Choose your preferred method to activate Samsara devices:
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Install and activate your Samsara devices with the Samsara Fleet App, designed for a smooth onboarding experience. (Recommended)
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Activate Devices Individually in the Samsara dashboard.
Note
To activate devices, you must be assigned a Full Admin role or a custom role that allows Device Activation.
Use the Samsara Fleet App to streamline Samsara device installations directly at the vehicle. Installing devices using the Samsara Fleet App during setup provides clearer visibility and more reliable validation than dashboard-only activation flows, making it especially effective for installers:
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Accurate installation validation: The app confirms each device is set up correctly based on its type (for example, a Vehicle Gateway should collect diagnostics data, and a Camera Module should capture the right view).
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Real-time issue resolution: Fix errors immediately on-site to avoid delays or follow-ups.
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Rich data collection: Add photos and asset details during setup for complete and accurate device information in the dashboard.
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Deployment tracking: Monitor installation progress through detailed reporting and quickly assess rollout status across vehicles.
You can activate devices before or after you install them. If you activate before installation, you can confirm devices appear in the Samsara dashboard. If you install before activation, you can verify connectivity as soon as activation finishes.
If you are a new customer, you can activate devices individually if you prefer not to use the Samsara Fleet App. If you are an existing customer, see Activate New Devices from the Samsara Dashboard.
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Go to cloud.samsara.com or the regional Samsara cloud URL assigned to your organization (such as cloud.ca.samsara.com or cloud.eu.samsara.com) and sign in.
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Select the Settings icon (
) at the bottom of your Fleet menu.
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Select Devices, then click Activate devices in the top-right corner.
If you manage multiple Samsara cloud instances, click Activate devices for the organization where you want to add devices. If a serial number is already registered to a different organization, you are prompted to switch to that organization and repeat activation from its Devices page.
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If prompted, enter the Hardware Serial for each device, pressing Enter after each entry. Locate the serial number on the back of each physical Samsara device.
Scanning device barcodes or QR codes during installation is optional. After you activate devices on your account, they begin reporting data when they are powered and connected to the Samsara cloud.
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When done, click Activate devices.
The Samsara dashboard displays a green checkmark when activation is successful. Activation typically completes within a few minutes. For large deployments, activate devices in batches of 200 or fewer.
Note
If you receive an error message, verify the serial number and try again. If after you confirm the serial number and you still see an error message, go to the Samsara Support portal and either Submit a Request or click Help.
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Continue to the Fleet View of your Samsara dashboard.
From the Devices page, you can also view and manage newly activated devices by type using the Gateways, Cameras, or Sensors tabs.
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Proceed to Step 5: Install Samsara Hardware and Accessories.
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