Is Your Xiaomi Motion Detection Failing?
When you rely on your Xiaomi camera for security, it's crucial that its motion detection works flawlessly. If you've noticed that your camera is failing to detect movement, not sending you alerts, or not recording events as it should, it's a problem that needs immediate attention. A non-responsive motion sensor can create a false sense of security. Fortunately, most motion detection issues are caused by simple configuration errors or software glitches that you can fix yourself. This guide will walk you through the troubleshooting process step-by-step to get this essential feature working again.
Why Isn't My Motion Detection Working?
Let's break down the common culprits that can cause your camera's motion detection to fail. By understanding the potential causes, you can narrow down the problem more efficiently.
Incorrect In-App Settings
This is the most common reason for motion detection failure. The feature might be accidentally turned off, the sensitivity could be set too low to pick up movement, or the scheduling feature might be preventing it from activating at certain times. Incorrectly drawn 'activity zones' can also mean the camera is ignoring the very areas you want to monitor.
Notification and Permission Issues
The camera might be detecting and recording motion perfectly, but the alerts are not reaching your phone. This is often due to your smartphone's settings, where notifications for the Mi Home app may have been disabled. The app might also lack the necessary permissions to run in the background and push alerts to you.
Connectivity Problems
A spotty or unstable Wi-Fi connection can interfere with the camera's ability to process a motion event and send a notification to the cloud and back to your phone. The detection might happen locally, but the alert gets lost in transit.
Physical Obstructions or Placement
Something as simple as a dirty lens, a cobweb in front of the PIR sensor, or a new object blocking the view can prevent the camera from 'seeing' motion. The angle of the camera is also important; if it's not aimed correctly, it may miss activity.
A Step-by-Step Guide to Fixing Motion Detection
Follow these steps in a logical order to diagnose and solve the problem.
Step 1: Thoroughly Review Your Mi Home App Settings
This is where most issues are found and fixed. Open the Mi Home app and select your camera.
- Is Motion Detection Enabled? Find the main toggle for motion detection or 'Home surveillance' and ensure it is switched on. It sounds simple, but it's a common oversight.
- Check Sensitivity Level: Go into the detection settings. If the sensitivity is on 'Low', the camera might not be picking up subtle movements. Try increasing it to 'Medium' or 'High' as a test.
- Examine Activity Zones: If you have activity zones set up, ensure they are drawn correctly over the areas you want to monitor. For testing purposes, try disabling the activity zones feature entirely to see if motion is detected everywhere. If it is, the problem was with how your zones were configured.
- Review Your Schedule: Check if you have an alert schedule active that might be disabling motion detection during the times you are testing it.
Step 2: Check Your Smartphone's Settings
If you suspect recordings are happening but alerts aren't arriving, the problem is likely on your phone.
- Enable App Notifications: Go to your phone's main Settings menu, find 'Notifications', and locate the Mi Home app. Ensure that all permissions to send you notifications are enabled.
- Disable Battery Optimisation (Android): Some Android phones aggressively manage battery life by preventing apps from running in the background. Go to your battery settings and ensure that the Mi Home app is exempt from any 'battery optimisation' or 'deep sleep' features.
Step 3: Power Cycle Your Devices
A restart can often clear up temporary software bugs.
- Reboot the Camera: Unplug your Xiaomi camera from its power source. Wait for one minute before plugging it back in. This will force a full restart of its internal software.
- Reboot Your Phone: A simple restart of your smartphone can also resolve issues with the app or notification services.
Step 4: Check Physical and Environmental Factors
- Clean the Camera: Carefully wipe the camera lens and the plastic dome covering the PIR sensor with a clean, dry microfibre cloth.
- Check the View: Open the live stream and ensure there are no new obstructions in the camera's field of view.
Conclusion
When your Xiaomi camera's motion detection isn't working, a methodical approach is the key to fixing it. By starting with the most common culprits—the in-app settings—and then moving on to your phone's permissions and a simple device restart, you can solve the vast majority of issues. A functioning motion detector is the cornerstone of your smart home security, and these steps will help you ensure it's always ready to alert you when it matters most.