Guardzilla Motion Detection Not Working? Here's the Fix

Guardzilla Motion Detection Not Working? Here’s the Fix

A security camera's primary job is to alert you to unexpected activity. If your Guardzilla camera's motion detection isn't working, it leaves a critical gap in your home security. This troubleshooting guide will take you through the most common reasons for this issue and provide clear, actionable solutions.

## Essential First Checks: Settings and Permissions

Before assuming a hardware fault, let's verify that everything is configured correctly in the software.

1. Check In-App Motion Settings: Open the Guardzilla app and select the camera you're having trouble with. Navigate to its settings menu and find the motion detection options. Ensure that the feature is toggled on. Sometimes this can be accidentally disabled.
2. Adjust Sensitivity: While you're in the settings, check the motion sensitivity level. If it's set to the lowest possible setting, it may not be sensitive enough to pick up the motion you want to detect. Try increasing it to a medium or high level for testing purposes.
3. Verify Phone Notification Permissions: This is a very common oversight. The camera might be detecting and recording motion correctly, but the app is blocked from showing you a notification.
   • For iPhone: Go to Settings > Notifications > Guardzilla and make sure "Allow Notifications" is enabled.
   • For Android: Go to Settings > Apps > Guardzilla > Notifications and ensure that all notification categories are turned on.

## Investigating Network and Connection Problems

A stable internet connection is crucial for the camera to send motion alerts to your phone in real-time.

• Check Camera's Online Status: In the Guardzilla app, does the camera show as "Online"? If it's "Offline," it cannot detect or send any alerts. You will need to troubleshoot its connection first, which may involve checking its power supply and your home Wi-Fi.
• Wi-Fi Signal Strength: A weak or unstable Wi-Fi signal at the camera's location can prevent it from successfully uploading motion event data. If the signal is poor, the camera may struggle to communicate with the Guardzilla servers. Try moving the camera closer to your router to see if the reliability of alerts improves.
• Reboot Your Hardware: Technology can often be fixed with a simple restart.
  • Restart your Guardzilla camera: Unplug it from the power source, wait for 30 seconds, and plug it back in.
  • Reboot your router: This can clear up any temporary network glitches that might be affecting communication.

## Advanced Troubleshooting Solutions

If you've tried the steps above and are still not receiving alerts, it's time to take a more systematic approach.

### Camera Placement and Environment

The physical placement of your camera can have a huge impact on its motion detection performance.

• Aim for Clear Views: Ensure the camera's lens is clean and not obstructed by anything. Cobwebs, dirt, or even a nearby wall can block the view or confuse the sensor.
• Avoid Environmental Triggers: While the problem is not receiving alerts, poor placement causing constant false alarms can sometimes lead users to disable notifications altogether. Avoid pointing the camera at bushes that sway in the wind, sources of changing light (like reflections), or high-traffic areas you don't care about.

### Software and Resets

• Update Camera Firmware: Manufacturers release firmware updates to fix bugs and improve how the device works. Check in the Guardzilla app's settings for any available firmware updates for your camera and make sure to install them.
• Re-install the Guardzilla App: Sometimes the app's installation can become corrupted. Try deleting the app from your phone entirely and then reinstalling it from the official app store.
• Factory Reset: As a final resort, you can perform a factory reset on the camera. This will wipe all its settings and require you to set it up again from scratch. This can often resolve deeper, persistent software issues. Check your user manual for instructions on how to reset your specific model.

By working through these steps, you can systematically identify and resolve the root cause of your Guardzilla motion detection problem.