Growatt ShinePhone setup & account transfer guide
How to create a ShinePhone account and add your Growatt inverter — whether you're setting up monitoring for the first time or taking over a system previously registered to an installer or previous homeowner. Covers serial number location, account creation, and the orphaned account transfer process.
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There are two common reasons you need this guide — the setup process is different for each.
The system has no monitoring account registered yet, or was only set up through the installer's portal. Start at First-time setup.
ShinePhone says the device is already claimed. You need an account transfer — go to Account transfer.
Not affiliated with Growatt. Independent setup support and account transfer assistance.
Find your Growatt inverter serial number
You need the inverter serial number to add your system to ShinePhone. Without it, you cannot register the device to your account. Find it before you start — it will save you having to go back to the inverter mid-setup.
Inverter label (most reliable)
The serial number is printed on a white or silver label on the side or bottom panel of the inverter. On most Growatt models it is a 10-character code — letters followed by numbers. Look for the field labelled S/N or Serial No.
Installation documentation
If you received a handover pack from your installer or the previous homeowner, the serial number should be on the system specification sheet or commissioning certificate. Check any paperwork left in the property.
ShinePhone (if already linked)
If the system is already showing data in ShinePhone under another account, the serial number may be visible in the device settings. Tap the plant, then the device, and look for the device information or details screen. This also confirms the exact format to use when contacting Growatt for a transfer.
NExxxxxxxxx or similar alphanumeric codes. If you have a WiFi datalogger (a small plug-in device attached to the inverter's RS485 port or USB slot), that also has its own serial number — make sure you use the inverter serial, not the datalogger serial, when registering in ShinePhone.
Setting up ShinePhone for the first time
Follow these steps if the system has never been registered in ShinePhone, or if you're setting up your own account independently of any previous installer account. If ShinePhone tells you the device is already registered to another account, skip to the account transfer section.
Search for ShinePhone on the Apple App Store (iOS) or Google Play Store (Android). The official app is published by Growatt New Energy Technology Co. Ltd. Download and install it — the app is free. The app connects to the ShineServer cloud platform at server.growatt.com.
Open ShinePhone and tap Register to create a new account. Enter your email address and set a password. You can also register directly at server.growatt.com in a web browser — both use the same account. Use an email address you own and will always have access to, not a shared or temporary address.
Once logged in, tap the + icon and select Add Plant. Enter your installation details — address, installation date, and system capacity if known. The Plant is the container for your inverter(s) and battery. Give it a name you'll recognise, such as your house name or address.
Inside the Plant, tap Add Device and enter your inverter serial number exactly as it appears on the label — matching case. ShinePhone will search for the device on the Growatt network. If the serial is accepted, the inverter will be linked to your plant.
For live data to appear in ShinePhone, the Growatt WiFi datalogger (the small device attached to your inverter's communications port) must be connected to your home WiFi. If data doesn't appear within 5–10 minutes of adding the device, the datalogger may not be online. See WiFi not connecting for step-by-step help.
Transferring a Growatt ShinePhone account to a new owner
Most Growatt systems installed before 2022 were registered under the installer's ShineServer account, not the homeowner's. When you buy a property with solar already installed — or your installer has gone out of business — you inherit a system you can't access. This is called an orphaned account, and it requires a formal transfer request to Growatt.
If the installer is still trading and accessible, the simplest route is to ask them to either remove the system from their account (so you can add it fresh) or transfer the plant to a new account in your name via ShineServer.
- Quickest route — can be done same day
- Installer logs into ShineServer and reassigns plant ownership
- No documentation required — handled within the portal
If the installer has gone bust, is unresponsive, or the account was set up under a previous homeowner's details, you need to go directly to Growatt UK to request a forced transfer. This requires proof of ownership.
- Contact Growatt UK at service@growatt.com
- Provide serial number, address, and proof of ownership
- Allow 3–7 working days for processing
Orphaned account transfer — step by step
If path B applies to you, here is exactly what to do and what to include in your email to Growatt UK.
Before contacting Growatt, set up your own account at server.growatt.com or via the ShinePhone app. When Growatt processes the transfer, they will move the device registration into your account — so you need the account to exist and be ready. Note down your registered email address.
Before sending your email, collect the following. Missing information will delay the transfer.
Send a clear email to service@growatt.com — this is Growatt Technologies UK Ltd, the UK distributor responsible for handling account transfers and warranty support. Explain that you are the new property owner, provide all the information listed above, and attach your proof of ownership document. Be concise and factual — include all required information in the first email to avoid back-and-forth.
Growatt UK typically processes orphaned account transfers within 3–7 working days of receiving all required documentation. If you haven't heard back after 7 working days, send a polite follow-up referencing your original email date and serial number. Once transferred, you'll receive confirmation and the system will appear in your ShinePhone account.
If you bought a property with solar and are dealing with multiple issues at once — missing documentation, an absent installer, and no monitoring access — our bought a house with solar guide covers everything in sequence. For installer-specific account problems, see the monitoring account transfer guide for a full walkthrough across all brands.
ShinePhone app vs ShineServer portal — what each one does
Growatt's monitoring has two interfaces that use the same login. Understanding the difference prevents confusion when you're looking for specific settings or data.
ShinePhone — mobile app
The ShinePhone app is the primary day-to-day monitoring tool for most homeowners. It shows live generation, battery state of charge, grid import and export, and home consumption in a visual flow diagram. Historical data is accessible by day, week, and month.
- Live energy flow — solar, battery, grid, home
- Battery state of charge and charge/discharge status
- Fault codes and alerts (when triggered)
- Daily, weekly, monthly generation history
ShineServer — web portal
ShineServer at server.growatt.com is the browser-based portal. It uses the same login as ShinePhone and shows the same monitoring data, but also provides access to data exports, inverter parameter settings, and more detailed device management tools — including account and plant management.
- All ShinePhone data plus detailed parameter settings
- CSV data export for energy analysis
- Plant and device management (add/remove devices)
- Account sharing settings for sub-users
Same account, both platforms: You do not need separate accounts for ShinePhone and ShineServer. Create one account and use the same email and password to log in to both. Settings and data sync automatically — there is no advantage to using one over the other for monitoring, only for configuration and export tasks where ShineServer provides more options.
ShinePhone shows no data after setup
If you've completed setup but ShinePhone shows zero figures, no live flow, or "--" across the dashboard, the inverter has been registered correctly in your account but the datalogger is not transmitting data to Growatt's servers. This is a WiFi or connectivity issue — not an account problem.
Common causes of no data in ShinePhone
The datalogger must be connected to your home WiFi — not the inverter's own hotspot. Check the datalogger's indicator light: a steady light usually indicates a live connection; a flashing or orange light typically indicates it is searching for a network or has lost connection. Follow the WiFi not connecting guide to reconnect it.
If your home WiFi password has been changed since the system was installed — including after a new router — the datalogger will have lost its connection and needs to be reconfigured. This requires logging into the datalogger's own configuration interface, usually accessed via its temporary hotspot. See the WiFi reconnection guide for the full process.
After first connecting the datalogger, allow 5–10 minutes for the first data to appear in ShinePhone. The datalogger sends updates at intervals rather than continuously. If data still hasn't appeared after 20 minutes and the datalogger appears online, try force-closing and reopening the ShinePhone app before assuming there is a problem.
If you entered the datalogger serial number rather than the inverter serial number, the device may appear registered but show no data — or it may show an error. Remove the device from your plant and re-add it using the inverter serial number taken directly from the label. The datalogger's serial is typically on a separate sticker or the packaging.
If ShinePhone is consistently showing no data and you've confirmed the datalogger is connected, the issue may be with the datalogger itself or an inverter communication fault. See the full monitoring offline guide for a complete diagnostic, or book a remote diagnostic for hands-on help.
ShinePhone setup — common questions
First, find your inverter serial number on the label on the side or bottom of the inverter. Then download ShinePhone from the App Store or Google Play, register a new account with your own email address, and try adding the inverter using its serial number. If the serial is accepted, you're done — wait 5–10 minutes for data to appear. If ShinePhone says the device is already registered, you'll need to request a transfer from Growatt UK at service@growatt.com. Our new homeowner guide covers everything else you may need to sort out alongside this.
Email service@growatt.com with your inverter serial number, property address, and proof of ownership (a completion statement, mortgage offer, or solicitor letter works). Create your own ShinePhone account first and include your account email so they know where to transfer the device. Growatt UK handles these orphaned transfers and typically processes them within 3–7 working days. For a complete guide covering this and other post-installer issues, see monitoring account transfer.
Growatt UK typically accepts a completion statement from your solicitor, Land Registry documentation, or a letter from a solicitor confirming you own or occupy the property. A mortgage offer or tenancy agreement may also be accepted, but a completion statement or Land Registry document is the most straightforward. Avoid sending utility bills alone — these confirm occupancy but not ownership, which is what's required for a forced transfer from a registered account.
It means the inverter serial number is already linked to another ShinePhone or ShineServer account — typically your original installer's company account or the previous homeowner's account. You cannot bypass this or force a registration from your end. The only route is to either get the current account holder to release the device, or contact Growatt UK at service@growatt.com to request an orphaned account transfer with proof of ownership.
Yes — a Growatt inverter operates independently of the ShinePhone app. If the WiFi datalogger is disconnected or the monitoring account is inaccessible, the inverter still generates power, charges the battery, and operates normally. ShinePhone is for monitoring and configuration only; losing access to it does not affect the inverter's operation. That said, without monitoring access you cannot see fault codes, check battery state of charge, or adjust charge schedules — which makes problem diagnosis significantly harder. Sorting the account transfer is worth doing.
Can't get ShinePhone working? We can help.
Whether the datalogger won't connect, the account transfer isn't moving, or you've set everything up and still see no data — we can diagnose the issue remotely and walk you through the fix. Engineer-to-homeowner, plain English. Setup support from £75.