Is Your Lorex System Not Recording 24/7?
One of the most powerful features of many Lorex security systems is the ability to record footage continuously, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This ensures that you have a complete record of everything that happens, with no gaps between motion events. However, if you're reviewing your timeline and seeing only short clips or large empty spaces, your system is likely not set to continuous recording. This guide will help you determine if your system is capable of 24/7 recording and how to enable it.
Does Your Lorex System Support 24/7 Recording?
First, it's essential to understand that not every Lorex product is designed for this feature.
- NVR/DVR Systems: If your cameras are wired to a central recorder box (an NVR or DVR) that contains a hard drive, your system is almost certainly capable of 24/7 recording. This is the primary function of these systems.
- Standalone Wi-Fi Cameras: Many of Lorex's wire-free or standalone Wi-Fi cameras are designed to be 'event-based' recorders. They only wake up and record when they detect motion to conserve battery life and/or microSD card storage. These models typically do not support continuous recording.
Always check the specifications for your specific camera model if you are unsure.
How to Enable Continuous Recording on Your Lorex NVR/DVR
If you have a compatible system, the issue is almost always in the settings. You will need to access your recorder's main interface using a connected mouse and monitor.
Step 1: Access the Main Menu and Navigate to Recording Settings
- Right-click on the main screen and log in with your system's username and password.
- Navigate to the Main Menu (often represented by a gear or grid icon).
- Look for a section labelled STORAGE or RECORDING. Click on it.
Step 2: Set the Recording Schedule
- Within this menu, find the SCHEDULE or RECORDING SCHEDULE option.
- You will typically see a screen with a grid representing the hours of the day and the days of the week.
- At the top or side, you should be able to select which camera (Channel) you are configuring.
- You will see different recording types, usually colour-coded. For example, Green for Continuous, Yellow for Motion Detection (MD), and sometimes others for alarms.
Step 3: Apply the Continuous Setting
- Select the Continuous (green) option.
- Click and drag your mouse across the entire grid for the selected camera. This will "paint" the schedule green, telling the system to record continuously for all hours on all days.
- If you want to apply this same schedule to all your cameras, look for an Apply or Copy to All button.
- Click Save or Apply to confirm your changes.
The system will now start recording everything from the selected cameras. You will notice that your playback timeline now appears as a solid bar of colour rather than just small, intermittent blocks.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
- Settings Not Saving: Ensure you are clicking 'Apply' or 'Save' before exiting the menu. If the settings revert, try rebooting the NVR/DVR from the system menu and applying the settings again.
- Hard Drive Errors: In the Storage menu, check the status of your hard drive (HDD). If it shows an error, is not recognised, or is full and not overwriting, the system cannot record. You may need to format the hard drive (which will erase all existing footage) or replace it if it has failed.
- Not Enough Storage: Be aware that 24/7 recording uses a lot of storage. A system with a small hard drive might only hold a few days of continuous footage before it starts overwriting the oldest recordings.