ONVIF Camera Compatibility
ONVIF Camera Compatibility › NVR compatibility › Blue Iris

Blue Iris: The No-Whitelist Windows NVR (ONVIF + RTSP)

Blue Iris, the long-running Windows NVR, takes cameras over ONVIF or RTSP with no published compatibility list. Most ONVIF-certified cameras work out of the box - you can verify any camera's profiles on its product page here before buying. Blue Iris is a common recommendation in home-surveillance communities precisely because there is no list to be stuck on.

No camera list - ONVIF and RTSP open to everyone
Official stance
S / T / RTSP
ONVIF profile required
Windows NVR (software)
Product type

How to add a third-party camera

  1. Add the camera in Blue Iris by ONVIF profile or RTSP URL (the camera's ONVIF/RTSP credentials, not app credentials).
  2. Select the profile the camera supports - S for streaming, T where image transfer is needed; RTSP as the raw fallback.
  3. Verify with Blue Iris' own test view before enabling recording schedules.

What works vs what breaks on third-party cameras

✓ Works
  • Any ONVIF-certified camera (no whitelist, per Blue Iris docs)
  • RTSP-only cameras via URL entry
  • Profile T image transfer for stills
✗ Breaks / not available
  • Vendor smart analytics (person/vehicle) are not surfaced in Blue Iris
  • Some cameras need the correct ONVIF profile chosen in the camera setup

Common questions

Does Blue Iris have a list of supported cameras?

No official list - Blue Iris adds cameras by ONVIF profile or RTSP URL. If your camera is ONVIF-certified (check its product page on this site), it will almost certainly work.

RTSP or ONVIF?

Either. ONVIF gives camera discovery and event handling; RTSP is the raw streaming fallback. Blue Iris uses whichever you configure.

Sources — Blue Iris's own documentation

Policies change with firmware generations — always confirm against the vendor's current documentation before buying hardware for a mixed fleet. Check any camera's ONVIF certification record in our database.

Other NVR vendors

Reolink NVR Officially possible, own brand guaranteed only Hikvision NVR Officially supported via ONVIF protocol Dahua NVR Officially supported via ONVIF when brand not listed UniFi Protect Officially supported — ONVIF adoption with feature caps Synology Surveillance Station 4,000+ camera support list; ONVIF is the fallback QNAP QVR Pro / QVR Elite Officially supported — unlisted cameras added as ONVIF with equal service Amcrest NVR Officially supported via ONVIF, features vary by NVR line Frigate NVR Brand-agnostic by design — RTSP in, ONVIF for PTZ TP-Link VIGI NVR Officially open to third-party cameras via ONVIF ASUSTOR Surveillance Center No whitelist - official: 'virtually all' of the big brands via ONVIF Milestone XProtect Open platform + Device Packs; third-party via ONVIF Lorex NVR Official ONVIF compatibility chart + setup guide Swann NVR ONVIF import on supported recorders (consumer tier) Night Owl NVR ONVIF-capable; community-verified third-party use Annke NVR Official ONVIF third-party guides (with a reverse caveat)