Amcrest Motion Detection Not Working? | A Complete Solutions Guide
When your Amcrest motion detection fails to work as expected, your security system can't do its primary job: alerting you to potential threats. Whether you're getting no recordings, no notifications, or an overwhelming number of false alarms, this guide will provide the solutions you need.
We will cover everything from the basic setup in the Amcrest web interface and mobile apps to advanced configurations like sensitivity, threshold, and scheduling, ensuring you can fine-tune your camera's performance.
## Essential First Steps for Troubleshooting
Before diving into complex settings, let's confirm the fundamentals are in place. These steps resolve the majority of Amcrest motion detection issues.
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Is Motion Detection Enabled? Log into your camera's web interface using its IP address. Navigate to Setup -> Event -> Motion Detect. The most important setting is the "Enable" checkbox at the top. Ensure it is ticked.
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Have You Set a Region? While in the Motion Detect menu, click on the "Region" tab. You must define the area where the camera should look for motion. The screen will show your camera's view. Click and drag to draw one or more coloured boxes over the areas of interest (e.g., a doorway, a garden path). If no region is set, the camera will not detect anything.
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Check the Schedule Next, go to the "Schedule" tab. This page shows a 24/7 grid. Make sure the times you want motion detection to be active are highlighted (usually in green). If the grid is blank, the feature is disabled. You can click "All" to enable it 24/7.
## Configuring Sensitivity and Threshold
Getting too many false alerts or missing real events? Fine-tuning your sensitivity and threshold is key.
- Sensitivity: This setting, on a scale of 1-100, determines how much change is needed in the image to be considered 'motion'. A higher number means even small movements (like shadows or rain) can trigger an alert. A lower number requires more significant movement. We suggest starting at 80 and lowering it if you get false alarms.
- Threshold: This setting works with sensitivity. It defines what percentage of the pixels within the sensitive area must change at the same time to trigger an event. A higher threshold means a larger object is needed to trigger a recording.
Pro Tip: For outdoor cameras, try setting a slightly lower sensitivity (e.g., 70) and a slightly higher threshold (e.g., 5-10) to reduce alerts from weather and small animals.
## Solving Notification and Recording Issues
If detection seems to be working but you're not getting alerts or recordings, check these settings.
### For Recordings
In the web interface, go to Setup -> Storage -> Schedule. Ensure the "Motion" box is checked for the times you want to record. The grid here should match your detection schedule. Also, check that your MicroSD card or NVR has free space and is functioning correctly.
### For Push Notifications
Notifications are typically managed through the mobile app, such as Amcrest View Pro or Amcrest Smart Home.
- Open the app and go to the configuration or settings for your camera.
- Find the "Push Notifications" or "Motion Alert" section.
- Ensure notifications are enabled for your device.
- Crucially, check your phone's main settings menu. Go to Apps -> Amcrest -> Notifications and make sure all permissions are granted.
## Final Checks and Firmware
- Reboot the Camera: A simple power cycle (unplugging for 30 seconds) can clear temporary software bugs.
- Update Firmware: Visit the Amcrest support website, find the page for your camera model, and check if a new firmware version is available. Firmware updates often contain important bug fixes that can improve motion detection reliability.
By following this comprehensive guide, you can systematically address the common points of failure and configure your Amcrest camera for accurate and reliable motion detection.