@sae24 

@E317104

@Underneath

Hello everyone. I found a final solution that seems to me better for both cases  (mounted or not on the wall).

The difficult part is to build a mini crowbar, the only tool needed to open the floor of the camera (simply fitted, without screws)

that will also be used to remove the tabs that hold the base.
I used a small saw blade, sharpened at one end and slightly curved !

Take care, don´t touch the lubricant cream in the inside, it is all necessary for the proper functioning of the PAN movement.

No more solutions from myself, I promise :)

Recently I did the same 'let's try it' accident with the base and spent some time trying not to break it.

As a result I shot a 3-minute tutorial how to detach the base without any damage, complicated tools or disassembly. Enjoy.

How to safely detach Tapo C200 base
@sae24 

@sae24 

Like many other people in the forum, I tried too to attach the baseplate to camera before fixing it to the wall. To my horror, it wont come back off. I tried all twisting and turning but it was locked in fully. I was bit worried that now it's all ruined and I wont be able to remove the base plate. After all the frustration and worries, I came up with a solution and was able to de-attach the base plate.

All you need is a small scissor having a thin blade (you can try something similar too) then insert the tip of the one blade between slight opening of base plate and the camera. Now bend the scissor blade down, this will relax the lock between base plate and the camera. After doing this couple of times you will see the opening has become more. Now while bending the baseplate with scissor try twisting back the base plate. It should now come off. If it doesnt happen soon be patient try this technique couple of times and it will come off.

All the best!

@M520-4000 

Good one bro!

Thanks for sharing.

1. Hold the camera upside down, and rotate it so the square holes on the mounting base plate are in the 12 o´clock and 6 o'clock position.

2. Insert the tip of a flat screwdriver into the square hole at the 12 o'clock position, on the left side of the hole, with the handle leaning to the right., 

3. Hold the camera firmly and pry gently, moving the screwdriver handle to the left.

@sae24 Firstly I did the same as everyone else with a trial mount but I realised how hard it was going to be just to get the plate on so I applied some silicone spray to the parts that contact each other on the base.

That made it easier to get on but then I couldn't get enough pressure on the base even when off the wall to undo it again. Seriously did anyone at TP-Link think that you might actually want to remove the camera once it was affixed to the wall ? Doesn't seem so. What a crap design for what is a pretty good little camera. It probably wouldn't have been so hard to turn if not for the tiny little raised male plastic parts/lugs on the mounting base that I assume slot into female depressions inside the camera base that make it almost impossible to undo once the base and the camera are joined.

In the end as I hadn't put it on the wall I got a pair of scissors, opened them and stuck them in the screw holes on the bottom plate, held the camera base firmly and turned anti-clockwise until it came off. It made a nasty snapping sound as it did so and I thought I had broken the plate or the lugs but I was lucky. Now I am trying to think of a better method to mount it because once it is on the wall it's going to be almost impossible to get it off again. So a burglar will have to either rip the camera off the wall or smash it with a hammer - he/she certainly won't be able to unscrew it carefully from its base.

I am thinking of filing those tiny lugs down with the wife's diamond nail file when she is out before I put it up on the wall. Once they are filed down there is almost nothing to stop it twisting off more easily. I'll also use more silicone lubricant or some food-grade grease or even vaseline would do on the friction parts between the camera base and the baseplate before I put it on the wall.

If you are reading this TP-Link then I hope you get a designer with some intelligence for the new model Tapo C300 mounting plate !

@Brook You just forgot to mention that you need to be super strong to get it onto the base. And Superman to get it off again.

@sae24 

Following technique worked for me very easily.

1. Hold the camera upside down, and rotate it so the square holes on the mounting base plate are in the 12 o´clock and 6 o'clock position.

2. Insert the tip of a flat screwdriver into the square hole at the 12 o'clock position, on the left side of the hole, with the handle leaning to the right., 

3. Hold the camera firmly and pry gently, moving the screwdriver handle to the left.

So TP Link never thought that anyone would attach the base plate to the camera unless it was attached first to the wall?

It the screwdriver approach doesn't work to detach the base plate, I found it is possible to get enough grip with a monkey wrench which then can be easily rotated for the same effect - without needing to drill holes or any other damage.  Obviously need a monkey wrench able to fit - so wide enough for a 2 inch / 6 cm pipe.

Quick and easy without any damage.