@JamieP97 

Hi,
You may misunderstand the Alarm feature on the Tapo camera. With the Alarm feature turned on, the camera will alarm when it detects events.

If you want to manually activate the camera alarm, you can create a shortcut for a try. Here's how to set it up: 
How to create Smart Action (Automation or Shortcut) on Tapo app
    1. Open the Tapo app and navigate to the Smart tab. Click the "+" icon to add a new Shortcut.
    2. Within the Shortcut, select "Control One Device," then choose your camera and tap "Play Sound." Here, you can choose different alarm sounds and set the alarm duration.
    3. Then name your shortcut and select an icon for it. After you add the Shortcut entry, you can go to the Shortcut page and tap it to make the camera alarm.

Note: This "Play Sound" action is currently supported on some camera models only, and others will be gradually adapted to support it. If you can't find the "Play Sound" action for your camera model, please wait patiently for the firmware updates.

Best Regards