Is Your Blink and IFTTT Integration Unreliable?
IFTTT (If This Then That) unlocks a world of automation for your Blink security system, allowing you to connect it with other services and devices. You can create "applets" to automatically arm your system when you leave home, or receive a phone call when motion is detected. However, when these automations fail, it can undermine the reliability of your security setup.
This guide will help you troubleshoot the common reasons why your Blink IFTTT applets might not be working and how to resolve them.
Step 1: Check the Service Connection Status
The most common point of failure is the link between the IFTTT platform and your Blink account.
### Re-authorise the Blink Service
Authentication tokens can expire, or passwords can change, causing the connection to break.
- Go to IFTTT: Log in to your account on the IFTTT website or in the mobile app.
- Navigate to Services: Find your list of connected services.
- Select Blink: Open the Blink service settings.
- Reconnect: If you see an option to "Reconnect" or "Edit Connection," click it. You will be prompted to log in with your Blink account credentials again. This refreshes the authentication and is often all that is needed to fix the problem.
### Check the IFTTT Status Page
Occasionally, the issue might not be on your end. Check the official IFTTT status page (status.ifttt.com) to see if they are reporting any widespread issues with the Blink service or the platform in general.
Step 2: Examine the Applet's Activity Log
IFTTT keeps a detailed log of every time an applet runs or attempts to run. This is your most valuable diagnostic tool.
- Find Your Applet: Go to the specific applet that is failing.
- View Activity: Look for the "Activity" or "Log" tab.
- Analyse the Log: The log will show you a history.
- If you see "Applet ran": This means the trigger (the "If This" part) worked correctly, but the action (the "Then That" part, involving Blink) may have failed.
- If you see "Applet skipped" or "Applet failed": The log will often provide a brief error message. This could indicate a problem communicating with Blink's servers.
- If you see no activity at all: This means your trigger service isn't firing. For example, if you're using a location-based trigger, the problem may lie with your phone's location services, not with Blink or IFTTT.
Step 3: Common Applet and Trigger Issues
Sometimes the logic of the applet itself is the problem.
### Rate Limiting
Blink's system has limits to prevent it from being overwhelmed with commands. If your applet triggers too frequently in a short period (e.g., arming and disarming every 30 seconds as part of a test), Blink's servers may temporarily ignore requests from IFTTT. Ensure your triggers are spaced out.
### Incompatible Actions
Double-check that the action you are trying to perform is supported. For example, you can arm or disarm an entire Blink system (e.g., "Home"), but you cannot arm an individual camera through IFTTT. Ensure your applet is targeting a valid system name.
Step 4: Rebuild the Applet from Scratch
If all else fails, a corrupted setting within the applet could be the cause.
- Delete the Old Applet: Go into the problematic applet and delete it completely.
- Create a New One: Build the applet again from scratch, carefully re-selecting the trigger and action.
This ensures a fresh configuration and often resolves stubborn, unexplained failures. By systematically checking the service connection, reviewing the activity logs, and considering potential trigger issues, you can effectively troubleshoot and fix your Blink IFTTT integrations.