Is Your Kasa Camera Not Recording Continuously? A Troubleshooting Guide
It can be unsettling to discover that your Kasa security camera isn't recording continuously, leaving potential gaps in your security footage. You rely on your camera to capture everything, not just motion-triggered events. This guide is designed to walk you through the common causes of this issue and provide clear, actionable steps to get your Kasa camera back to recording 24/7.
Most often, problems with continuous recording on Kasa cameras stem from issues with the storage medium—either the microSD card or your Kasa Care cloud subscription. By systematically checking these components and the settings in your app, we can resolve the problem efficiently.
## Understanding Kasa's Recording Options
Before diving into troubleshooting, it’s important to understand how Kasa handles video recording. Kasa cameras offer two primary methods for storing footage:
- Local Storage (microSD Card): Many Kasa cameras have a slot for a microSD card. When a compatible card is inserted, you can enable continuous recording directly to it. The camera will record 24/7 and overwrite the oldest footage when the card is full.
- Cloud Storage (Kasa Care): A Kasa Care subscription plan allows you to store recordings on the cloud. Depending on your plan, you can get access to a history of event-triggered clips or, with some plans, continuous video recording history.
Without one of these options properly configured, your camera will likely only offer live viewing and motion alerts.
## Initial Checks for Kasa Continuous Recording Issues
Let's start with the basics. These simple steps can often resolve the issue without needing to delve into more complex settings.
- Reboot Your Camera: The classic "turn it off and on again" trick works wonders. Unplug your Kasa camera from its power source, wait for about 30 seconds, and then plug it back in. This can clear temporary glitches affecting its recording function.
- Check Your Wi-Fi Connection: A stable internet connection is crucial for the camera to function correctly, even when recording locally. Ensure your camera has a strong Wi-Fi signal. You can check the signal strength in the Kasa Smart app under your camera's settings.
- Update Firmware and App: Make sure both your Kasa Smart app and your camera's firmware are up to date. Manufacturers release updates to fix bugs and improve performance, which can often include fixes for recording problems.
## Troubleshooting microSD Card Problems
If you are using a microSD card for local storage, the problem often lies here.
### 1. Verify SD Card Compatibility
Not all SD cards are created equal. For the demands of continuous video recording, you need a specific type.
- Use a High-Endurance Card: These cards are specifically designed for the constant writing and rewriting that security cameras perform. A standard SD card can fail quickly.
- Check the Class: Use a card that is Class 10 or higher (look for a "C" with a "10" inside it). This ensures the card has fast enough write speeds to handle high-definition video.
- Sufficient Capacity: Kasa cameras support various capacities (e.g., up to 128GB or 256GB). Check your camera model's specifications and ensure your card is within the supported range.
### 2. Format the SD Card
Corruption on the SD card is a leading cause of recording failures. Formatting the card erases all its data and can resolve these underlying file system errors.
- Format Using the Kasa App: The most reliable method is to format the card directly through the Kasa Smart app. Go to your camera’s settings, find the storage or SD card menu, and select the "Format" option. This ensures it's formatted in a way the camera understands perfectly.
- Do Not Format on a Computer: Formatting the card on a PC or Mac can sometimes use a file system that the camera struggles with. Always use the in-app formatting tool.
## Resolving Kasa Care Subscription Issues
If you rely on a Kasa Care subscription for your recording history, follow these steps.
- Confirm Your Subscription is Active: Log into your Kasa account on the TP-Link website to verify that your subscription is current and hasn't expired.
- Assign the Plan to Your Camera: It's possible to have an active plan that isn't assigned to the correct camera. Within your account settings, ensure the Kasa Care plan is linked to the specific device you're troubleshooting.
- Check Cloud Storage Limits: Some plans have limits on storage duration (e.g., 30 days). If you're looking for older footage, it may have been automatically deleted as per your plan's terms.
By carefully working through these steps, you can identify the root cause of your Kasa camera's recording issue. Whether it's an incompatible SD card, a misconfigured setting, or a subscription problem, you now have the knowledge to fix it and restore your peace of mind with continuous, reliable security footage.