Skybell Zone Settings Not Working? How to Fix Motion Detection
The motion zone feature on your Skybell video doorbell is essential for tuning out irrelevant alerts. By drawing specific areas for detection, you can tell your Skybell to ignore people walking on the pavement or cars driving down the street. When these zones stop working, your phone can be overwhelmed with constant, unnecessary notifications.
If your Skybell is sending you alerts for motion outside your configured zones, or not detecting motion within them, this troubleshooting guide will help you resolve the issue.
## Understanding How Skybell Motion Zones Work
Skybell uses a PIR (Passive Infrared) sensor to detect heat and motion. The "zones" you create in the app are digital boundaries that tell the software which PIR detections should trigger a notification and recording. If the PIR sensor is faulty or the software settings are not being applied correctly, the feature will fail.
## Step 1: Reset and Re-configure Your Motion Zones
The most common cause of zone failure is a glitch in the saving process or a corrupted setting. The best first step is to delete your existing zones and create them again from scratch.
- Open the Skybell App: Navigate to your device's settings.
- Go to Motion Settings: Find the "Motion Detection" or "Motion Settings" menu.
- Clear Existing Zones: If you see your current zones, look for an option to "Clear," "Delete," or "Reset" them.
- Draw Your New Zones: Carefully draw your new motion detection areas. Avoid making them too small or complex. Start with one simple, large zone covering your desired area (e.g., your front path).
- Save and Confirm: This is a critical step. Make sure you tap the "Save" or "Done" button. After saving, exit the settings menu completely and then go back in to ensure your new zones are still there.
- Test the Zone: Ask someone to walk in front of the Skybell, both inside and outside the newly created zone, to see if it triggers alerts correctly.
## Step 2: Adjust Motion Sensitivity
The motion sensitivity setting works in tandem with your zones. If the sensitivity is set too high, the PIR sensor can become overactive, detecting strong heat signatures from just outside the zone's boundary and triggering a false alert.
- Find Sensitivity Settings: In the same "Motion Settings" area of the app, you should find a sensitivity slider or options like "Low," "Medium," and "High."
- Lower the Sensitivity: If it's currently on "High," reduce it to "Medium." If it's on "Medium," try "Low."
- Save and Test: Save the new setting and test again. The goal is to find a balance where it ignores background activity but still reliably detects people approaching your door.
## Step 3: Power Cycle Your Skybell
A simple reboot can often clear temporary software bugs that might be preventing the zone settings from being properly applied by the device.
- Locate Your Circuit Breaker: Find the breaker that supplies power to your doorbell.
- Turn it Off: Switch the breaker off and wait for at least 60 seconds. This ensures the Skybell fully powers down.
- Turn it Back On: Switch the breaker back on.
- Wait for Reconnection: Give the Skybell a few minutes to boot up and reconnect to your Wi-Fi network. Once it's back online, test the motion zones again.
## Step 4: Check for App and Firmware Updates
An outdated app or device firmware can contain bugs related to motion detection.
- Update the Skybell App: Go to the App Store (iOS) or Google Play Store (Android) on your phone and check for any available updates for the Skybell app.
- Firmware Updates: Skybell firmware updates are typically pushed automatically over the air. However, if your device has been offline or has a poor connection, it may have missed an update. Ensuring your Skybell has a strong, stable Wi-Fi connection and leaving it powered on is the best way to ensure it receives the latest firmware. You can check the device settings in the app for a "Firmware Version" or "Device Info" section.
## Step 5: Reposition the Skybell
In some cases, the physical placement of the doorbell can cause issues that zones cannot fix. If the PIR sensor has a very wide and direct view of a busy street, even well-drawn zones can struggle. Consider if a wedge mount or angled bracket could change the camera's field of view to focus more on your property and less on public areas, which will make your motion zones more effective.
By following these steps, you can systematically troubleshoot and fix the motion zone settings on your Skybell, leading to more accurate alerts and a much quieter phone.