UniFi Motion Detection Too Sensitive? How to Fix It

How to Fix UniFi Motion Detection That Is Too Sensitive

While the motion detection on UniFi Protect cameras is a powerful security feature, it can sometimes be over-enthusiastic, flooding your phone with notifications for every rustling leaf or passing shadow. These constant false alarms are not only annoying but can also cause you to miss genuine security events when they occur.

If you are tired of being bombarded with unnecessary motion alerts, this guide will show you how to fine-tune your UniFi camera settings for more accurate and meaningful notifications.

Why Your Camera Is Sending So Many Alerts

The default settings for UniFi cameras are often designed for maximum coverage, which can lead to high sensitivity. The most common triggers for false positive alerts include:

• High Sensitivity Setting: The default motion sensitivity level might be too high for your specific environment.
• Lack of Motion Zones: Without defined zones, the camera analyses its entire field of view for motion, including areas you do not care about.
• Environmental Factors: Moving tree branches, shadows from the sun, car headlights, rain, and even insects at night can be misinterpreted as motion.
• Not Using Smart Detections: Newer UniFi cameras have AI capabilities to detect specific objects, but this feature may not be enabled or configured.

Fine-Tuning Your UniFi Protect Motion Settings

You can dramatically reduce false alerts by making a few key adjustments in the UniFi Protect application.

1. Adjust the Master Motion Sensitivity

This is your first and most important adjustment.

1. Open the UniFi Protect application (web or mobile).
2. Select the camera you want to configure.
3. Go to the camera's Settings (often a gear icon).
4. Find the Motion or Recording settings area.
5. You will see a Motion Sensitivity slider. By default, it might be set quite high.
6. Lower the sensitivity in small increments. Try reducing it by 10-15% and then monitor the results for a day before adjusting further.

2. Configure Custom Motion Zones

Motion zones are the most effective tool for eliminating alerts from irrelevant areas.

1. In the same settings area, find the Motion Zones editor.
2. The camera's full view will be displayed. By default, the entire area is one large zone.
3. Delete the default zone.
4. Draw new, smaller zones that cover only the specific areas you want to monitor. For example, draw a zone over your walkway and garden, but exclude the public pavement, the road, and your neighbour's property.
5. You can create multiple zones for different areas of interest. This tells the camera to completely ignore any movement happening outside of these defined boxes.

3. Enable and Use Smart Detections

If your camera supports it, this is a game-changer.

1. Navigate to the Smart Detections settings for your camera.
2. Here, you can enable detection for specific objects, such as Person and Vehicle.
3. Once enabled, you can then configure your notifications to only alert you for these smart detections, rather than for all motion events.
4. This means you will get an alert when a person walks up your drive, but not when a cat runs across or a tree branch sways.

4. Tweak Recording Schedules and Notifications

Finally, manage when and how you are alerted.

• Notification Settings: In the main UniFi Protect settings, you can customise your notification preferences. You can choose to receive alerts only when you are away from home, for example.
• Recording Quality: While it does not directly affect sensitivity, sometimes lowering the frame rate (e.g., from 30 to 20 FPS) can help reduce the processing load and prevent spurious detections, especially in complex lighting.

By combining these four strategies—adjusting sensitivity, creating precise motion zones, leveraging smart detections, and managing notifications—you can transform your overly sensitive UniFi camera into a smart and accurate security device that only alerts you when it truly matters.