FAQs

What can I do if the Smart Action/Automation doesn’t take effect as expected?

Smart Action, a feature facilitates automation and shortcuts between TP-Link Tapo/Kasa smart devices. Occansional issues like automation/shortcut failure or delays may occur due to network connectivity or configuration settings. To help with these issues effectively, we have outlined corresponding troubleshooting steps below.

Please refer to the troubleshooting steps in the two cases based on your real situation.

Case 1 The Smart Action/Automation doesn’t take effect at all.

1. Please ensure you enabled the Automation in the Tapo/Kasa App.

2. Please ensure you can control your devices stably with your phone connected to the cellular network.

3. Please ensure the time is within the effective time of the Automation.

  • If you set Time as a Trigger:

Please refer to the following instructions to re-sync time zone.

Launch the Tapo/Kasa App -> Tap Me -> Tap Tapo Lab in Tapo/Tap Settings in Kasa -> Tap Location and Time to re-sync the Location and Time Zone

  • If you set Geofencing as a trigger:

Please refer to the instructions to troubleshoot.

a. Turn on Precise Location and allow always location permission for Kasa/Tapo App: https://www.tp-link.com/en/support/faq/3576/

b. Ensure mobile devices can receive good GPS signals. It’s better go to outdoors with a clear view of the sky.

c. Turn off the power-saving mode on your mobile device. If your mobile device is power-saving, apps using GPS signals may not provide data in real time.

d. If Tapo/Kasa App has been added to the Sleeping Apps list on your smartphone, remove it.

Case 2 The Smart Action/Automation takes effect intermittently or with a delay.

  1. Please ensure your devices are online stably and you are able to control them fluently without apparent latency.
  2. Make sure the smart device receives a strong signal. Relocate the smart device closer to the network source if the signal is weak. How to check the signal strength of Tapo/Kasa device?
  • For Tapo H100/H200: Tap the device in the App -> Tap the gear icon on the top right corner -> Network Connection -> Tap the signal icon to check the Signal Strength value (RSSI rate)
  • For other devices: Tap the device in the App -> Tap the gear icon on the top right corner -> Tap Device Info -> Tap the signal icon to check the Signal Strength value (RSSI rate).

Strong: more than -50 dBm

Good to Average: among -70 dBm to-50 dBm

Poor: less than -70 dBm

Note: the signal is too weak when it is less than -70dBm, and it is likely to cause disconnection problem.

  1. If the issue persists even though the signal strength is good, please try to change router 2.4GHz WiFi channel to 1, 6, or 11 and fix the channel width as 20MHz.

If you are interested in additional information and details about Local Smart Action/Automation, please tap here.

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