Getting Too Many False Notifications From Your Merkury Camera?
Merkury smart cameras, managed through the Geeni app, are a great way to keep an eye on your home. However, their effectiveness can be quickly undermined if your phone is constantly buzzing with notifications for events that don't matter. Alerts for shifting shadows, passing cars, or even insects can become so frequent that you start to ignore them, defeating the purpose of having a security camera in the first place.
This guide is designed to help you take back control of your notifications. We'll walk you through the settings you can adjust to ensure you only get alerted to the events you actually care about.
## Signs of a False Notification Problem
It's more than just a minor annoyance. You have a false notification issue if:
- Your phone buzzes every few minutes with motion alerts from the same camera.
- You review the recorded clip and see no discernible motion, or just a tree branch swaying.
- Changes in light, such as clouds passing or headlights at night, trigger a recording.
- You receive alerts for pets, cars, or other routine movements that you don't consider a threat.
- You've considered turning off notifications entirely due to the high volume of alerts.
- Rain or snowfall results in a constant stream of motion detection events.
## How to Stop Merkury False Notifications
The key to reducing unwanted alerts lies in fine-tuning the camera's motion detection settings within the Geeni app.
### 1. Adjust Motion Detection Sensitivity
This is the most impactful setting you can change. The sensitivity level determines how much movement is required to trigger a notification and recording.
- Open the Geeni app on your smartphone.
- Select the Merkury camera you want to adjust from your device list.
- Tap the pencil icon or the three dots in the top-right corner to open the camera's Settings.
- Find and tap on 'Detection Settings' or a similarly named option.
- You will see a 'Motion Detection Sensitivity' setting, likely with options for Low, Medium, and High.
- If you're getting too many alerts, it's almost certainly set to 'High'. Change this setting to 'Medium' or 'Low'.
- Monitor the camera for a day or two. If you're still getting too many alerts on 'Medium', switch to 'Low'.
### 2. Set Up an Activity Zone
An activity zone tells your camera to only pay attention to motion within a specific, user-defined area of its field of view. This is incredibly useful for cameras facing busy areas.
- In the same 'Detection Settings' menu, look for an option called 'Activity Zone' or 'Motion Detection Zone'.
- You will be shown the camera's live view with a grid overlay.
- Tap or draw on the screen to select the only area you want to monitor. For example, you could draw a box around your front door and walkway, while leaving out the public pavement and road.
- Save the zone. Now, motion from swaying trees or passing cars outside the zone will be completely ignored.
### 3. Use Notification Scheduling
If you only need to be alerted to motion at certain times (e.g., when you're not at home or overnight), a schedule can prevent unnecessary notifications during your busy day.
- In the camera's settings, look for a 'Scheduling' or 'Notification Schedule' option.
- You can set specific times and days of the week when you want to receive motion alerts.
- For example, you can schedule notifications to be active only from 10 PM to 7 AM, ensuring your daytime movements don't trigger alerts while still providing security overnight.
By combining these three strategies—lowering sensitivity, defining an activity zone, and scheduling notifications—you can transform your Merkury camera from a constant annoyance into a precise and valuable security tool.