Quick Start Guide
Get up and running with PackCam in minutes
Getting Started with PackCam
Welcome to PackCam — the AI-powered packing verification system. This guide walks you through setting up your PackCam device, connecting it to your account, and optionally linking it to the PackCam Chrome Extension for use at your packing station.
What You’ll Need
- A PackCam Kiosk device (powered on and connected to the internet)
- A PackCam account at app.packcam.ai
- (Optional) The PackCam Chrome Extension installed in your browser
Step 1: Power On the Kiosk
Turn on your PackCam Kiosk device and wait for it to boot up. Once the Kiosk software starts, it will automatically connect to PackCam’s servers and register itself.
You’ll see one of two screens:
- “This device isn’t claimed yet” — This means the device is online and waiting for you to claim it from the admin panel. This is the expected screen for a brand-new device.
- “Welcome to PackCam.ai” — This means the device has already been claimed and is ready to use.
Step 2: Find Your Device Serial Number
When the Kiosk shows the “This device isn’t claimed yet” screen, you’ll see a Device ID displayed on the screen. This is your device’s unique serial number — an 8-character code (e.g., A3F8B2C1).
Important: Write down or take a photo of this serial number. You’ll need it if you choose to add the device manually in the admin panel.
The serial number is generated from the device’s hardware and will stay the same across restarts.
Step 3: Claim Your Device in the Admin Panel
Now head to the PackCam admin panel to claim your device.
Option A: Automatic Discovery (Recommended)
- Open your browser and go to app.packcam.ai.
- Log in with your PackCam account.
- Navigate to the Devices section.
- Click the “Discover devices” button.
- PackCam will automatically scan for nearby unclaimed devices. After a moment, you’ll see a list of available devices with their serial numbers.
- Find your device in the list by matching the serial number shown on the Kiosk screen.
- Select the device and click “Claim”.
- The device is now linked to your account. You’ll see a success notification.
Tip: You can select and claim multiple devices at once if you’re setting up several Kiosks.
Option B: Add Manually
If automatic discovery doesn’t find your device (e.g., due to network configuration), you can add it by hand:
- In the Devices section of the admin panel, click “Add Manually”.
- Enter the serial number displayed on your Kiosk screen.
- Click “Add device”.
- The device will be claimed and appear in your device list.
After Claiming
Once the device is claimed, the Kiosk screen will automatically update to show the Welcome screen. From there, you can log in and start using the Kiosk for packing verification.
Step 4: Log In on the Kiosk
After your device is claimed:
- On the Kiosk, tap “Open PackCam”.
- Enter your PackCam account credentials.
- Once logged in, you’ll see the Dashboard with a live camera preview, your device serial number in the header, and the order scanning interface.
You’re now ready to start scanning and verifying orders.
Step 5 (Optional): Connect the Chrome Extension
If you want to use the PackCam Chrome Extension at your packing station (for example, to trigger recordings directly from your browser workflow), you’ll need to bind a device to the extension.
How Binding Works
Binding connects a specific PackCam Kiosk device to your Chrome Extension so the extension knows which camera to use. This is a one-time setup per device/extension pair.
Binding Steps
- Open the PackCam Chrome Extension in your browser.
- In the extension, enter the serial number of the Kiosk device you want to bind.
- The extension will send a binding request. It will display a set of confirmation codes on screen.
- Switch to the admin panel at app.packcam.ai and go to the Devices section.
- You’ll see a binding request notification appear on the matching device card.
- The admin panel will show the same set of confirmation codes. Click the code that matches what’s displayed in your Chrome Extension.
- Once the correct code is selected, the binding is confirmed. The device card will show a “Claimed” badge and the extension is now linked to that device.
Why confirmation codes? This two-step verification ensures the correct device is bound to the correct extension, preventing accidental mismatches in environments with multiple devices.
After Binding
- The Chrome Extension can now communicate with the bound device.
- The device status (online/offline) updates in real time in the admin panel.
- You can manage or unbind the device at any time from the admin panel.
Managing Your Devices
From the Devices section of the admin panel, you can:
| Action | How |
|---|---|
| Rename a device | Click the device name to edit it inline. Max 100 characters. |
| See device status | A green indicator means online; gray means offline. |
| Unbind from extension | Open the device menu (three dots) → “Unbind Packstation” |
| Unclaim a device | Open the device menu (three dots) → “Unclaim Device”. If bound, it will be unbound first. |
| View live feed | Online devices show a live camera preview directly in the admin panel. |
Troubleshooting
The Kiosk is stuck on “This device isn’t claimed yet”
- Make sure the device is connected to the internet.
- Try clicking “Open app.packcam.ai” on the Kiosk to go to the admin panel and claim the device.
- If discovery doesn’t find it, use the “Add Manually” option with the serial number shown on screen.
Discovery doesn’t find my device
- Ensure the Kiosk is powered on and connected to the internet.
- The device must be online and unclaimed to appear in discovery results.
- Try refreshing the discovery scan by closing and reopening the “Discover devices” dialog.
- As a fallback, use “Add Manually” and enter the serial number directly.
Chrome Extension binding request doesn’t appear in the admin panel
- Make sure you’re logged into the admin panel with the same account that claimed the device.
- Verify the serial number entered in the extension matches the device’s actual serial number.
- Check that the admin panel is open and connected (you should see real-time device status updates).
- Try refreshing the admin panel page.
The confirmation codes don’t match
- Make sure you’re looking at the binding request for the correct device.
- If the codes expired or don’t match, cancel the request in the extension and try again.
Device shows as offline
- Check that the Kiosk is powered on and connected to the internet.
- The device status updates in real time — it may take a few seconds to reflect changes.
Need Help?
If you run into any issues not covered here, reach out to our support team at app.packcam.ai or contact your account administrator.