How to Reset a Swann DVR or NVR Password
Locked out of your Swann recorder? Swann uses a recovery code tied to the unit's MAC address, so in most cases you can get back in without wiping a thing. Here are the reset methods in order, the default passwords worth trying and the one route that erases your footage.
To reset a Swann recorder password, click Forgot Password on the login screen and enter the recovery code, which is usually the unit's MAC address. If the recorder was paired to the Swann Security app before, the app can show your saved password instead. A factory reset through the pinhole button is the last resort, because on most Swann units it formats the hard drive and erases your recordings.
Getting locked out of a Swann DVR or NVR is common, whether you forgot the password, bought the unit secondhand or never changed it from the setup. The good news is that Swann has proper recovery built in, so you rarely need the drastic option. The trick is knowing which method fits your recorder, because Swann has used a few different systems over the years.
Swann recorders fall into a few generations. The modern Swann Security range, the older HomeSafe line and the SwannView Link units each handle resets a little differently. The methods below run from the safest to the most drastic, so start at the top.
The password does not lock your footage. A forgotten password only blocks the recorder's menu, not the video on the drive. If all you need is the footage, you can pull the drive and open it on a PC without ever resetting the recorder. Save the factory reset, which wipes the disk, for when you truly need the unit back.
Method 1: the recovery code, the safe way
This is Swann's main reset method and the one to try first, because it lets you set a new password without losing any footage. It works off a recovery code that is unique to your recorder.
On most Swann systems that recovery code is the unit's MAC address, a 12-character hardware identifier printed on a sticker on the base or back of the recorder. If you cannot find the sticker, a tool like the Swann HomeSafe Config Tool run on a PC on the same network will show it.
- Find the recovery code. Look for the MAC address on the label under or behind the recorder. It looks like BC:51:FE:11:22:33.
- Open the reset screen. On the recorder's monitor, right-click to reach the main menu and the login box, then click Forgot Password.
- Enter the code in the right format. If the box asks for a Recovery Code, type the MAC address with no colons or dashes, like BC51FE112233. If it asks for a MAC Address, include the colons.
- Set a new password. Once accepted, the recorder lets you create a fresh password. Choose something strong and write it down somewhere safe.
Some models use a Super Password instead. On certain Swann units, clicking Forgot Password shows an 8-digit random code. Leave that window open, because closing it makes a new code and voids the old one. Download the Swann SuperPassword utility for Windows, enter the 8-digit code to generate a 12-digit Super Password, then type that into the recorder to get back in.
Method 2: the Swann Security app
If you set the recorder up with the Swann Security app, the app itself can rescue you, and this is often the quickest fix of all.
The app keeps the last saved admin password for any recorder paired to it, and can show it whether the recorder is online or offline. Open the Swann Security app, go to the recorder's settings and look for the option to view or retrieve the admin password. You may need to pass a security check on your phone first. Newer units such as the MaxRanger4K let you scan a QR code on the recorder to set a new password straight from the app.
This route only works if the recorder was paired to the app beforehand. If you never linked it, use the recovery code method above instead.
Method 3: the factory reset, the last resort
If the recovery code and the app both fail, a factory reset gets you back in. Treat it as the final option, because on most Swann recorders it does more than clear the password.
Most Swann units have a small reset button in a pinhole on the back or side. With the recorder powered on, press it with a paperclip and hold until you hear four beeps, then release. The unit reboots into the setup wizard and lets you create a new password as if it were new. Some models need the button held for 10 to 30 seconds rather than a set number of beeps.
A Swann factory reset formats the hard drive. On most Swann recorders the factory reset does not just clear the password, it wipes the disk and erases your recordings. If there is footage you need, get it off the recorder or off the drive first. Only run the factory reset once your footage is safe or you do not need it.
A few Swann models, such as some DVR4 units, have no reset button at all. On those you have to use the recovery code, the Swann Security VMS software on a PC through its Load Default option, or a master reset code from Swann support with your model and proof of ownership.
Swann default passwords to try
Before any reset, it is worth trying the defaults, especially on an older or secondhand unit that was never set up properly. Many Swann recorders ship with a standard login.
- Username admin. Almost every Swann recorder uses admin as the account name.
- Common default passwords. Older Swann units often use admin, or a simple code like 0000, 1111 or 1234. Try these before resetting.
- Newer units have no default. Recent Swann Security recorders force you to set a password during the first setup, so there is no default to fall back on. For these, use the recovery code.
Change a default password straight away. If a default like admin or 1234 still works, someone else can use it just as easily. Set a strong password of your own once you are in, since default logins are the first thing an intruder tries.
Which Swann models this covers
The methods above apply across the Swann range, though which one works depends on the generation.
- The DVR4, DVR8 and DVR16 lines. Four, eight and sixteen channel recorders across the 4480 to 5680 families, handled by recovery code or the pinhole reset.
- NVR8 and NVR16 series. Network recorders like the 8580 and 8780 models, using the recovery code or app.
- Swann Security and MaxRanger4K. The newer app-linked systems, where the Swann Security app is often the fastest route.
- HomeSafe and SwannView Link. Older lines that lean on the MAC-address recovery code and the config tool.
If you only need the footage
Plenty of people reset a Swann recorder only to reach footage that is stuck behind a forgotten password. If that is you, there is a gentler path that avoids the factory reset entirely.
The recordings sit on the hard drive, not behind the login screen. Switch the recorder off, pull the disk and open it on a PC using a tool that reads the Swann format, and the password plays no part at all. Our guide on recovering Swann footage covers that process. It is the safe choice when the video matters more than the recorder itself.
Common questions
How do I reset my Swann DVR password without losing footage?
Use the recovery code method. Click Forgot Password on the login screen and enter the recorder's MAC address as the recovery code, then set a new password. This keeps your recordings. Avoid the factory reset, which on most Swann units formats the drive and erases footage.
What is the default password for a Swann DVR?
The username is almost always admin. Older Swann recorders often use admin as the password too, or a simple code like 0000, 1111 or 1234. Newer Swann Security units have no default and make you set a password during setup. Try the defaults before resetting, then change them once you are in.
Where do I find my Swann recovery code?
The recovery code is usually the recorder's MAC address, a 12-character code on a sticker under or behind the unit. It looks like BC:51:FE:11:22:33. If you cannot find the sticker, the Swann HomeSafe Config Tool on a PC on the same network will show it.
How do I factory reset a Swann DVR without the password?
Find the pinhole reset button on the back or side of the recorder, power the unit on, then press and hold the button with a paperclip until you hear four beeps. The recorder reboots into setup so you can make a new password. Remember this formats the drive and wipes footage on most Swann units.
My Swann DVR has no reset button. What now?
Some Swann models, like certain DVR4 units, have no reset button. Use the recovery code on the login screen instead, or the Swann Security VMS software on a PC with its Load Default option. If neither works, contact Swann support for a master reset code with your model number and proof of ownership.
Does resetting a Swann password delete my recordings?
The recovery code and app methods do not touch your footage, they only reset the password. The factory reset is different. On most Swann recorders it formats the hard drive along with clearing the password, so save it for last and get your footage off first if it matters.
Need the footage, not the recorder?
If you are resetting only to reach locked footage, DVRXaminer reads the Swann drive directly and saves your recordings as playable clips, with no reset and no risk to the video. Run the free trial to see what is on the drive.
Sources
- Swann support, password reset and factory reset documentation, support.swann.com
- Swann recovery code, SuperPassword utility and Swann Security app guides
- Swann recorder model and default credential references, 2026