Dahua Motion Detection Not Working? Here's How to Fix It

Dahua Motion Detection Not Working? Here's a Comprehensive Fix

Dahua Technology is a leading provider of security solutions, and their motion detection feature is a critical component for any effective surveillance setup. When it stops working, it can leave your property vulnerable. If you're not receiving motion alerts or your Dahua NVR is not recording on motion, don't worry. This guide provides a step-by-step process to troubleshoot and resolve the most common issues.

Whether you're using a standalone IP camera or a full NVR/DVR system, these steps will help you diagnose the problem and restore your camera's motion detection capabilities.

## Initial Checks: The Simple Stuff First

Before diving into complex settings, let's cover the basics.

• Is the camera powered on? Verify that the camera has power and that you can see a live video feed from it.
• Is the lens clean? A surprisingly common issue is a dirty or obstructed lens. Clean it gently with a microfibre cloth to remove any dust, smudges, or cobwebs.
• Is it dark? If the issue is only at night, check if the camera's infrared (IR) LEDs are working. You should see a faint red glow from them in complete darkness.

## Step-by-Step Troubleshooting in the Dahua Interface

Most motion detection issues can be traced back to a setting in the Dahua web interface or NVR/DVR menu.

### 1. Enable Motion Detection

First and foremost, you need to ensure the feature is actually turned on for the correct camera.

1. Log in to your Dahua NVR/DVR or IP camera's web interface.
2. Navigate to Setting > Event > Video Detect.
3. Select the Motion Detect tab at the top.
4. Choose the camera channel you want to configure from the dropdown list.
5. Crucially, make sure the "Enable" checkbox is ticked.

### 2. Configure the Detection Region

If motion detection is enabled but not triggering, it might be because the system is not watching the right area.

• Check the "Region" setting: Next to the "Enable" checkbox, you will see a "Region" or "Area" setting. Click on it.
• Draw your zones: This will bring up a view of the camera feed with a grid. The entire screen is usually selected by default (often coloured yellow or red). If it's clear, you must draw the areas where you want the camera to detect motion. Any area that is not highlighted will be ignored.
• Clear and redraw if necessary: If a zone is already there, try clearing it and drawing it again to ensure it's set correctly.

### 3. Adjust Sensitivity

The sensitivity level determines how much change in the scene is required to trigger a motion event.

• Find the "Sensitivity" slider: This is usually on the same screen as the enable and region settings.
• Avoid extremes: A setting that is too low will not pick up genuine movement. A setting that is too high will cause false alarms from things like shadows or rain.
• Start in the middle: A mid-range sensitivity (around 50-60) is a good starting point. You can adjust it later based on testing.

### 4. Check the Recording Schedule

This is one of the most common points of failure. You might have motion detection enabled, but your NVR is not scheduled to do anything with the information.

1. Navigate to Setting > Storage > Schedule.
2. Select the camera channel you are troubleshooting.
3. You will see a calendar grid representing the hours of the day for the week.
4. Ensure that the boxes for the times you want to record are coloured in. Crucially, make sure they are coloured for "Motion" (usually yellow). If they are set to "General" (green), it will record continuously. If they are blank, it will not record at all.
5. Click the "Motion" radio button and then drag the cursor across the grid to set the schedule.

### 5. Verify Linkage Actions (Enable Recording)

Finally, you need to tell the system to record when motion is detected.

1. Go back to Setting > Event > Video Detect > Motion Detect.
2. Below the sensitivity settings, look for "Linkage Action" or a similar option.
3. Make sure the "Record Channel" checkbox is ticked for the corresponding camera channel. If this is not checked, the system will detect motion but will not save a recording.
4. Check other linkage actions like "Send Email" or "Push Notification" if you are not receiving alerts.

By carefully working through these five areas, you can solve over 90% of Dahua motion detection problems. Remember to save your settings after making any changes.