Is Your Aqara Camera Failing to Save to the Cloud?
Aqara's cloud storage service is a crucial feature, ensuring your important motion-triggered recordings are stored safely and remotely. When this service fails, you lose the evidence and peace of mind your security system is supposed to provide. If you're facing issues with clips not uploading, playback errors, or subscription problems, this guide is here to help.
We'll walk you through the common causes of Aqara cloud storage issues and provide clear, actionable steps to get your recordings uploading reliably again.
Common Symptoms of Cloud Storage Problems
First, let's identify the specific issue you're encountering. The most common symptoms include:
- Clips Not Uploading: Your camera detects motion and sends a notification, but the video clip never appears in the cloud storage section of the app.
- 'Upload Failed' Errors: You receive specific error messages indicating that a video clip could not be saved to the cloud.
- Playback Issues: You can see a thumbnail for a recording, but it won't play, gets stuck buffering, or shows an error when you try to view it.
- Subscription Errors: The app indicates that you do not have an active cloud subscription, even though you have paid for one.
- Missing Recordings: You notice gaps in your recording history where you know events should have been captured.
- Storage Appears Full: You receive a notification that your cloud storage is full, but you believe it should have more space available.
If any of these points describe your situation, follow the troubleshooting steps below.
How to Troubleshoot Aqara Cloud Storage Issues
Let's start with the most common and easiest-to-fix causes.
1. Verify Your Subscription Status
First, ensure your cloud storage plan is active and correctly associated with your account.
- Check Subscription in the App: Open the Aqara app and navigate to the "Profile" or "Me" tab. Find the "Cloud Storage" section and confirm that your subscription is listed as "Active".
- Verify Correct Account: If you have multiple Aqara accounts, double-check that you are logged into the one that holds the cloud subscription.
- Restore Purchases: In the subscription menu, there is often an option to "Restore Purchases". Tapping this can sometimes re-sync your app with the payment information from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.
2. Check the Camera and Hub's Network Connection
A stable internet connection with sufficient upload speed is essential for cloud storage to work.
- Wi-Fi Signal Strength: Check the Wi-Fi signal for both the camera and the Aqara hub it's connected to. A weak or unstable signal will cause uploads to fail. Try moving your router closer or using a Wi-Fi extender if the signal is poor.
- Run a Speed Test: Your network needs adequate upload speed. Run a speed test to ensure you have at least 1-2 Mbps of upload bandwidth available per camera.
- Reboot Your Devices: A simple power cycle can resolve many temporary network glitches. Unplug your Aqara hub, your camera, and your internet router from power. Wait for 60 seconds, then plug them back in, starting with the router.
3. Update Firmware and App Version
Bugs in outdated software can often cause storage issues.
- Update the Aqara App: Go to your device's app store (Google Play or Apple App Store) and check for any updates to the Aqara Home app.
- Update Device Firmware: In the app, check for firmware updates for both your Aqara camera and your Aqara hub. Manufacturers regularly release updates to fix bugs and improve performance. Installing the latest firmware is a critical troubleshooting step.
4. Manage Your Storage and Settings
- Check Storage Space: In the cloud storage settings, verify that you haven't run out of space. While most plans are based on a rolling number of days (e.g., 7-day or 30-day history), it's worth checking.
- Delete Old Clips: If your plan is based on storage capacity rather than days, you may need to manually delete old, unimportant clips to make space for new recordings.
- Check Camera Settings: Ensure the camera is configured to record to the cloud. In the camera's settings, there may be an option to choose between SD card storage and cloud storage; make sure "Cloud" is selected as the destination for motion recordings.
By systematically checking your subscription, network, and software, you can resolve the majority of issues preventing your Aqara camera from successfully saving clips to the cloud.