Is Your Hikvision Motion Detection Not Working? Here's How to Fix It
A Hikvision security system is a powerful tool for protecting your property, but its effectiveness is significantly reduced if it fails to detect and record motion. When configured correctly, your system should alert you to potential threats and capture crucial evidence. If it's failing to do so, it's a security risk you need to address immediately.
This guide will walk you through the most common reasons why Hikvision motion detection might not be working and provide clear, step-by-step instructions to resolve the issue. These steps are applicable whether you are configuring the system through a web browser, the NVR/DVR interface, or using software like iVMS-4200.
Common Symptoms of a Problem
You might be experiencing one of the following issues:
- No recordings are being saved, even when there is clear activity in front of the camera.
- You are not receiving push notifications or emails from the Hik-Connect or iVMS-4200 app when motion occurs.
- The on-screen display does not show the "motion detection" icon when a person walks by.
- The system seems to miss events entirely.
A Step-by-Step Guide to Troubleshooting Hikvision Motion Detection
Most motion detection failures are due to a simple configuration error. Follow these checks in order.
1. Ensure Motion Detection is Enabled
This may seem obvious, but it's the most fundamental check.
- Log in to your device: Access your NVR, DVR, or individual camera via its IP address in a web browser.
- Navigate to the Event Settings: Go to Configuration > Event > Basic Event.
- Select the Motion Detection Tab: On this page, you will see a list of your cameras. Select the camera you are troubleshooting.
- Check the Box: Make sure the 'Enable Motion Detection' checkbox is ticked. This is the master switch for the feature.
2. Verify the Arming Schedule
This is one of the most common points of failure. The Arming Schedule tells the system when it should pay attention to motion detection.
- In the same Motion Detection menu, click on the 'Arming Schedule' tab.
- You will see a grid representing the days of the week and the hours of the day.
- Ensure the schedule is active: The blocks for the times you want motion detection to be active must be coloured in (usually blue). If the grid is grey, it is disabled.
- For 24/7 monitoring, you can click the 'All Day' button and then 'Copy' to apply it to every day of the week.
- Click 'Save'. If your schedule was blank, this is likely the cause of your problem.
3. Configure the Detection Area
You need to tell the camera where in its field of view to look for motion.
- Go to the 'Draw Area' tab.
- You'll see the camera's live view. By default, the entire screen may be selected. It's often better to be specific.
- Click 'Clear All' to remove the default zone.
- Draw new zones: Click and drag your mouse to draw one or more boxes over the specific areas you want to monitor, such as a garden gate, a doorway, or a driveway. Crucially, avoid areas with constant motion, like a public road or trees that sway in the wind, as these will cause endless false alarms and may stop you from noticing real ones.
- Adjust Sensitivity: On this same screen, you can set the sensitivity (0-100). A good starting point is around 50 or 60. Lower it if you get false alerts; increase it if it's missing events.
4. Set the Correct Linkage Action
Detecting motion is only half the battle; you must tell the system what to do when it sees something.
- Click on the 'Linkage Action' tab.
- This menu provides a list of possible actions. You must select at least one for anything to happen.
- For recording: Under 'Normal Linkage', check 'Trigger Channel'. This tells the NVR to start recording the specific camera (and any others you select) when motion is detected on this one.
- For notifications: Check 'Notify Surveillance Center' to send an alert to your desktop software (like iVMS-4200) or mobile app (Hik-Connect).
- For other alerts: You can also enable options like 'Send Email', 'Audible Warning' (if your NVR or camera has a speaker), or trigger an external alarm output.
- Click 'Save'. If no linkage actions were selected, your system would detect motion but do absolutely nothing about it.
By carefully working through these four key areas—enabling the feature, setting the schedule, drawing the area, and linking the action—you can resolve the vast majority of Hikvision motion detection problems.