7 Best UniFi Protect Alarm Manager Use Cases for Smarter Camera Alerts
UniFi Protect has grown into a powerful surveillance platform, and one of its most underrated features is the Alarm Manager. Instead of drowning in endless “motion detected” notifications, Alarm Manager lets you build highly specific alerts powered by AI, custom zones, and even integrations with Slack or Home Assistant.
In this post, we’ll break down what Alarm Manager is, how it works, and seven smart use cases that will take your UniFi Protect setup to the next level.
What Is the UniFi Protect Alarm Manager?
Alarm Manager is a centralized system for custom alerts across UniFi Protect. Each alarm is built around three parts:
Trigger – The event that starts the alarm (motion, person detected, vehicle, package, face, license plate, line crossing).
Scope – Where the trigger applies (specific camera, group of cameras, or all cameras).
Action – What happens when the alarm is triggered (Protect push notification, Slack webhook, floodlight, PTZ move, smart device automation).
Unlike basic motion detection, Alarm Manager gives you tools like:
AI object detection (person, vehicle, package, animal)
Face ID and license plate recognition (LPR)
Custom detection zones and directional line crossing
Schedules (so rules only apply during business hours or after-hours)
Suppressing repeated alerts to avoid spam
Integrations with Slack, webhooks, and even UniFi Access locks or Home Assistant automations
7 Smart Use Cases for Alarm Manager
1. After-Hours Motion Detection
Setup: Trigger motion alerts only between closing and opening hours
Action: Push notification or Slack alert
Why it helps: Immediate visibility if someone enters when they shouldn’t
2. Person Detection at Entrances
Setup: AI “person” detection at front, side, or back doors
Action: Send snapshot to Protect app or Slack channel
Why it helps: Filters out false alerts while keeping you aware of visitors
3. Vehicle Detection in Parking Areas
Setup: Vehicle detection with schedules to limit alerts to nights or weekends
Action: Push notification, Slack alert, or even trigger floodlights
Why it helps: Identifies unauthorized vehicles and deters loitering
4. Package and Delivery Notifications
Setup: Create a detection zone at your front door or delivery bay
Action: Send alert when “package” or “vehicle” is detected
Why it helps: Lets staff or homeowners grab packages quickly, reducing theft
5. Restricted Zone Monitoring
Setup: Apply alarms to sensitive spaces like stockrooms, server closets, or gated areas
Action: Alert only specific managers or security staff
Why it helps: Acts like a digital tripwire for high-security areas
6. Face and License Plate Recognition
Setup: Use Face ID for known or unknown individuals, or LPR for cars
Action: Send targeted Slack messages (for example, “Unknown face detected at side gate”)
Why it helps: Adds context so you know who or what triggered the alert
7. Loitering and Directional Line Crossing
Setup: Use line crossing rules with direction (alerts only if someone enters a yard, not leaves it). Add rules for repeated motion within minutes
Action: Escalated alert (push + email + Slack)
Why it helps: Reduces false positives and highlights suspicious lingering
Advanced Features You Might Be Missing
Recent UniFi Protect updates have added even more power to Alarm Manager:
Directional line crossing: Only get alerts when someone moves into an area, not out
Ignore repeated actions: Stops multiple alerts for the same event
Hardware actions: Turn on floodlights, sound alarms, or rotate PTZ cameras as part of the response
Custom zones: Assign different recording quality or detection rules to specific parts of a frame (for example, driveway vs. street)
Home Assistant integration: Connect Alarm Manager events to broader smart home automations
How to Push UniFi Protect Alerts to Slack
One of the most popular integrations is Slack, where teams can see alerts in real time:
Create a Slack channel for Protect alerts
Enable incoming webhooks in Slack and copy the webhook URL
In Protect’s Alarm Manager, create a new alarm, set your triggers, and paste the webhook
Customize the alert message (for example, “Delivery detected at front door”)
Now your security events appear directly in Slack alongside your regular workflow.
Best Practices for Using Alarm Manager
Be precise with scopes (don’t apply rules to all cameras by default)
Use schedules to limit when rules apply
Turn on “Ignore Repeated Actions” to prevent alert fatigue
Test webhooks with sandbox tools before deploying
Review and refine your alarms every few months
Final Thoughts
Alarm Manager transforms UniFi Protect from a passive recording system into an active security assistant. By combining AI detections, custom zones, and smart integrations, you’ll cut down on false alerts while staying instantly informed about real threats.
Whether it’s detecting late-night motion, logging deliveries, or integrating with Slack and Home Assistant, Alarm Manager gives you the control you need to make your cameras work smarter, not harder.
Need help with your Alarm Manager? Interstate Telecommunications can help!
Contact our UniFi Experts Today!
👉770-781-4787 or sales@interstatenetworks.com
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