Is Your Imou Camera Reporting 'Storage Full'?
An Imou camera is only effective if it can reliably save footage of important events. Receiving a 'Storage Full' notification can be alarming, as it often means your camera has stopped recording new video, potentially leaving your property unprotected. Whether you are using a local microSD card or Imou's cloud storage service, this issue needs to be addressed quickly.
This guide will explain why your Imou camera's storage is full, how to fix it, and how to manage your recordings effectively to prevent it from happening again.
## Common Symptoms of Storage Problems
First, let's clarify the specific issue you're encountering. Your symptoms will point towards the correct solution.
- 'Storage Full' Notifications: You are receiving alerts in the Imou Life app stating the storage is full.
- Camera Stops Recording: The camera is no longer saving any new motion-triggered events.
- Loop Recording Fails: You expected the camera to overwrite the oldest footage, but it hasn't.
- Cannot Format SD Card: The app gives you an error when you try to format the local microSD card.
- Cloud History Missing: Your older cloud recordings have disappeared, and no new ones are appearing.
- SD Card Shows Full But Empty: You can see the card is full, but when you try to view files, there's nothing there.
## How to Fix Imou Storage Issues
Follow these steps for either local SD card storage or cloud storage to resolve the problem.
### For Local MicroSD Card Users
If you are using a microSD card inside your camera for storage, the issue is usually related to the card's configuration or health.
1. Enable Loop Recording (Overwrite)
This is the most common reason for a 'storage full' error. If loop recording is disabled, the camera will simply stop recording once the card's capacity is reached.
- How to fix: Open the Imou Life app.
- Select your camera and tap the gear icon to open its settings.
- Go to Storage Settings > Local Storage.
- Make sure the toggle for 'Overwrite' or 'Loop Recording' is switched ON. This will ensure the oldest footage is automatically deleted to make space for new recordings.
2. Format the MicroSD Card
If loop recording is already on, or if you're experiencing other errors, the card's file system may have become corrupted. Formatting it will erase all data and fix these issues.
- How to fix: In the same Local Storage menu in the app, tap on 'Format'.
- Confirm that you want to proceed. This will delete all existing footage from the card.
- The camera will then reformat the card to its required specifications.
3. Use a High-Quality SD Card
Low-quality or fake microSD cards are prone to failure and can cause all sorts of recording issues.
- Recommendation: Always use a genuine, Class 10 or UHS-1 rated microSD card from a reputable brand like SanDisk, Samsung, or Kingston.
### For Imou Cloud Storage Users
If you subscribe to Imou's cloud recording service, the 'storage full' concept works a bit differently.
1. Check Your Subscription Plan
Imou Cloud plans are based on recording history duration (e.g., 3-day, 7-day, or 30-day history).
- How it works: A 7-day plan doesn't mean you have a fixed amount of storage space. It means the service will only ever store the most recent 7 days of recordings. Any footage from the 8th day ago is automatically deleted. You will never 'run out' of space on a time-based plan.
- Check Subscription Status: If recordings have stopped, your subscription may have expired. In the Imou Life app, go to the 'Me' tab and check your cloud subscription status to ensure it is active.
2. Download Important Footage
Remember that with a cloud plan, old footage is deleted forever. If an important event happens, be sure to download the clip from the cloud to your phone's local storage so you have a permanent copy.
By correctly configuring loop recording for your SD card or ensuring your cloud subscription is active, you can ensure your Imou camera is always ready to record.