Somfy Camera Recording Failed? Troubleshooting Steps

Troubleshooting Why Your Somfy Camera Has Stopped Recording

Your Somfy security camera provides both a live view and the crucial ability to record video clips when motion is detected. These recordings are essential for reviewing events, identifying visitors, and providing evidence if an incident occurs. If you find that your camera is no longer saving these clips, it's important to resolve the issue quickly.

This guide will help you diagnose the most common reasons for recording failures with Somfy cameras, covering everything from cloud subscriptions to network connectivity.

Common Symptoms of a Recording Problem

First, let's pinpoint how the issue is presenting itself in your Somfy Protect app.

• No New Events in Timeline: You can view the live stream perfectly, but the event timeline or recordings library is empty, with no new clips being added.
• Notification Without a Clip: You receive a push notification on your phone that motion has been detected, but when you tap on it, there is no video to watch.
• Subscription Error Message: The app displays an error message mentioning your subscription plan or the cloud service when you try to access recordings.
• SD Card Issues: If your model uses a microSD card for local storage, you may see an error in the app that the card is full, corrupted, or not recognised.
• Incomplete Recordings: The camera records, but the clips are very short (only a few seconds) and cut off prematurely.

Step-by-Step Guide to Fix Somfy Recording Issues

Let's work through the potential causes, starting with the most frequent one for cloud-based systems.

1. Check Your Somfy Protect Subscription Status

For most Somfy cameras, the ability to store video recordings in the cloud is tied to a paid subscription service, usually called Somfy Protect. Often, a free trial is included with a new camera.

• Has Your Trial Expired? Many users experience a sudden stop in recordings when their initial free trial period (e.g., 7 days or 30 days) comes to an end. After this period, you must subscribe to a paid plan to continue saving cloud recordings.
• Has Your Subscription Lapsed? If you were on a paid plan, it's possible the subscription has expired or a payment method failed, causing the service to be suspended.
• How to Check:
  1. Open the Somfy Protect app.
  2. Navigate to the "Settings" or "My Account" section.
  3. Look for "My Subscription" or a similar menu item.
  4. Here, you can verify if your plan is active. If it has expired, you will need to subscribe to a new plan to re-enable cloud recordings.

2. Verify the Camera's Wi-Fi Connection

For a video clip to be saved to the cloud, the camera needs a stable internet connection at the time the motion occurs.

• Intermittent Connection: Your Wi-Fi signal might be strong enough for live viewing when you test it, but it could be dropping out intermittently. If the connection drops during a motion event, the camera cannot upload the clip, and the recording will fail.
• What to do:
  • In the app, go to your camera's settings and check the reported Wi-Fi signal strength.
  • If the signal is weak or moderate, try moving your Wi-Fi router closer to the camera or installing a Wi-Fi extender to create a more stable link. This is a common cause for incomplete or missing recordings.

3. Manage Local Storage (If Your Model Uses an SD Card)

Some Somfy cameras offer local storage as a backup or alternative to the cloud.

• Is the SD Card Full? If the card is full and not set to overwrite old footage, it will stop recording.
• Is the SD Card Corrupted? SD cards can become corrupted over time. This can prevent the camera from writing new data to it.
• What to do:
  1. In the camera's settings within the app, find the storage management section.
  2. Check the status of the card. If it's full, you may need to manually delete old clips or enable loop recording (overwrite).
  3. If you suspect corruption, use the "Format" option in the app. Warning: Formatting will permanently erase everything on the card. This process can often resolve recording issues.
  4. If the card is still not working after a format, it may be physically damaged and need replacement.

4. Ensure Motion Detection is Correctly Configured

Finally, a simple settings issue could be the cause.

• Detection is Off: Double-check in the app that motion detection for your camera is enabled.
• Incorrect Schedule: You may have set up a schedule that deactivates motion detection and recording during certain hours. Review any schedules you have created.
• Sensitivity Too Low: If the motion detection sensitivity is set too low, the camera may not be triggering on the events you expect it to capture.

By systematically checking your subscription, network connection, and storage settings, you can quickly get to the bottom of why your Somfy camera has stopped recording and restore this vital security feature.