Canary Camera Not Recording Events? Here’s the Fix

Canary Camera Not Recording Events? Here’s the Fix

A Canary camera is designed to automatically record video when it detects motion, creating a timeline of events for you to review. If you find that your camera is online and you can watch the live feed, but no new videos are appearing in your timeline, it means this core feature isn't working. This guide will help you troubleshoot and solve the problem.

## Understanding Canary's Recording Logic

Canary's recording behaviour is almost entirely controlled by its Mode settings and your Subscription status. Unlike cameras that use SD cards, Canary records directly to the cloud. A failure to record is almost always a configuration or service issue, not a hardware fault.

The key reasons for a lack of recordings are:

• Incorrect Mode: Your location is set to 'Disarmed' or your camera is in 'Private' mode.
• Motion Detection Settings: The sensitivity is too low or recording is disabled in your custom mode settings.
• Lapsed Subscription: Your Canary Premium Service subscription may have expired, limiting recording capabilities.
• Network Issues: Poor upload speed can prevent the captured video from reaching Canary's cloud servers.

## Step-by-Step Guide to Resume Recording

Follow these steps to identify and correct the issue.

### 1. Check Your Current Mode

This is the most common cause of recording failures.

1. Open the Canary app.
2. On the main dashboard screen, look at the top. It will display your location's current mode (e.g., 'Armed', 'Disarmed').
3. If the mode is Disarmed, the camera will not record motion. Tap on the mode and switch it to Armed.
4. If you have multiple Canary devices, ensure the specific camera that isn't recording is not set to Private. A private camera is completely off and will not stream or record.

You can also set up a schedule or use geofencing (Auto-mode switching) to automatically arm and disarm your system when you leave and return home.

### 2. Review Your Mode Settings

Even in 'Armed' mode, the recording settings could be customised to be off.

1. Tap the gear icon in the top right of the dashboard to go to Settings.
2. Select Manage Modes.
3. Tap on Armed Mode Settings.
4. Ensure that Record motion is toggled ON.
5. While you are here, check the Motion sensitivity slider. If it is set too low, the camera may not be triggering on the events you expect it to. Try increasing it slightly.

### 3. Verify Your Subscription Status

Cloud recording is a primary feature of the Canary Premium Service.

1. In the Settings menu, check your account details for your subscription status.
2. Ensure that your membership is active. If your subscription has lapsed, the camera's ability to record and store video clips will be significantly reduced or disabled entirely, depending on your device model and the date of purchase.

### 4. Check Your Network Connection

While you can watch the live feed, recording requires a stable upload speed to send the video file to the cloud.

• Run a Speed Test: Use a speed test app on your phone while connected to the same Wi-Fi network as your Canary. Pay attention to the 'upload' speed. If it's very low (less than 1-2 Mbps), your camera may struggle to upload recordings.
• Reboot Your Network:
  1. Unplug your Canary camera.
  2. Unplug your router and modem.
  3. Wait 60 seconds.
  4. Plug the modem and then the router back in. Wait for them to fully restart.
  5. Plug your Canary camera back in.

### 5. Re-activate the Camera

If all else fails, a simple re-activation can sometimes clear a persistent glitch.

1. In the Canary app, go to your device's settings.
2. Remove the device from your location.
3. Follow the in-app instructions to set up the camera again. This will re-establish a fresh connection with the Canary servers.

By checking your modes, settings, and subscription, you can easily fix the vast majority of issues that prevent your Canary camera from recording.