Hikvision SADP Tool: Download, Setup & Troubleshooting

Hikvision SADP discovers compatible devices on your local network and helps with activation, IP settings and supported password recovery. It is a setup utility, not a camera live-view application.

For a new setup, check HiTools Delivery first. Hikvision's current SADP listing recommends migrating to HiTools Delivery and carries a notice that SADP would stop receiving updates from April 2026. The official catalog still lists a SADP download.

Official listings checked November 14, 2026. Instructions are based on Hikvision documentation; no device activation or password reset was performed for this guide.

Find HiTools Delivery and SADP Open the official SADP listing

SADP or HiTools Delivery?

SADP stands for Search Active Device Protocol. It helps identify compatible Hikvision devices on the local network, including their model, address, serial number and activation state. You can then perform supported device setup tasks.

Hikvision’s current SADP page recommends HiTools Delivery. The HiTools catalog describes Delivery as combining SADP functions with additional deployment tools. It is the first option to check for a new Windows installation; retain SADP instructions when your installer or regional support specifically uses that workflow.

Your task	Tool to start with	What it does not establish
Find a compatible device, activate it or configure network settings	HiTools Delivery, or SADP where the documented workflow calls for it	Local discovery does not prove that cloud remote access is online.
Batch deployment and additional maintenance	HiTools Delivery, subject to device support	Not every feature applies to every camera or recorder.
Watch cameras and play recordings on a computer	iVMS-4200	SADP does not provide a normal multi-camera viewing screen.
View cameras on a phone	Hik-Connect mobile app and supported devices	Installing SADP does not add a device to your account automatically.

For viewing after setup, follow Hik-Connect for PC. Dahua devices use a different tool ecosystem; see DMSS for PC for Dahua desktop viewing.

Official downloads: Windows and Mac

Windows

Go to the official HiTools catalog and look for HiTools Delivery or SADP. Review the vendor’s license terms and the package’s requirements before downloading.

On the date checked, the global list showed HiTools Delivery V2.2.0.6, described as supporting Windows 10 / Windows Server 2016 and later, and SADP V3.1.4.7. The SADP page also displayed its migration notice. These are the observed catalog entries; the date shown beside a package is not a guarantee of continuing SADP development.

The familiar SADP for Windows URL currently opens the SADP listing. Use Hikvision’s current page instead of a download mirror offering an unverified “latest version.”

Mac

Older Hikvision reset documents link to a separate Mac SADP package, so historical Mac availability is documented. However, the former global Mac download address returned 404 when checked for this guide, and we could not verify a current supported Mac package in the current global catalog.

If you use a Mac, ask Hikvision regional support for the correct utility for your macOS version and chip. The HiTools Delivery Windows listing does not establish a native Mac release. Do not assume an old SADP Mac archive works on a recent macOS release, and do not substitute a Windows installer.

Install and discover a device

1. Check the network and device

Confirm that the camera or recorder has power, a working network connection and a supported model/firmware. Use the computer’s connection to the same local network as the device. Discovery is not a scan of your Hik-Connect account or all devices on the Internet.

An NVR’s built-in PoE camera ports can form a separate internal network. A laptop connected to the main router may discover the NVR but not the cameras behind those ports. Use the recorder’s camera-management workflow or your installer’s supported method for reaching that network.

2. Install the official utility

Download the chosen package from Hikvision, extract it if supplied as an archive, and follow its installer. Use any required network components included in the official package rather than sourcing an old packet driver from an unrelated site.

The remaining steps describe the established SADP workflow. HiTools Delivery has its own interface; use its corresponding discovery, activation and network-configuration controls rather than expecting SADP’s exact button positions.

3. Identify the correct device

Open SADP and allow its local device list to populate. Locate the device by model and serial number, cross-checking the label or the recorder’s device information. Note its current IPv4 address, subnet mask, gateway and activation/security status before changing anything.

Hikvision’s serial-number guidance documents finding devices in the same subnet with SADP. If the list is empty, use the troubleshooting section below before changing your computer’s network configuration.

Discover on the LANFind the device and match its serial number to the physical label.
Perform the needed setupActivate an inactive device, adjust its address or start supported recovery.
Connect a viewing clientUse the verified address or supported cloud setup in the appropriate video client.

Local setup sequence, created for this guide. The device and network must support the chosen operation.

Activate an inactive camera or recorder

Activation sets the device’s initial administrator password. It is different from signing in to a Hik-Connect account and different from recovering a password on an already active device.

In SADP’s list, select the correct device marked Inactive. Verify its model and serial number first.
Use the activation panel to create and confirm an administrator password that meets the displayed rules.
Confirm activation with Activate or OK, as shown in your version, and wait for confirmation. Configure the recovery details offered by that model when appropriate.
Check that the device’s state changes to Active. Keep its credentials in a secure record before continuing to network setup.

Hikvision’s network camera manual, Chapter 2 documents this SADP activation sequence. If the device is already active, it already has credentials. Do not try a supposed universal default password. For an NVR-managed camera, consult the recorder’s documented activation process so that camera and recorder credentials remain coordinated.

Change an IP address

SADP can help assign an appropriate address to a compatible device. Choose an address that fits the intended network and is not already in use. If you do not manage the network, obtain the correct address, mask and gateway from its administrator.

Select the device and note its existing settings.
In Modify Network Parameters, enter the intended IPv4 address, subnet mask and gateway, or use DHCP if the model and your network plan support it.
Enter the device’s administrator password in the authorization field and choose Modify.
Wait for success, refresh the list and verify the new address. Reconnect the browser or video client using the updated connection details.

Example: on a network where the computer is 192.168.1.20, the subnet mask is 255.255.255.0 and the gateway is 192.168.1.1, an unused address such as 192.168.1.50 might fit. This is an illustration, not a setting to copy onto every network. Confirm that the address is free and appropriate before applying it.

Changing an address can interrupt a recorder’s camera connection if it still references the previous address. Update the relevant recorder or client entry afterwards. The device’s HTTP port, video-client server port and streaming ports serve different purposes; see RTSP and ONVIF ports for related concepts.

Use the supported password-reset process

SADP password recovery is for devices you own or are authorized to administer. It does not reveal the old password or remove account ownership automatically.

Hikvision’s SADP recovery instructions describe selecting the device and opening Forgot Password. Depending on the model and firmware, the dialog may offer an XML/QR workflow or another supported recovery method.

For a support-assisted XML/QR workflow:

Keep the computer and device on the required local network. Select the correct device and open Forgot Password.
Follow that dialog to export the request or obtain the requested QR information. Provide the device identification and ownership information through your installer or Hikvision’s official support channel.
Follow support’s instructions for the returned recovery file/code and the new password. Use the response for the same device and request.
Reconnect authorized recorders and clients whose stored credentials need updating.

The reset troubleshooting document describes time-limited XML responses and warns against rebooting the device or exporting a new request while awaiting the matching response. Follow the instructions for your specific request; if it expires, ask support how to restart the process.

Do not post device labels, reset XML files or QR codes in public comments. A camera password reset, a physical factory reset and unlinking a Hik-Connect account are different procedures. Check the model’s manual before choosing one.

Fix SADP not finding devices

Work through these checks in order

Power and link: verify the camera/recorder is powered and its network port has a working link. For PoE, confirm the switch or injector supplies the correct power.
Network placement: put the computer on the same physical LAN or subnet. Check guest Wi-Fi isolation, VLAN separation and the NVR’s private PoE network.
Computer interface: confirm the intended Ethernet/Wi-Fi connection is active. A VPN or additional adapter can change routing; use your network administrator’s approved method to test the local path.
Application access: check whether endpoint security or the firewall blocks the official utility’s required local-network traffic. Use an appropriate application rule rather than disabling protection generally.
Utility and device support: use the official package and its bundled components. For new deployments, check the HiTools Delivery recommendation and model support.
Narrow the path: if your installer recommends a direct wired test, use a safe supported connection and maintain required camera power. A regular laptop Ethernet port does not supply PoE.

Other symptom	Check
Device is listed, but its web page will not open	Computer/device IP settings, the actual HTTP/HTTPS address and model-specific browser support. Discovery alone does not prove IP reachability.
Activation or IP change fails	Correct device selection, password/policy requirements, address conflicts and the exact error message.
Only the NVR appears	Cameras may be on its separate PoE network. Check recorder camera management.
Password-reset response is rejected	Same device and request, validity period, and whether the device rebooted or a new request was exported. Contact support with the error.
An old Mac download link is broken	Use current regional support. Historical documentation does not verify compatibility with your Mac.

If the camera is now discoverable but remains offline in Hik-Connect, troubleshoot the recorder’s Platform Access and account setup separately using the PC viewing guide.

Frequently asked questions

Is Hikvision SADP free?

Hikvision provides a download through its official tools catalog, subject to its terms. This guide does not charge for a download or require a third-party downloader. Follow the vendor’s current listing for availability.

Does SADP work over the Internet?

Its documented discovery workflow uses the local network. You should not expect a remote camera in a Hik-Connect account to appear as a local SADP result. Work on the device’s LAN or use the appropriate supported remote-management method.

Can SADP show live video?

Use iVMS-4200, Hik-Connect or the device’s supported web interface for normal viewing. SADP’s role is device discovery and setup, not a camera viewing dashboard.

Is SADP discontinued?

The current listing carries a notice that SADP would no longer receive updates from April 2026 and recommends HiTools Delivery. A SADP package is still listed. Treat the migration recommendation and the available download as separate facts; check Hikvision’s current notice before a new deployment.

Is SADP the same as HiTools Delivery?

No. Hikvision describes HiTools Delivery as integrating SADP functionality with broader deployment and maintenance capabilities. The user interface and supported device functions can differ, so follow the instructions for the utility you actually installed.

Official references

Continue with Hik-Connect for PC after local device setup, or browse all technical guides.