Yi Camera Not Recording Continuously? (Troubleshoot)

Yi Camera Not Recording Continuously? (Troubleshoot)

One of the key features of the Yi Home Camera is its ability to record continuously to a MicroSD card, providing you with a complete 24/7 timeline of events. If you're finding that your camera is only saving short, motion-activated clips, or has large gaps in the timeline, it's frustrating and undermines your security.

This problem is almost always solvable and is usually related to the SD card or a simple setting within the Yi Home app. This guide will walk you through the troubleshooting steps to get your 24/7 recording back on track.

Signs of a Continuous Recording Failure

• The playback timeline in the app is orange (indicating motion events) instead of a solid bar.
• There are significant time gaps in your recorded footage.
• The camera stops recording altogether after a short period, even with ample space on the SD card.
• You have the setting enabled, but the camera's behaviour doesn't change.

How to Fix Yi Continuous Recording Issues

Follow these steps in order to diagnose and fix the problem.

1. Verify Your MicroSD Card

The MicroSD card is the most common point of failure. The demands of continuous recording are high, and not all cards are up to the task.

• Use a High-Quality Card: You must use a genuine, high-endurance MicroSD card from a reputable brand like SanDisk, Samsung, or Kingston. Look for a Class 10 or U3 rating. Cheap, unbranded, or counterfeit cards will not work reliably for continuous recording.
• Check Card Health: If the card has been in use for a long time, it may be worn out. SD cards have a limited number of write cycles. Try a brand new, high-quality card to see if it resolves the issue.
• Ensure Sufficient Size: Use a card between 32GB and 128GB for the best compatibility and recording duration.

2. Format the MicroSD Card in the App

Even a good SD card can have file system errors. Formatting it within the Yi Home app is the best way to ensure it's set up correctly for the camera.

1. Open the Yi Home app and select your camera.
2. Go to Settings (the gear icon).
3. Tap on Storage.
4. You should see details about your SD card. Tap on 'Format SD Card'.
5. Confirm the action. Warning: This will erase all existing footage on the card.

After formatting is complete, monitor the camera to see if it now records continuously.

3. Check the In-App Recording Settings

You may have inadvertently set the camera to record only on motion.

1. Open the Yi Home app and go to your camera's live view.
2. Navigate to Settings > Storage.
3. Look for a toggle or option that lets you choose your recording mode.
4. Make sure the setting for 'Record continuously' is selected, not 'Record only when activity is detected' (or similar wording).

4. Power Cycle the Camera

A simple reboot can often clear temporary software glitches.

1. Unplug the Yi camera from its power source.
2. Wait for at least 60 seconds.
3. Plug the camera back in and allow it a few minutes to boot up and reconnect.
4. Check the timeline again after about 30 minutes to see if a continuous recording bar is present.

5. Update Firmware

Ensure your camera is running the latest software, as updates can fix known bugs.

• In the Yi Home app, go to Settings > Device Info > Firmware Version.
• The app will tell you if an update is available. If so, proceed with the installation.

By following these steps, particularly by ensuring you have a high-quality SD card and have formatted it within the app, you can resolve the vast majority of continuous recording issues with your Yi Home Camera.