Why Isn't My Imou Camera Recording Continuously? A Troubleshooting Guide
One of the most powerful features of an Imou security camera is its ability to record footage 24/7, ensuring you never miss a moment. However, if you've noticed that your camera is only saving short, motion-triggered clips—or not recording at all—it's usually due to a misconfiguration in the settings or an issue with the local storage.
This guide will walk you through the necessary steps to enable and troubleshoot continuous recording on your Imou camera.
Important: Continuous 24/7 recording is a feature that saves footage to a local microSD card or an Imou Network Video Recorder (NVR). It is not available with Imou Cloud storage, which is designed for event-based clips only.
Step 1: Install a Suitable MicroSD Card
Your Imou camera cannot record continuously without a local storage device. The most common option is a microSD card.
### Choosing the Right Card
- Type: You need a high-endurance microSD card. These are specifically designed to handle the constant writing and rewriting (24/7 recording) that a security camera performs. Standard microSD cards are meant for phones or digital cameras and will wear out and fail very quickly under these conditions.
- Class: Look for a card that is Class 10, U3, or V30. This ensures the card has a fast enough write speed to smoothly save high-definition video without errors.
- Capacity: Check your camera's specifications for the maximum supported capacity (e.g., 256GB). A larger card will hold more days of continuous footage before it starts overwriting the oldest files.
### Installing the Card
- Power off your Imou camera completely.
- Locate the microSD card slot (its location varies by model; it may be under a small, sealed cover).
- Insert the microSD card firmly until it clicks into place.
- Power the camera back on.
Step 2: Format the MicroSD Card in the App
Once the card is installed, you must format it using the Imou Life app. This ensures it's using the correct file system and is ready for the camera to use.
- Open the Imou Life app and select your camera.
- Tap the gear icon in the top-right to go to Settings.
- Tap on Local Storage or Storage Rule.
- You should see the SD card's status and capacity. Tap on it.
- Select the Format option and confirm. This will erase everything on the card.
If the app shows "SD Card Abnormal" or "No SD Card," double-check that the card is inserted correctly. If it is, the card may be incompatible, faulty, or fake.
Step 3: Configure the Recording Schedule
This is the most critical step. You need to tell the camera to record all the time, not just when it detects motion.
- In the camera's settings menu, go back to Local Storage or Storage Rule.
- Look for an option called Schedule or Recording Schedule.
- You will likely see a timetable grid for the days of the week. By default, it might be set to only record on motion (often shown in orange or yellow).
- Tap the Edit button. Select "General" or "Continuous" (usually shown in blue or green) and then select the entire timetable grid.
- Make sure the whole week is highlighted for continuous recording.
- Save the new schedule.
Troubleshooting: Still Not Recording?
- Is the Camera Powered On? It sounds simple, but check that the camera has a stable power supply.
- Reboot the Camera: After changing settings, it's often a good idea to reboot the camera from within the app's settings menu.
- Update Firmware: Ensure your camera's firmware is up to date. Go to Device Info in the settings and check for any available updates.
- Is the SD Card Full? By default, the camera should be set to "overwrite" the oldest footage when the card is full. Check in the Local Storage settings that this option is enabled. If it's not, recording will stop once the card's capacity is reached.
By ensuring you have the right SD card, formatting it correctly, and setting the schedule properly, you can enjoy the peace of mind that comes with 24/7 continuous recording from your Imou camera.