Aqara Camera Not Recording? A Troubleshooting Guide
An Aqara smart camera is a great addition to your home, but it's only effective if it records when it's supposed to. If you've noticed that there is no footage on your microSD card or your network-attached storage (NAS), this guide will help you diagnose and solve the most common recording issues.
## Step 1: Check Your MicroSD Card
The most frequent culprit for recording failures is the microSD card itself.
- Compatibility: Ensure you are using a compatible microSD card. Aqara recommends a Class 10, U1/V10, or higher speed card from a well-known, reputable brand. Low-quality or counterfeit cards are prone to failure and may not be fast enough to handle continuous video recording.
- Capacity and Format: Supported capacity is typically up to 128GB (check your specific model's specifications). The card must be formatted in the FAT32 file format. If your card is 64GB or larger, it was likely formatted as exFAT by default, which may not be compatible.
- Format the Card in the App: The best way to ensure compatibility is to format the card using the Aqara camera itself.
- Insert the microSD card into the camera.
- Open the Aqara Home app and navigate to your camera's page.
- Go to Settings (...) > Storage Settings > SD Card Storage.
- You should see the card's status. Tap on "Format storage card". This will erase all data and format it correctly for the camera.
- Test the Card: If formatting doesn't work, the card itself might be faulty. Try it in another device, like a computer, to see if it can be read from and written to.
## Step 2: Verify Recording Settings in the App
If the SD card is healthy and formatted, the next step is to check that the camera is instructed to record.
- Navigate to Storage Settings: In the Aqara Home app, go to your camera's settings page and select "Storage Settings".
- Check SD Card Recording Status: Ensure the toggle for "SD Card Recording" is turned on. If it's off, nothing will be saved to the card.
- Choose Your Recording Mode: Below the toggle, you will find the recording mode options:
- Full Time Recording: This will record video 24/7, overwriting the oldest footage when the card is full.
- Event Recording: This will only record short clips when a specific event is triggered (like motion detection or an alert from the security system). If you have this selected but no events are being triggered, no recordings will be made.
- Turn off video recording: This option disables all recording.
For troubleshooting, it's often best to select "Full Time Recording" to confirm the camera can write to the card continuously.
## Step 3: Check Automation and Alert Settings
If you are using "Event Recording," you must ensure your detection settings are active.
- Go to Detection Settings: In the camera's main settings menu, look for "Detection Settings" or "Motion Detection".
- Enable Detection: Make sure that motion detection is enabled and that the sensitivity is set to an appropriate level. If sensitivity is too low, it may not trigger a recording.
- Check Home Guard / Alert System: Ensure that the camera's detection is active in your current security mode (e.g., Away, Home). If the system is disarmed, event recording may be disabled by design.
## Step 4: Update Firmware and Reboot
Finally, software glitches can sometimes interfere with normal operations.
- Check for Firmware Updates: In the camera's settings, go to "Firmware Update" and install any available updates. These often contain important bug fixes.
- Reboot the Camera: A simple reboot can clear temporary errors. You can do this through the app in the settings menu or by unplugging the camera from its power source for 30 seconds and then plugging it back in.
By systematically checking your storage media, app settings, and firmware, you can quickly get to the bottom of why your Aqara camera is not recording.