Not available in outdoor mode. Crowd detect is not supported on M3 sensors installed in outdoor mode. It is available on M3 sensors in indoor mode, and on M2 sensors.
How Crowd detect works
Crowd detect works by counting the number of wireless devices: phones, tablets, laptops, smartwatches, that the Minut sensor detects nearby. When the device count exceeds the threshold calculated from your unit's guest capacity, Minut sends an alert.
The feature does not use a camera, microphone recording, or any form of audio or visual surveillance. It only counts wireless device signals. No personal data from those devices is collected or stored.
Detection method | Counts wireless device signals (Wi-Fi probe requests) near the sensor |
Compatible sensors | M3 (indoor mode only), M2. Not available on M3 in outdoor mode or on the E1. |
Capacity range | Set between 1 and 50 guests. The alert threshold is calculated automatically from this value. |
Battery impact | Crowd detect increases battery drain. On the M3, enabling it reduces battery life noticeably. |
What it can signal
Early party detection
A high device count before noise levels escalate can give you an early warning that an unauthorised gathering is forming.
Confirmed noise event
A high device count combined with a noise alert strengthens the signal that an unwanted party is underway, not just a brief loud moment.
Occupancy violations
Persistent high device counts during a stay can indicate guests are exceeding the number allowed under your house rules or platform terms.
Use Crowd detect alongside noise monitoring, not instead of it. Device count alone is not conclusive; a neighbouring property with many devices, or a guest with multiple devices, can influence the reading. The most useful signal is a high device count combined with elevated noise levels.
How the threshold is calculated
Crowd detect does not alert when device count reaches your guest capacity; it alerts when the count suggests significantly more people than you set. The threshold accounts for the fact that people carry an average of 1.5 devices each, and alerts when the estimated occupancy is 2.5 times your set capacity.
Example
Unity capacity set to 4 guests
4 Guest capacity x 2.4 Crowd multiplier x 1.5 Devices per person = 15 Alert threshold
Alert triggers when 15 or more wireless devices are detected: estimated to represent 10 people, which is 2.5× the set capacity of 4.
You set the guest capacity value during unit setup, or can change it at any time from the unit screen. The threshold is recalculated automatically.
Enable Crowd detect
Open the rental unit
In the Minut app, tap Properties and select the rental unit where you want to enable Crowd detect.
Set guest capacity
If you haven't already set a capacity for this unit, tap the settings icon (⚙) → Edit unit → set the Stays capacity value. This can be between 1 and 50. The alert threshold is calculated from this value.
Capacity can be changed at any time; the threshold updates immediately
Turn on Crowd detect
From the rental unit view, tap Crowd detect to toggle it on. The sensor will begin counting wireless devices near the unit.
Alerts
When the device count exceeds the calculated threshold, all team members with access to the rental unit receive a push notification. If email notifications are enabled for your account, an email is also sent.
Who is notified | All team members with access to the rental unit |
Notification type | Push notification and email (if email notifications are enabled) |
Alert log | All Crowd detect events appear in the rental unit's event log |
Guest notification | No notification is sent to guests; Crowd detect alerts the host team only |
Battery impact
Crowd detect requires the sensor to continuously scan for wireless device signals. This uses more power than standard monitoring and will reduce battery life.
M3 sensor | Enabling Crowd detect noticeably reduces battery life; particularly in busy areas with many Wi-Fi devices present. Consider hardwiring the sensor via the AC Power Adapter or PoE Adapter if Crowd detect is always on. |
M2 sensor | Same impact applies. If battery life is a concern, disable Crowd detect when a stay is not active or consider hardwiring. |
Best practice | Enable Crowd detect only for units where occupancy violations are a known risk, rather than across your entire portfolio by default. |
Limitations
Device count is an estimate, not an exact headcount. The reading is influenced by neighbouring properties, guests with multiple devices, smart home devices, and how actively devices are broadcasting. It is a useful signal, especially combined with noise data, but should not be treated as a precise occupancy count.
Not available in outdoor mode. Crowd detect is not supported on M3 sensors installed in outdoor mode. If your sensor is in outdoor mode and you need Crowd detect, an indoor-mode sensor would need to be installed indoors in the same unit.
Not available on the E1. The E1 sensor does not support Crowd detect.