Axis Camera Zone Settings Not Working? An Expert Guide

Stop False Alarms: A Guide to Axis Zone Settings

Axis cameras are top-tier, professional security devices offering robust and highly granular control over motion detection. If you're finding that your camera's activity zones aren't performing as expected—either by triggering constant false alarms or by missing important events—it's likely a matter of configuration rather than a fault with the hardware.

This guide will walk you through the best practices for setting up motion detection zones on your Axis camera, focusing on the powerful AXIS Video Motion Detection (VMD) application for superior accuracy.

## Using the Right Tool: AXIS Video Motion Detection (VMD)

While Axis cameras have some basic motion detection built-in, the best results are achieved by using the dedicated ACAP (AXIS Camera Application Platform) application called AXIS Video Motion Detection. It's a free application that you can install on your camera via its web interface. VMD version 4 is the current standard and offers significant advantages:

• Object Size and Linger Time: Filter out objects that are too small or that move too quickly.
• Swaying Object Filtering: Intelligently ignores objects like trees and flags that move but don't change position.
• Include and Exclude Zones: Offers precise control over your detection areas.

If you are not already using VMD 4, navigate to the Apps section in your camera's web interface to install and enable it.

## Configuring Zones in AXIS Video Motion Detection

All configuration is done through the camera's web interface.

### 1. Accessing the VMD Settings

1. Log in to your camera's web interface using its IP address.
2. Go to Settings > Apps > AXIS Video Motion Detection 4.
3. Click the 'Open' button to launch the VMD configuration interface.
4. You'll see a live view from the camera. Make sure you are on the 'Profile 1' tab.

### 2. Understanding Include vs. Exclude Zones

This is the most critical concept to grasp for successful configuration.

• Include Zones (Green): You draw these zones to define the general areas where you want to detect motion. For example, draw a large green box over your entire garden.
• Exclude Zones (Red): You draw these zones inside an existing include zone to mask out areas you want to ignore. For example, if there's a large bush in the middle of your garden that sways in the wind, you would draw a red exclude box over it. The camera will then detect motion anywhere in the green zone except for where the red zone is.

### 3. Setting Up Your Zones

1. Click the Add include zone button. Your cursor will change.
2. Click on the live image to draw a multi-point shape around your area of interest.
3. If needed, click the Add exclude zone button and draw a smaller shape inside your green zone to mask out a problematic area.
4. Crucially, click the 'Save' button in the main camera interface after you have configured the zones in the VMD window.

### 4. Fine-Tuning with Filters

On the right-hand side of the VMD interface, you'll find powerful filters.

• Small objects filter: Move this slider to the right to ignore smaller movements. The preview window will show you what is being ignored. This is excellent for filtering out insects, birds, or litter.
• Swaying objects filter: This is specifically designed to ignore things like vegetation. For most outdoor scenes, setting this to 'Medium' or 'High' is recommended.
• Short-lived objects filter (Linger Time): This filter requires an object to be visible for a certain amount of time before triggering an alert. This is highly effective at ignoring things like car headlights that sweep across an area very quickly.

## Linking Zones to Actions

Once your zones are configured, you need to tell the camera what to do when motion is detected.

1. In the camera's main web interface, go to Settings > System > Events.
2. Click Add... to create a new Action Rule.
3. Give the rule a name (e.g., "VMD Garden Trigger Record").
4. In the 'Condition' dropdown, select Applications, then AXIS Video Motion Detection 4, then VMD 4 Profile 1. This tells the rule to listen for triggers from the VMD profile you just configured.
5. In the 'Actions' dropdown, select what you want to happen. This could be Record Video, Send Notification, or trigger another device.
6. Click Save.

By using the dedicated VMD application and carefully layering include zones, exclude zones, and filters, you can achieve a highly accurate and reliable motion detection setup with your Axis camera.