# Defender HD — user reviews > 164 indexed App Store user reviews of Defender HD by Empowerment Technologies Inc., rated 3.30/5 from 904 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/defender-hd/id1128509828/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/defender-hd/id1128509828.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 299 · 4★ 208 · 3★ 85 · 2★ 90 · 1★ 222 ## What do users think of Defender HD? Overall sentiment: negative **Pros** - 🚀 Lightning-fast load times - 🔒 Robust security features - 👍 Easy to set up and use - 💡 Useful remote access capabilities **Cons** - 🐛 Frequent crashes and connectivity issues - 🔍 Unreliable motion detection and alerts - 📺 Incompatible with some devices and operating systems - 🕰️ Slow camera load times and video playback **Commonly reported bugs** - Login screen freezes or fails to load - Cameras randomly go offline or disappear from the app - Notifications and alerts not working as expected - Compatibility issues with newer iOS and Android versions **Most requested features** - Improved motion detection and customizable alerts - Remote camera control and adjustment options - Seamless integration across all devices - Enhanced video playback and export capabilities ## Newest reviews (20 of 164) ### 2/5 — Won’t connect to App *2026-01-04, version 3.0* This will not connect to the app. The QR does not connect ### 3/5 — Stopped working *2025-11-19, version 3.0* Didn’t really like the last update. Made the cameras slow when it came to viewing and reviewing, also it seemed to lose some options on reviewing footage. As of yesterday, the app crashes as soon as it is launched so I cannot view my cameras at all anymore. ### 1/5 — Useless *2025-03-13, version 3.0* The update made my 2 devices completely inaccessible and Defender support is useless. ### 1/5 — Does not work *2025-03-10, version 3.0* After newest update the system doesn’t recognize the username password on iPad or iPhone. Works in android tho in the older version app still. Did the sign in and still nothing. Please fix ### 1/5 — Terrible. Always do things without consent never ask customers what is working or not. *2025-03-06, version 3.0* The worst. ### 3/5 — Playback *2025-03-06, version 3.0* I’m having issues trying to figure out how to playback videos after the app update. I can’t select a date and playback ### 1/5 — Disappointed *2025-03-04, version 3.0* Disappointed that it has been over 4 weeks and I still can’t see my cameras because I have the iOS 18. ### 1/5 — No longer works *2025-03-02, version 3.0* Since the most recent update, it will no longer connect to my cameras. I can see my device listed, but it won’t allow me to select it. ### 1/5 — It doesn’t work *2025-03-01, version 3.0* Ones you updated, wouldn’t let you login. ### 1/5 — Update *2025-03-01, version 3.0* I hate it!! Are they trying to force people to buy a new system?…because it won’t be from this company if I have to get a new one. Can I please have my old version back? Please! Playback feature is not working at all on mobile. App blinks out and says cameras are OFFLINE every few seconds. I can still access everything on the base unit but nothing on the phone works right. PLEASE GO BACK TO THE OLD WAY!! ### 1/5 — Faulty app since update!!!!! *2025-02-27, version 3.0* Was great 3 days ago but now awful !!!!! Since app updated to Defender HD 5.0.2(build003)I cannot connect to my DVR. App keeps stating “user name or password error”. Tech support has been useless so far. I would have given a rating of zero stars if possible! ### 1/5 — Remote location never works *2025-02-26, version 3.0* Purchased for using in remote locations with wifi or my own data.. installed then uninstalled, about 15 Times . Have 3 stars for functionality and how clear Picture really is. ### 1/5 — Stopped working after update *2025-02-24, version 3.0* The app won’t let me log in after update. Says user name or password error. I know that info is correct! ### 1/5 — Lost all access *2025-02-24, version 3.0* Worst app I have ever used. The recent “upgrade” removed access to my devices. Real progress guys. I’m ready to throw this system away and go to Ring. ### 1/5 — No Cameras, No customer service. Don’t buy this product!!! *2025-02-21, version 3.0* They changed the app and I no longer have any cameras. I have been trying for over two days to solve the problem with no luck. The customer service is horrible and I would not recommend this product. ### 1/5 — Can’t get device to connect *2025-02-21, version 3.0* We’ve had this app for a few years and not had any trouble until lately when the app wasn’t compatible with the latest iPhone update. Now we can’t connect to the device when we’re away from home. ### 1/5 — No video on phone *2025-02-21, version 3.0* Cameras not showing on phone since I opened app to new version ### 1/5 — No habré mis camaras con esta nueva app *2025-02-20, version 3.0* No abren mis cámaras con esta nueva app ### 1/5 — Update *2025-02-19, version 3.0* I hate it. Can I please have my old version back? Please! ### 1/5 — Doesn’t work now *2025-02-18, version 3.0* Can’t use on my phone since update needs fix asap this is not acceptable. ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — Terrible after update *2025-09-02, version 3.0* Have had horrible performance since updating the app last week. Will not detect all cameras and goes offline every 60 seconds when it does. Is the older version available somewhere? ### 1/5 — Ver 3.0 doesn’t load *2025-08-25, version 3.0* Everything worked fine on ver 2.6, then auto updated to 3.0 and app won’t load. Keeps crashing! Where and how to download previous versions please!!! ### 1/5 — Stupid App *2025-06-12, version 3.0* Can’t understand this app. I didn’t need to understand that much from the previous app. But this one is just, I have to trash my cameras. ### 1/5 — No login screen *2025-05-23, version 3.0* Where did the login screen go? Can’t use the app if I can’t login ### 1/5 — Update *2025-05-06, version 3.0* Ever since the app update, I wasn’t able to see the camera on the app!!! It was working fine before the update!!! Omg please fix this!! ### 1/5 — Update is horrible *2025-04-24, version 3.0* I had updated the app and now I can’t use the app to view. There were no issues with the old version. The help tutorials are from the old version as well. I managed to get it working once and then something happened. So frustrating ### 1/5 — Trash *2025-04-17, version 3.0* Trash ### 1/5 — Frustrating *2025-04-14, version 3.0* Really and truly disappointed with the developer bricking the app like this. I was fortunate to not install the flawed or intentionally broken update all my devices. Old version 2.4 still works fine on an iPad and iPhone. However like many others that have posted, I updated to v3.0 on two other iPhones and can not get it to work on either device. Now I’m stuck selecting individual app updates for the other devices to avoid this broken v3 update. Very frustrating. ### 1/5 — Stopped working *2025-04-02, version 3.0* There was an update and everything stopped working ### 1/5 — What happened?? *2025-04-02, version 3.0* Wont work at all anymore with iphone ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — Really like the update *2025-02-17, version 3.0* This is the kind of functionality I’ve been waiting for huge upgrade from the last version, I almost gave up on the old app and system and moved on but thank you for the update works good so far. ### 5/5 — Love it ! *2024-05-19, version 2.6* We purchased the camera system several years ago. VERY easy to install. It’s two wires. Can’t beat that. Wires were nice and long. Only needed to buy 2 extenders for two locations we wanted to put our cameras, out of the the 8 cameras we purchased. We can view the cameras from our TV, Cell phone and at one time from the PC. We can view our cameras while home connected to the WIFI or ANYWHERE outside of the home, out of state. Anywhere your phone has served. (I’m seeing a lot of reviews where ppl are saying they CAN NOT view their cameras outside their home, and the company lied” or “false advertisement”. “I can only view while home on WiFi”). That all may be correct for THOSE people. And that’s because those people Obviously have not completely set up the cameras, app and routers. (As it states in the manual). If you don’t know how to get into your internet router online. Then you will need to call tech support to help finish installing your cameras. You will need to do what’s called “Port forwarding”. Or “opening your ports”. It’s very easy. The only issue I have now is we use to be able to view from the PC. We have a Mac computer. Before we got a new hard drive installed and updated in the computer. We could view the cameras. Once we got the new hard drive and newer updates, we were told the reason we can’t view them from the computer NOW, is because the cameras router isn’t that far advanced with the computers NEW updates. Eventually they will update the router to be more compatible with the Mac updates. As long as we can view from the cell phones out of the state/country/home. It’s fine for us. The app says we can get updates with the motion sensor. But when I called defender, they said that feature doesn’t work. I was a little confused why they’d even have that push button on the app if it doesn’t even allow it. You should prob remove that. That’s a little misleading. Other than that. It’s a great system, it’s in HD. (check your camera router for the HD settings too). I would recommend this system and I have. Good luck ! So this is a quick update, everything I recently stated still stands. However, the app stopped working as of last night “Defender HD”. The Defender clear view app IS working, but the picture is horrible. The “defender 24/7” is only allowing me to set up Wi-Fi via cell phone. Which means, once we leave the home, we will no longer be able to view our cameras. (I didn’t even allow it to connect to my IPHONES Wi-Fi. Bc I already know it will only work when I’m home. Been there done that) ### 5/5 — Defender HD *2023-08-10, version 2.6* I have had this security system for 13 years now and still been working good. I can check or see my staff remotely where ever the internet present. But I am going to upgrade to the new tech system like 4K and two way talk…soon. ### 5/5 — Love it *2020-10-02, version 2.6* Very usual. ### 5/5 — Defender *2020-05-27, version 2.6* Works Great! I have had the Defender for 4 years without any issues! ### 5/5 — No fees and security count on your self with defender *2020-05-17, version 2.6* Nowadays you need no fees and for security count on your self with defender alerts ### 5/5 — Works Great *2020-05-09, version 2.6* I just set the unit up with 3 cameras and they all worked great plus the app. You just need to close the app after every use and then starts extremely quickly. Live and recorded videos works great. ### 5/5 — Update *2020-03-13, version 2.6* Problem fixed thanks to the team for fixing it quickly App keeps telling me notice the certificate for this device is invalid worked fine till last night ### 5/5 — Problem was actually server side certs. *2020-03-13, version 2.6* Thanks ### 5/5 — RESOLVED! Certificate expired *2020-03-12, version 2.6* Update: Problem resolved in 24hrs. I can see my cameras again. Thanks. Updated from 1 to 5 stars. Original post: Your security Certificate expired. I cannot use the App right now. Please renew the certificate so I can see my cameras!!!!!! --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-15.*