Is Your SimpliSafe Camera Missing Crucial Moments?
The core purpose of a security camera is to record important events, providing you with evidence and peace of mind. If you've discovered that your SimpliSafe camera or video doorbell has missed a recording—whether it was a delivery, a visitor, or a more serious security incident—it's a significant concern. Trusting your security system is paramount, and missed recordings can quickly erode that trust.
This professional troubleshooting guide will walk you through the common reasons why your SimpliSafe camera might not be recording and provide clear, actionable steps to resolve the issue.
Identifying the Root Cause of Missed Recordings
When a SimpliSafe camera fails to record, the problem almost always lies in one of these five areas:
- Subscription Status: Cloud recording is a feature tied to a paid monitoring plan.
- Camera Settings: Motion detection might be disabled, sensitivity could be too low, or the privacy shutter might be closed.
- Wi-Fi Connectivity: A weak or unstable connection can prevent the camera from uploading the video file to the cloud.
- System Armed State: Recordings are often tied to the system's status (e.g., Home, Away, or Off).
- Hardware or Firmware Issues: A simple glitch that a reboot or update can solve.
Your Step-by-Step Guide to a Reliable Recording System
Let's work through these potential issues one by one to get your camera back on track.
1. Verify Your Monitoring Subscription
This is the most common reason for a lack of recordings.
- Log in to your account on the SimpliSafe website or app.
- Navigate to the 'Monitoring' or 'Subscription' section.
- Confirm that you have an active subscription plan that explicitly includes cloud video recording for the number of cameras you own.
- If your plan has expired or does not include recordings, the camera will only be available for live viewing.
2. Check Your Camera's Settings
Your camera's settings dictate when it should record.
- In the SimpliSafe app, select the specific camera you're having issues with.
- Go to its Settings (usually a gear icon).
- Motion Detection: Ensure the 'Motion Detection' toggle is switched ON.
- Sensitivity: If you are missing events, set the 'Motion Sensitivity' to High. You can always reduce it later if you get too many unwanted recordings.
- Privacy Shutter (for indoor cameras): This is critical. Check the 'Privacy Shutter' settings. Ensure the shutter is set to Open for the system modes in which you want it to record (typically 'Home' and 'Away'). If it's set to 'Closed', it physically cannot record.
3. Analyse Your Wi-Fi Connection
A camera can't save a recording if it can't upload it.
- Check the device settings for your camera in the app. It should show the quality of the Wi-Fi signal.
- If the signal is weak or poor, the camera may struggle to upload video files, leading to failed or incomplete recordings.
- Try moving your Wi-Fi router closer to the camera, or consider a Wi-Fi extender to boost the signal in that area.
- You can also test your internet speed to ensure your upload speed is sufficient (a minimum of 2 Mbps is recommended per camera).
4. Review Your System's Armed State and Alerts
Confirm that your settings are configured to record during the desired system state.
- In the camera settings, check the 'Alerts' or 'Recording' section.
- Ensure that recordings are enabled for the correct system modes. For example, you might have motion recording enabled for 'Away' mode but not for 'Home' or 'Off' mode. Adjust these settings to match your security needs.
5. Power Cycle and Update the Camera
If all the settings appear correct, a simple reboot can often resolve temporary glitches.
- Unplug the camera from its power source.
- Wait for at least 60 seconds.
- Plug the camera back in and allow it a few minutes to reboot and reconnect to the network.
- While you're in the settings, check for any available Firmware Updates for your camera and install them. Updates often contain important bug fixes and performance improvements.
By methodically checking your subscription, settings, and connectivity, you can solve the vast majority of issues related to missed recordings. Ensuring your SimpliSafe system captures every important moment is key to your peace of mind.