How to Fix Reolink No Continuous Recording Issues
One of the most valuable features of a security camera is its ability to record footage 24/7, ensuring that no event is ever missed. Reolink cameras are highly capable in this regard, but many users find their cameras are only recording short clips when motion is detected. This is often due to default settings or configuration issues rather than a fault with the camera itself.
If you are struggling with your Reolink camera not recording continuously, this guide will provide you with the solutions. We'll cover how to correctly enable the feature, troubleshoot common problems like storage errors, and ensure your camera is capturing everything, all the time.
Common Symptoms of the Issue
It's important to know if you're facing a settings issue or a hardware problem. Here are the common signs that continuous recording isn't working as it should.
- Gaps in the timeline: When you review footage, you only see coloured bars (often red or orange) during motion events, with large empty gaps in between.
- Recording stops after a short period: You enable 24/7 recording, but it stops after a few hours or days.
- 'Overwrite' feature not working: The camera stops recording when the SD card or hard drive is full, instead of overwriting the oldest footage.
- The 'Schedule' settings won't save: You change the recording schedule to 'Continuous', but it seems to revert back to 'Motion Detection'.
- Battery-powered cameras not offering the option: You cannot find the continuous recording setting on your Reolink Argus or other battery-operated model.
Step-by-Step Guide to Enable and Troubleshoot 24/7 Recording
Follow these steps to correctly configure and fix your continuous recording settings.
1. Verify Camera Model Compatibility
This is a crucial first step. The ability to record 24/7 depends on how the camera is powered.
- Supported Models: Mains-powered cameras, such as Power over Ethernet (PoE) models and DC-powered Wi-Fi cameras, are designed for continuous recording.
- Unsupported Models: Battery-powered Reolink cameras (e.g., the Argus series) DO NOT support continuous recording. This is a deliberate design choice to preserve their battery life, which would otherwise be drained in a matter of hours. They are strictly motion-activated.
2. Correctly Configure the Recording Schedule
This is the most common reason for failure. You must manually instruct the camera to record continuously.
- Access Camera Settings: Open the Reolink App or Client software and navigate to the settings for the specific camera you want to configure.
- Find the 'Record Schedule': Look for an option named 'Record' or 'Record Schedule'. This will open a grid-based timer for the entire week.
- Set the Schedule: The schedule often has different colours for different recording types. For example, 'Motion' might be orange/red, and 'Continuous' might be blue. You need to select the 'Continuous' or 'Timer' option and then paint the entire grid blue for all hours of all days.
- Save Your Changes: Ensure you hit the 'Save' or 'Apply' button before exiting the menu.
3. Check Your Storage Medium (SD Card or NVR)
A faulty or full storage device will prevent any recording.
- For SD Cards:
- Compatibility: Use a high-quality, high-endurance microSD card designed for security cameras. Standard SD cards can fail quickly with constant writing.
- Format the Card: In the camera's storage settings, use the 'Format' function. This erases the card and can fix many file system errors.
- Check Health: If the camera repeatedly reports errors, the SD card may be faulty and need replacing.
- For NVRs:
- Check HDD Status: In the NVR's settings, find the storage or HDD menu and check the status of the hard drive. It should show as 'Normal'.
- Ensure Overwrite is Enabled: There is usually a setting called 'Overwrite' or 'Recycle Record'. Make sure this is turned on, so the NVR automatically deletes the oldest footage to make space for new recordings.
By ensuring your camera model supports the feature, correctly configuring the schedule, and verifying your storage is healthy, you can easily resolve the problem of no continuous recording.