Is Your Aqara Camera Failing to Save Footage Locally?
For any smart security camera, the ability to store recordings locally is a vital feature. It provides a reliable backup, ensures access to footage even during internet outages, and gives you direct control over your data. When your Aqara camera isn't saving footage to the local microSD card, it can undermine the effectiveness of your entire security setup.
This comprehensive guide is designed to walk you through the most common reasons for this issue and provide you with clear, actionable steps to resolve it. Whether you're dealing with an unrecognised SD card, corrupted files, or incorrect settings, we'll help you get your local storage working perfectly.
Common Symptoms of Local Storage Failure
You might be experiencing one or more of the following signs that your Aqara camera is having trouble saving footage:
- No new video clips appear on the microSD card timeline in the app.
- The Aqara Home app displays an error message like 'No SD Card' or 'SD Card Error'.
- You find that recorded video files are corrupted, unplayable, or have missing segments.
- The camera appears to stop recording entirely after a short period.
- The option to enable local storage is greyed out or inaccessible within the camera's settings.
- For hub-based storage, the hub fails to recognise a connected USB drive.
- Important video clips triggered by motion are missing from the playback timeline.
How to Fix Aqara 'Can't Save Locally' Issues
Follow these troubleshooting steps in order. In most cases, one of these solutions will resolve the problem and restore your camera's local recording functionality.
1. Check SD Card Compatibility and Health
The most frequent cause of local storage problems is the microSD card itself. Not all cards are created equal, and security cameras require specific types for reliable operation.
- Use a High-Endurance Card: Standard microSD cards can fail quickly under the constant writing and rewriting of a security camera. Ensure you are using a high-endurance microSD card from a reputable manufacturer like SanDisk or Samsung.
- Verify Compatibility: Check that the card's capacity (e.g., 32GB, 64GB) is supported by your specific Aqara camera model.
- Format the Card in the App: This is a critical step. Always format the microSD card inside the Aqara Home app, not on a computer. This ensures it has the correct file structure for the camera. You can find this option in your camera's settings under 'Storage'.
- Test the Card: If problems persist, remove the card and test it in a computer with an SD card adapter. If the computer cannot read or write to it, the card has likely failed and needs replacing.
2. Verify Camera and Hub Settings
Sometimes, the issue is not with the hardware but with a simple software setting.
- Enable Local Recording: Double-check within the Aqara Home app that local recording is actually enabled for your camera. Navigate to your camera's settings > Storage Settings and ensure the toggle for 'Local Storage' or 'SD Card Recording' is on.
- Check Recording Mode: Confirm whether you have set the camera to 'Continuous Recording' or 'Event Recording'. If it's set to record only on events, you won't see a continuous timeline of footage, which can be mistaken for a fault.
3. Inspect Network and Power Stability
A stable connection and consistent power are essential for uninterrupted recording.
- Stable Power Supply: Ensure the camera is connected to a reliable power source using the original power adapter and cable. A brief power interruption can corrupt a video file that is being written to the card.
- Stable Wi-Fi Connection: While the camera records locally without internet, a poor Wi-Fi connection can prevent you from accessing settings or viewing recordings correctly in the app. Ensure the camera has a strong and stable Wi-Fi signal.
4. Update Your Firmware
Aqara regularly releases firmware updates that can fix bugs and improve performance, including issues related to storage.
- Check for Updates: Open the Aqara Home app, go to your camera's settings, and look for a 'Firmware Update' or 'Device Update' option. Install any available updates for both the camera and the Aqara hub if you use one.
5. Factory Reset as a Last Resort
If none of the above steps have worked, a factory reset can resolve deeper software issues. This will erase your settings and require you to set up the camera again.
- Perform the Reset: Locate the reset button on your Aqara camera (it's often a small pinhole). Press and hold it for about 10 seconds until the device gives an audio or visual cue that it is resetting.
- Re-configure: Once the camera has reset, you will need to go through the initial setup process again in the Aqara Home app, including re-connecting to your Wi-Fi and re-enabling your storage settings.