Is Your Doorbird Missing Visitors? Troubleshooting Motion Detection
A key feature of your Doorbird video doorbell is its ability to proactively alert you to motion, letting you know someone is at your door before they even press the button. When this feature fails, it leaves a significant gap in your home security. If your Doorbird is not detecting motion or failing to send notifications, the issue is usually related to its settings, connectivity, or physical environment.
This guide provides a comprehensive set of troubleshooting steps to diagnose why your Doorbird's motion sensor isn't working and how to fix it.
Common Symptoms of Motion Detection Failure
- You receive no push notifications when someone approaches your door.
- The activity history shows no motion events, only doorbell presses.
- The motion sensor works intermittently, catching some events but missing others.
- You receive alerts, but they are severely delayed.
- The live view works perfectly, but motion detection does not.
How to Fix Doorbird Motion Detection Issues
Work through these solutions in order, as they start with the most common and easiest fixes.
1. Check Motion Sensor Settings in the Doorbird App
The most frequent cause of this issue is incorrect configuration within the app.
- Enable the Motion Sensor: Open the Doorbird app and navigate to Settings > Motion Sensor. Ensure the sensor is toggled On. It sounds simple, but it can sometimes be accidentally disabled.
- Configure the Detection Area: In the same menu, you will find an option to set the motion detection area. You'll see a grid overlaid on your camera's view. You must draw and define the specific area where you want motion to be detected. If no area is defined, it will not trigger. Be sure to cover the path a visitor would take.
- Adjust Sensitivity: The sensitivity setting determines how much movement is required to trigger an alert. If it's set too low, it may not pick up on people. Try increasing the sensitivity and testing it.
- Check Schedules: Ensure you don't have a schedule set that deactivates the motion sensor during certain times of the day. Check this under Settings > Schedules for motion.
2. Verify Push Notification Settings
The motion sensor might be working correctly, but the alerts aren't making it to your phone.
- In the Doorbird app, go to Settings > Push Notifications.
- Ensure that push notifications are configured for motion events and are assigned to your user.
- Also, check your phone's main settings to ensure the Doorbird app has permission to send you notifications.
3. Inspect the Physical Sensor and Camera Placement
The hardware itself could be obstructed.
- Clean the Sensor: The motion sensor is located in the dome at the top of the Doorbird unit. Wipe this area gently with a soft, microfibre cloth to remove any dirt, dust, or spiderwebs that could be blocking its view.
- Check for Obstructions: Make sure there are no new decorations, plants, or other objects physically blocking the sensor's line of sight.
- Optimal Placement: The Doorbird should be installed at a height where the sensor has a clear, unobstructed view of the approaches to your door.
4. Test Network and Power Stability
Reliable operation depends on stable power and a good network connection.
- Wi-Fi Connection: A weak or unstable Wi-Fi connection can prevent the device from sending motion alerts in real-time. Check the Wi-Fi signal strength in the app's administration settings.
- Reboot Your Doorbird and Router: A classic troubleshooting step. First, reboot your home router. Once it's back online, reboot your Doorbird by briefly disconnecting it from its power source. This can clear up many temporary glitches.
- Sufficient Power: Ensure the Doorbird is receiving adequate power from its transformer, as specified in the installation manual. Low power can cause certain features to fail.
5. Update the Firmware
Ensure your device is running the latest software.
- Navigate to Settings > Administration > Firmware Update in the app.
- If an update is available, follow the instructions to install it. Firmware updates often contain important bug fixes and performance improvements for motion detection.
By carefully reviewing each of these areas, you can pinpoint the reason for your motion detection failure and restore this vital security feature.