Does Tapo work without internet?

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Answer: Mostly yes. TP-Link says Tapo cameras on the same Wi-Fi keep live view and microSD recording without internet; notifications and cloud features stop. Tapo Care is optional. You still need a TP-Link account to set the camera up.

TP-Link's FAQ covers using Tapo cameras without internet and the three storage options (microSD, Tapo Care cloud, NVR via ONVIF), of which only two can run at once 1. Wired Tapo cameras support RTSP and ONVIF 2.

Does Tapo need a subscription?

No. microSD recording is free; Tapo Care adds cloud video and is optional. 1

Does Tapo need an account?

Yes, a TP-Link account is used for setup, and Home Assistant's TP-Link integration also asks for your TP-Link cloud credentials. 13

Does Tapo work with Home Assistant?

Yes, through the official TP-Link Smart Home integration (local polling). Newer firmware may need "Third-Party Compatibility" turned on. 3

Is Tapo safe?

See TP-Link's incident record. TP-Link has published an advisory for Tapo C100, C425, C200 and C520WS vulnerabilities. 4

DeviceScoreOfflineLocal storageSubscriptionAccountHome AssistantRTSP/ONVIF
TP-Link (Tapo, Kasa) C210Camera · Plug-in, Wi-Fi (2.4 GHz)68YesYesNot neededRequiredLocal pollingYes
TP-Link (Tapo, Kasa) C120Camera · Plug-in, Wi-Fi68YesYesNot neededRequiredLocal pollingYes
TP-Link (Tapo, Kasa) Kasa KD110Doorbell · Wired, 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi23UnverifiedYesNot neededRequiredNoneNo

Informational only, not legal advice. Found an error? Tell us.

Sources

  1. Tapo FAQ: Using Tapo cameras without internet / storage options · checked Oct 22, 2026
  2. Tapo FAQ: RTSP/ONVIF on Tapo cameras · checked Oct 22, 2026
  3. Home Assistant: TP-Link Smart Home integration (Tapo cameras) · checked Oct 22, 2026
  4. TP-Link: Security advisory on Tapo C100, C425, C200 and C520WS (CVE-2025-8065, CVE-2025-14299, CVE-2025-14300) · checked Oct 22, 2026