UniFi Motion Detection Not Working? Here Is How to Fix It
A security camera that does not detect motion is a significant gap in your security. If your UniFi Protect camera has stopped sending motion alerts or is failing to record motion events, it is crucial to diagnose and fix the problem quickly. This issue can stem from simple configuration errors, software bugs, or incorrect setup of detection zones.
This guide will walk you through the essential troubleshooting steps to get your UniFi camera's motion detection working reliably again.
Potential Causes for Motion Detection Failure
Before diving into the fixes, it is helpful to understand what might be going wrong. The most common culprits include:
- Motion Detection is Disabled: The feature may have been accidentally turned off for that specific camera.
- Incorrectly Drawn Motion Zones: You may have set up motion zones that do not cover the areas where events are actually happening.
- Sensitivity Set Too Low: The motion sensitivity setting might be configured so low that it does not register the movement you expect it to.
- Notification Settings Misconfigured: The camera might be detecting motion correctly, but your personal notification settings are preventing the alerts from reaching your phone.
- Software Glitches: A bug in the camera firmware or the UniFi Protect application could be the cause, often resolved with an update or a reboot.
A Step-by-Step Guide to Troubleshooting
Follow these steps in a logical order to find and resolve the issue efficiently.
1. Verify Basic Motion Settings
Let's start by confirming that motion detection is actually enabled and configured.
- Open your UniFi Protect application.
- Select the camera that is having issues.
- Go to its Settings.
- Navigate to the Recording or Motion section.
- Ensure that Motion Detection is enabled.
- Check the Motion Sensitivity slider. If it is very low, increase it to a medium or high level for testing. You can fine-tune it later.
2. Review and Adjust Your Motion Zones
Incorrectly configured zones are a very common reason for missed detections.
- In the camera's settings, go to the Motion Zones editor.
- You will see the camera's view with your current zones overlaid.
- Confirm that the zones cover all the areas you want to monitor. For example, if you want to detect a person walking up your path, make sure the entire path is included in a zone.
- If you are unsure, try deleting all custom zones. This will make the camera revert to monitoring its entire field of view. If it starts detecting motion, you know the problem was with your zone configuration. You can then go back and draw them more carefully.
3. Check Your Notification Settings
The camera might be recording, but you are not being told about it.
- In the main UniFi Protect settings (not just for one camera), go to My Account or Notification Settings.
- Review your custom notification settings. Check the settings for the specific camera in question.
- Ensure that you have enabled push notifications for motion events, or for 'Smart Detections' if you are using those.
- Also, check the schedule. You may have configured notifications to only be sent when you are 'Away', but your system currently thinks you are 'Home'.
4. Update and Reboot
If the settings all appear correct, the next step is to address potential software glitches.
- Check for Updates: Make sure your UniFi Protect controller (Cloud Key, UNVR, etc.) and the firmware for the specific camera are all up to date. Apply any pending updates.
- Reboot the Camera: From the UniFi Protect dashboard, you can perform a software reboot of the camera. This is less disruptive than a power cycle and often solves the problem.
- Reboot the Controller: If rebooting the camera does not work, try rebooting your entire UniFi Protect controller.
5. Review 'Smart Detections'
The AI detection feature is powerful but can be a source of confusion.
- Go to the Smart Detections settings for your camera.
- If you have enabled Person or Vehicle detection, the camera will start categorising motion.
- Crucially, if your notification settings are set to only alert you on 'Smart Detections', you will not receive alerts for general motion (e.g., an animal, or a person who was not clearly identified). Make sure your recording and notification settings match your expectations.
By systematically checking these settings, you can almost always find the reason why your UniFi camera is not detecting motion and restore its full security functionality.