Are Your Unifi Protect Recordings Missing from the Cloud?
Relying on cloud storage for your Unifi Protect system provides a crucial layer of security, ensuring your footage is safe even if the local hardware is stolen or damaged. When you find that recordings are not being saved, or you're unable to access them remotely, it can be a significant concern. These problems can stem from subscription issues, network configurations, or software settings.
This guide will help you systematically troubleshoot the most common causes of Unifi cloud storage issues, allowing you to restore the reliability of your off-site recordings.
Step 1: Verify Your Subscription and Basic Settings
Before diving into network diagnostics, let's confirm the administrative basics are correct.
Check Your Ubiquiti Account
- Active Subscription: Log in to your official Ubiquiti account at
account.ui.com. Navigate to your subscriptions and confirm that your UniFi Protect cloud storage plan is active, paid for, and has not expired. - Correct Account: Ensure that the UniFi Protect controller is logged into the same Ubiquiti account that holds the active subscription. A mismatch here is a common oversight.
Check Camera-Specific Settings
Within your UniFi Protect controller's web interface or app:
- Recording Mode: Go to the settings for the specific camera that is not uploading. Under the "Recording" tab, ensure that the recording mode is set to "Always" or "Detections." If it's set to "Never," it won't record anything.
- Cloud vs. Local: Verify that the camera's storage destination is configured for cloud storage. Some setups may allow for a distinction between local-only and cloud-backed-up recordings.
Step 2: Diagnose Your Network Connection
A stable and sufficiently fast internet connection is non-negotiable for cloud storage. The key metric here is upload speed.
Test Your Upload Speed
- Run a Speed Test: From a computer on the same network as your Protect controller, run an internet speed test. Pay close attention to the "Upload" speed result.
- Calculate Requirements: Each camera streaming high-quality video requires a significant amount of upload bandwidth. A 1080p stream can require 2-4 Mbps, and a 4K stream can require much more. If your total internet upload speed is less than the combined need of your cameras, you will experience failed uploads and issues.
- Check for Congestion: If other activities like video conferencing, online gaming, or large file uploads are happening on your network, they compete for the same upload bandwidth, which can prevent camera footage from being saved correctly.
Firewall and Port Blocking
Your network's firewall could be preventing the Protect controller from communicating with the Ubiquiti cloud servers.
- Check Firewall Logs: If your router or firewall has logging capabilities, check for any blocked outbound connection attempts from the IP address of your Protect controller.
- Required Ports: UniFi Protect requires specific outbound ports to be open to function correctly. While these can change, they typically involve standard secure web ports. Check the official Ubiquiti support documentation for the most current list of required ports and ensure they are not blocked by your firewall rules.
Step 3: Ensure Your System is Up to Date
Running outdated firmware is a common cause of unexpected bugs and connectivity problems.
- Controller Firmware: Check the settings in your UniFi Protect controller (e.g., Cloud Key Gen2+, UDM Pro, UNVR) and ensure the main system firmware is on the latest version.
- Protect Application: The UniFi Protect application itself also receives updates. Make sure it is updated to the latest release.
- Camera Firmware: From the controller, you can check the status of each camera and apply any available firmware updates. Keeping cameras updated is just as important as the controller.
By methodically checking your subscription, settings, network health, and firmware versions, you can identify and resolve the vast majority of issues preventing your Unifi Protect system from successfully saving footage to the cloud.