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Explore simple fixes for a non-responsive Blink Camera and ensure it catches every motion event, turning it from a decorative piece into a true security asset.
1. Don’t Place Your Camera Behind Glass
Blink cameras detect motion with passive infrared (PIR) sensors, which sense movement through shifts in heat within their view.
Infrared shines outdoors, dodging false alarms from shifting lights or swaying branches, unlike other motion sensors.
Glass stops infrared light, making PIR sensors overlook motion behind windows. For Blink cameras to detect movement effectively, they require an unobstructed, glass-free view of their intended area.
The Blink Mini breaks the mold by using Pixel Difference Analysis to spot movement, even through glass. This clever tech only asks for two things: minimal reflections and good lighting. To get the best results, simply position the Mini right up against the glass it needs to monitor.
Both sensor types work more effectively when objects approach from the side, not directly in front. Keep this in mind when positioning your camera to ensure optimal performance.
2. Arm Your Blink System
Activate your Blink system to start motion detection, recording, and alerts.
Easily activate your system through the Blink mobile app. After setting up your account and connecting your camera, the main screen will show a simple Disarmed/Armed switch for quick access.
When the system is active, you’ll see “Armed” in blue. If not, simply click it.
3. Turn on Motion Detection
Ensuring your system is set doesn’t always mean motion detection is active. Cameras usually have motion sensors on, but they might have been accidentally switched off.
To turn on your Blink camera’s motion detection, head to the home screen. Look for an icon shaped like a running man at the top right of each camera’s widget. If it’s blue, motion detection is already active. If not, just tap the icon to switch it on.
Access the camera’s settings by clicking the icon with three horizontal lines, located next to the running man symbol.
In the Camera Settings menu, quickly find and switch on the Enable Motion Detection option to start tracking movement.
4. Adjust The Retrigger Time
Sometimes, Blink cameras miss crucial movements because they’re too close to previous ones, not because they never activate.
The retrigger time sets a delay to stop your camera from bombarding you with repeated alerts for the same incident.
On the Blink Camera Settings page, adjust the slider next to motion detection to set your desired retrigger time. Simple and quick.
The default retrigger time is set at 30 seconds, which works well for many scenarios. However, consider adjusting it for better results. You have the option to reduce it to as little as 10 seconds. From experience, setting it around 20 seconds strikes a perfect equilibrium, minimizing missed events without overwhelming you with too many alerts.
5. Change Your Activity Zones
Your Blink camera lets you choose specific areas to monitor, ignoring movement outside these zones. This tool, known as Activity Zones, helps you sidestep unnecessary alerts from passing cars or swaying trees.
To ensure your camera catches every moment, like a door opening or an unexpected visitor, activate more zones. Simply go to Camera Settings, click the grid icon, and you’ll access a screen to adjust your Activity Zones.
On the Activity Zone screen, tapping a rectangle toggles its activity zone on or off. Disabled zones appear grey, while active ones retain their color. For better motion detection, especially if your camera’s been missing movement, it’s wise to keep most zones enabled.
6. Configure Your Camera’s Sensitivity
Tweaking your Blink camera’s sensitivity helps manage false alarms or missed activities. Boost sensitivity to catch more motion events it’s been overlooking. Perfect for keeping your space monitored just right.
Adjust the sensitivity slider under retrigger time in the Camera Settings.
Starting with a default value of five is standard. Jumping to ten might be too much. Experiment with six or seven first. Going beyond that could lead to numerous false alarms during your day.
7. Turn on Motion Recording
In my early days of using my camera, I kept getting Blink alerts with no footage in the app. The issue? I had accidentally turned off motion recording on my camera!
Turning off motion recording and alerts renders your camera’s motion detection function pointless. It’s like it’s not even there.
Turning off motion recording on your Blink cameras? Not a great idea. It’s better to keep it active. Simply head to the Camera Settings page and scroll to the bottom of the Motion Detection menu to ensure it’s on.
8. Change Your Night Vision Settings
Every Blink camera comes equipped with a night vision feature, powered by IR LEDs, to light up its focus area. You can manually switch this mode on or off, or let it adjust automatically based on surrounding light levels.
Typically, I suggest setting your camera to auto mode for night vision. But, be aware of a glitch with some Blink cameras where the infrared (IR) doesn’t switch off when it should. Ever seen a spy movie where night vision goggles turn everything too bright in a lit room? That’s the issue here.
Some Blink cameras struggle to spot movement just after sunrise due to an IR bug. A practical workaround is setting up a smart home routine through platforms like Alexa or Home Assistant to manually switch off the IR mode.
This problem doesn’t happen often. If your camera skips motion events right after a new light appears, then it’s worth checking out. Otherwise, it’s usually not a concern.
Adjust your camera’s Night Vision on the Camera Settings page. Most should opt for Auto control with Medium IR Intensity for balanced visibility.
9. Replace Your Blink Camera Batteries
After checking your camera’s settings, we’ll explore potential hardware issues next. Often, the culprit is simply low batteries – an easy fix.
While the Blink Mini plugs in, most Blink Cameras run on two AA batteries, found in a compartment at the camera’s rear.
- Remove your camera from its mount on the wall.
- Take off the back compartment cover.
- Replace the batteries. In most cases, you’ll need two AAs.
- Place the compartment cover back on the camera and return it to the wall.
10. Check Your Wi-Fi Connection
Blink cameras need a stable Wi-Fi connection to transmit video feeds, images, and alerts. If your Wi-Fi network encounters issues, your camera won’t be able to send motion alerts, despite detecting activity.
If your phone or computer connects to Wi-Fi but your camera doesn’t, the issue might be with the camera. If none connect, the network could be the problem.
Resetting your router often fixes network issues. Here’s how to do it:
- Unplug your router and modem. If they have batteries, remove those, too.
- Wait 30 seconds.
- Plug them both back in.
- Wait up to five minutes for your Wi-Fi connection to come back online.
If the issue continues, reaching out to your internet provider is wise. They can help identify if it’s a hardware issue or a local outage affecting your connection.
11. Reset Your Blink Camera
A hard reset often solves Blink camera issues when other methods don’t work.
Resetting a Blink Mini
Find the Blink Mini’s reset button under its camera, near the stand connection point.
To reset, gently push the button using a blunt tool like a toothpick’s dull end. Press and hold for 5 seconds, watching for the red light to switch to green and blue signals.
If the red light lingers beyond 1-2 minutes during a reset, it’s time to reach out to Blink support for help.
Resetting a Blink Outdoor, Indoor, XT, or XT2
To reset your Blink camera, simply open the back cover. The reset button is tucked between the batteries, close to the top-right corner of the device.
To reset your camera, grab something slim and sturdy, like a toothpick’s blunt end. Press the button firmly for 5 seconds. If the camera lights blink, you’ve done it right, and it’s time to release the button.
Resetting a Blink Video Doorbell
For troubleshooting your Blink Video Doorbell, start with a soft reset before considering a full factory reset.
For a soft reset, take out a battery, count to 5, put it back in. Watch for the LED to flash before it stabilizes again.
For a factory reset, find the reset button above the battery area. Use a slim, dull tool to press and hold it for 5 seconds. When the front red LED blinks, it means the reset was successful.
What’s Next?
In the world of smart homes, security is key, and cameras play a big role. Blink cameras are a top pick because they effortlessly sync with Alexa and similar systems. While they’re mostly reliable, you might encounter the odd motion detection hiccup or a red light blinking, but these issues are rare.
Beyond security, your camera can unlock neat tricks for your smart home setup. For instance, linking it with smart plugs lets you power on devices only when you’re around. This clever integration boosts the energy efficiency of your smart plugs, enhancing your home’s tech-savvy while saving on bills. Neat, isn’t it?
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Zachary has spent 12 hears in the tech industry focusing on automation, analytics, and cybersecurity. His passion is tech education; he uses his industry expertise and STEM PhD to break down complicated concepts into simple step-by-step guides. When he’s not writing or coding, you can find him binging anything Star Trek or Marvel or reading far too many sci-fi novels.
