and XVRs among the devices DMSS supports (manual, section 1.1), so in most cases your existing recorder will work. Our older guide to gDMSS and iDMSS covers the previous apps.

To move from gDMSS or iDMSS Plus to DMSS:

1. Note down each device’s serial number (SN) and device password before you start.
2. Install DMSS and create an account (see the next section).
3. Add each recorder or camera again by scanning its QR code or entering its SN, then enter the device password.
4. Check live view and playback on every channel, then remove the old app.

How do I download and set up DMSS?

Search for “DMSS” in Google Play or the App Store. Install the app, then create an account with your email address and a password. The app emails a verification code. Dahua’s manual says to use it within 60 seconds, or it expires (manual, section 2.1).

1. Install DMSS from Google Play or the App Store. It is free, with optional in-app purchases.
2. Open the app and tap Sign up. Enter your email and a password.
3. Agree to the User Agreement and Privacy Policy, tap Get verification code and enter the code from your email.
4. Log in with your email and password.

Use an email address you will keep. If you forget the app password, the reset code is sent to that address (manual, section 2.2). In our experience, it also helps to write down which email holds the account, especially for a shop or office where staff change.

How do I add my NVR, XVR or camera to DMSS?

Tap the + icon on the Home screen (menu names as in Dahua’s 2022 manual). Choose SN/Scan and scan the QR code on the recorder or camera, or type in its serial number. Then pick the device type, give it a name, and enter the device’s username and password. Dahua lists three ways to add a device (manual, chapter 4):

• SN/QR code (P2P): best for remote viewing. The QR code and SN are usually on a sticker on the device or its box. In our experience this is the method most home and HDB users need, because it usually works without any router port forwarding.
• IP/Domain: enter the device’s IP address or a domain name. This suits sites with a fixed IP or a DDNS name.
• Online Search: finds Dahua devices on the same Wi-Fi network as your phone. Use it at home for first-time setup.

The password the app asks for is the device password, set when the recorder was first set up. It is not your DMSS account password. If your installer set the system up, ask them for it. If you’ve forgotten it, see our guide on how to change the password for a Dahua XVR, NVR or IP camera.

How do I watch live view and play back recordings?

Tap a device on the Home screen to open Live view. From there you can take snapshots, record video, switch between split views of 1, 4, 9 or 16 cameras, use two-way audio on models that support it, and move PTZ cameras (manual, chapter 6). For playback, choose the channel and date. A coloured time bar shows which kind of recording is stored at each point.

According to the manual (chapter 7), the time bar uses these colours:

Playback only shows what the recorder has actually saved. Dahua notes that you need to “set alarm rules and record plans for the channel” before you can play back video. If the timeline is empty, check the recorder’s record schedule and hard disk. Our posts on recording and storing to a hard disk and common CCTV problems can help.

If your mobile plan has a data cap, look at the setting Auto Play When Not in a Wi-Fi Network under Me. It controls whether video starts playing automatically on cellular data (manual, chapter 13). Dahua also notes that the Sub stream needs less bandwidth than Main (manual, section 5.1.2.1), so it is the better choice on a weak mobile signal.

How do I share DMSS access with family or staff?

Open the device menu (in the 2022 manual’s layout), tap Device Sharing, then enter the other person’s DMSS account or scan their QR code. Choose their permissions and tap OK. Dahua says you can share a device with up to 6 DMSS users (manual, section 5.2). Live View is always included, and you can add Playback, Alarm Push Notifications or Device Control.

Sharing is safer than handing out the recorder’s admin password. Each person uses their own account, and the people you share with appear in the Shared User section (manual, section 5.2). If you run a shop or office, think about who should see playback. Footage in which customers or staff can be identified is personal data under the PDPA (PDPC Advisory Guidelines on the PDPA for Selected Topics, para 4.33). Our PDPA CCTV guide for businesses explains what that means.

Why is my device offline in DMSS?

“Offline” means the app can’t reach the recorder through the internet. In our experience the cause is usually at the recorder’s end, such as a power cut, an unplugged network cable or a new router. Check that the recorder is on and connected to the router, then check its P2P status on the recorder’s own menu.

Work through these checks in order:

1. Power and cables. Is the recorder on, and is its network cable firmly plugged into the router? Check for a switched-off or tripped power point, for example after renovation work.
2. Router changes. If you changed your fibre router or internet provider, the recorder may still hold old network settings. It needs to get an address from the new router.
3. P2P status on the recorder. On the monitor attached to the NVR or XVR, open the network settings and find the P2P page. It should show the device as online. If it doesn’t, the recorder can’t reach Dahua’s P2P service, so fix its network connection first.
4. The app itself. Close and reopen DMSS, and make sure it is up to date. The Me > Tool Manager screen can test your phone’s Wi-Fi and push notification status (manual, chapter 13).
5. Re-adding the device. Only do this once the recorder shows online. Deleting and re-adding a device that is still offline won’t fix it, and you will need the device password again.

If the problem is the internet connection rather than power, the recorder keeps recording to its hard disk. Check the monitor attached to the recorder to confirm it is still recording. If you can’t get it back online, our team can help through remote support.

Why am I not getting DMSS notifications?

Check three things: the alarm is turned on for that channel, your phone allows DMSS notifications, and the time window in DMSS is set correctly. Dahua’s manual says notifications “can only be sent during the defined period” set under Me (chapter 13). So a wrong schedule can silence alerts.

• On the device: open the device’s alarm settings and turn on Notification for the event types you want, such as motion detection or IPC offline alarms (manual, section 5.1.1).
• On your phone: allow notifications for DMSS in your phone’s settings, and check that battery-saving settings aren’t restricting the app.
• In DMSS: check Notification and Period under Me. Then use Tool Manager to test notification pushing.

Too many alerts? If your recorder supports human or vehicle detection, use it instead of basic motion detection. The manual lists separate “Motion: Human” and “Motion: Vehicle” recording types (chapter 7). In our experience they trigger far less on moving trees, rain and shadows.

Can I use DMSS on a PC or Mac?

Not as a Windows app. Dahua publishes DMSS for Android and iPhone, and neither its manual nor the store listings include a Windows version. On a Windows PC, Dahua’s desktop client is SmartPSS Lite. On a Mac, the iPhone app may install, but Apple lists it as not verified for macOS. In SmartPSS Lite you add your recorder and view or play back cameras on a bigger screen. Our guide to Dahua NVR software and SmartPSS on PC walks through the setup.

On a Mac, the App Store lists the iPhone version of DMSS as “Designed for iPhone. Not verified for macOS” (App Store). Some people run the Android app in an emulator on Windows. Dahua’s manual doesn’t cover that setup, so we suggest SmartPSS Lite for anything you rely on every day. Our older post on installing iDMSS Plus on a PC or Mac covers the previous app.

Need help setting up DMSS in Singapore?

The causes we see most often are a lost device password, the recorder’s network connection and the alarm schedule. CCTVSG has installed and supported CCTV in Singapore since 2011, including Dahua systems. If you’d rather not troubleshoot it yourself, we can connect your Dahua system to DMSS remotely or on site. We can also add cameras, replace an old recorder, or install a new Dahua CCTV system. Contact us or request a quote.

Frequently asked questions

Is the DMSS app free?

Yes. DMSS is free to download on Google Play and the App Store. Both listings mention optional in-app purchases.

Do I need an account to use DMSS?

Yes. Dahua’s manual says you need to create an account the first time you use the app, with an email address and password.

What is the difference between DMSS and DMSS HD?

DMSS is the phone app. DMSS HD is a separate Android app from the same publisher. Its name suggests it is built for tablets.

I forgot my Dahua device password. Can DMSS reset it?

On supported devices, yes. Dahua’s manual points to Me > Tool Manager > Device Password Management for resetting a device password. If that option isn’t available for your model, the reset has to be done on the recorder or by your installer.

Can DMSS work with Hikvision cameras?

DMSS is built for Dahua devices, and Hikvision systems use Hikvision’s own apps, such as Hik-Connect. See our guide to the Hikvision app for PC and laptop.

Sources

• Dahua Technology, DMSS App User’s Manual V1.4.0 (January 2022): https://dahuasecurity.com/asset/upload/uploads/soft/20220118/DMSS-App_Users-Manual_V1.4.0.pdf
• Google Play, DMSS listing (Singapore, checked 4 November 2026): https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mm.android.DMSS
• Apple App Store, DMSS listing (Singapore, version 2.6.31, checked 4 November 2026): https://apps.apple.com/sg/app/dmss/id1493268178
• PDPC, Advisory Guidelines on the PDPA for Selected Topics (revised 23 May 2024), para 4.33: https://www.pdpc.gov.sg/-/media/files/pdpc/pdf-files/advisory-guidelines/ag-on-selected-topics/advisory-guidelines-on-the-pdpa-for-selected-topics-(revised-may-2024).pdf