Wyze Camera Stopped Working? A Troubleshooting Guide
When your Wyze camera stops working, it can be frustrating. Whether it's showing as 'Offline' in the app, the live stream won't load, or there's no power at all, the cause is usually a simple issue that you can resolve at home. This guide will walk you through the most common solutions in a clear, step-by-step manner.
Most problems can be traced back to one of three areas: power, Wi-Fi connectivity, or the SD card.
## Step 1: The Essential Power Cycle
Before you do anything else, perform a full power cycle. This is the most effective and simplest troubleshooting step and solves a surprising number of issues.
- Unplug the Power: Disconnect the USB cable from both the camera itself and the USB power adapter that is plugged into the wall.
- Wait: Leave the camera completely unplugged for at least 30 seconds. This allows the internal capacitors to fully discharge, properly clearing any temporary glitches.
- Reconnect Securely: Plug the USB cable firmly back into the wall adapter and, crucially, ensure the micro USB end is pushed all the way into the back of the Wyze camera. A loose connection here is a very common point of failure.
- Observe the Status Light: Wait a minute or two for the camera to boot up. The LED status light on the back will go through a sequence (e.g., solid yellow, then flashing blue) as it tries to reconnect. A solid blue light indicates success.
## Step 2: Check the Wi-Fi Connection
If the status light is flashing red, or flashing blue indefinitely, it means the camera is powered on but cannot connect to your Wi-Fi network.
- Reboot Your Router: Just like the camera, your home router can benefit from a reboot. Unplug it from power for 60 seconds and plug it back in. This can often resolve network-related freezes that are preventing new devices from connecting.
- Check Wi-Fi Signal Strength: Is the camera too far from your router? Wi-Fi signals can be blocked by thick walls or other electronic devices. In the Wyze app, go to the camera's 'Device Info' page to check the signal strength. If it's only one or two bars, you may need to move the camera closer to the router.
- Verify Network Changes: Have you recently changed your Wi-Fi password or router? If so, the camera will not be able to connect. You will need to run through the setup process again in the Wyze app to provide the camera with the new Wi-Fi credentials.
## Step 3: Rule Out the Micro SD Card
A corrupted or faulty micro SD card can cause a wide range of unexpected problems, including preventing the camera from booting up correctly.
- Power down the camera by unplugging it.
- Eject the micro SD card from the slot.
- Power the camera back on without the card inserted.
If the camera now boots up and connects successfully, you've found the problem. The SD card is likely faulty. You should try reformatting the card (this will erase all data on it) using the 'Format' option in the camera's 'Advanced Settings' menu in the Wyze app. If that doesn't work, you will need to replace the card.
## Step 4: Factory Reset
If you've tried all the above steps and the camera is still not working, a factory reset is the final resort. This will erase its settings and remove it from your Wyze account.
- With the camera plugged in, press and hold the 'Setup' button (usually on the bottom or back) for 10-15 seconds.
- You should hear a 'reset successful' voice prompt or see the status light change.
- The camera is now reset. You will need to go to the Wyze app, delete the camera from your device list, and then add it again as a new device.
Following these steps will resolve the vast majority of issues with an unresponsive Wyze camera.