Seeing in the Dark: An August Night Vision Troubleshooting Guide
The August Doorbell Camera is a great way to see who is at your door, day or night. However, if your nighttime video feed is dark, blurry, or simply not working, it compromises your home's security. Usually, this issue is caused by a simple settings mix-up, environmental factors, or a power-related problem.
Follow these steps to diagnose and fix the night vision on your August Doorbell Camera and ensure you always have a clear view of your doorstep.
### 1. Essential First Checks
Start with the basics inside the August app and on the device itself.
- Check Night Vision Settings: Open your August app and navigate to the settings for your doorbell camera. Find the 'Night Vision' or 'Low Light' settings. Ensure that it is enabled or set to 'Auto'. This allows the camera to automatically activate its infrared (IR) LEDs when it gets dark.
- Clean the Lens and Sensor Area: The front of your doorbell can easily get dirty. Dust, pollen, rain spots, or fingerprints on the lens will cause the night vision image to look blurry, hazy, or have a significant glare. Gently wipe the entire front surface of the doorbell with a soft, clean microfibre cloth.
### 2. Investigate Power and Environmental Issues
The camera's performance, especially at night, is highly dependent on its power supply and surroundings.
- Ensure Sufficient Power: The August Doorbell Cam relies on the power from your existing doorbell wiring. Night vision, with its IR LEDs, requires more power than daytime operation. If your doorbell transformer is old or underpowered, it might not provide enough voltage. This can result in night vision not activating or performing poorly. If you suspect this, you may need an electrician to test your transformer and upgrade it if necessary.
- Check for Light Interference: A bright porch light positioned right next to or above the doorbell can confuse the camera's ambient light sensor. The camera may think it's still daytime and fail to switch into night vision mode. To test this, turn your porch light off at night and see if the camera's black-and-white IR mode activates.
- Minimise IR Reflection: The invisible infrared light used for night vision can reflect off surfaces close to the doorbell, such as a nearby wall, a door frame, or even a protective case. This reflection can bounce back into the lens, creating a 'white-out' effect that makes the rest of the image dark. Ensure there are no obstructions directly in front of the doorbell.
### 3. Restart and Update
If the problem isn't physical, a software refresh can help.
- Reboot the Doorbell Camera: A simple restart can clear up many temporary software glitches. The easiest way to do this is to go to the circuit breaker that controls your doorbell chime and turn it off. Wait for 30-60 seconds, and then switch it back on. This will force the August Doorbell to restart completely.
- Update Firmware: Check within the August app for any available firmware updates for your device. Manufacturers often release updates that include bug fixes and performance improvements, which could resolve your night vision issues.
By carefully working through these steps, you can identify the root cause of your night vision problems and get your August Doorbell Camera back to providing a clear and secure view of your front door, no matter the time of day.