Blink camera is not immune to minor technical bugs that generate non-detecting motion. The most common reason is a settings error. But, there can be multiple scenarios in which the Blink camera does not detect motion such as – at night, when it is armed but not detecting motion, trouble detecting actual events, etc.
In this situation, you have to check whether the motion detection feature is turned on and the Blink camera is armed. Next, you need to reconsider the misconfigured activities and also the private zones. Verify whether the Wi-Fi is stable, and if required, power cycle the Wi-Fi.
Now, regardless of the type of Blink camera you can troubleshoot the error.
Let’s get started with the advanced step-by-step process.
Common Issues to Encounter When Blink Camera is Not Detecting Motion
Here are the issues that you can encounter if you do not fix the detection motion feature at the earliest.
- Limited detection range – As the motion detection has a specified range, but during the error, the subject can move out of range.
- False alarm – The camera can trigger motion for events like changing light conditions and even for non-movement events such as shadows.
Reasons for Blink Camera Not Detecting Motion
Here are the common reasons that create a motion detection error on Blink camera:
- Incorrect camera settings or activity zones being misconfigured.
- Outdated firmware of the app or Blink firmware.
- Poor Wi-Fi signal or abrupt network issues.
- Unplanned placement of the camera.
- A misconfigured camera angle is unable to detect the motion.
- Low light or direct sunlight affects the motion detection feature.
How to Fix Blink Camera Not Detecting Motion?
To begin with the fixes you should learn how to turn on motion detection features. You can manually turn on and off the motion detection feature in the Blink camera. So, go to Camera Settings, tap on motion detection, and toggle the Enable option.
Now, let’s move on with the troubleshooting tips if enabling the motion detection manually is not enough.
Method 1: Check the camera placement and angle
If you place the camera in an incorrect position, then it won’t be able to detect motion. So, while mounting the Blink camera, check whether any object is blocking its view. Ensure that it is at the right spot and not too high or low placed. It should not be placed in direct sunlight or places where there are moving tree branches.
Place the camera at a perfect height, where you get to see what you want without the camera being too low to high. Also, be careful about obstructions, such as walls or lamp posts. You can check out multiple different angles and adjust the mount to improve the viewing angle.
Method 2: Ensure that the camera is armed
While you are setting the camera for the first time, you will find that by default it is disarmed. Thus, it will not be able to detect motion events and start the recording process, even if the motion detection feature is enabled.
So, here are the steps that you need to follow to arm the Blink camera:
- Install the Blink app on your Android or iOS device and go to the Camera View. Here, you will find the option to toggle from disarmed to armed.
- Make the changes and tap on the running man icon in blue. This will set the motion detection on for the Garage camera.
- However, if you find that the running man icon is grey, then the motion detection option is turned off for that part to view.
Method 3: Change the Blink camera batteries
Before you make changes to the settings of the Blink camera, check if there is a hardware issue that is leading to non-detection of motion, such as a low battery.
To replace this Blink camera battery you have to unmount the camera from the wall and remove the back compartment or cover of the camera. Take out the battery and replace them with the 2AA battery and then re-place the cover, mount it on the wall, and check for the issue.
Method 4: Check the Wi-Fi connection
You need a stable and active Wi-Fi connection for the Blink camera to send you images, notifications, and video feeds. However, if it fails to detect any motion, then you need to check the Wi-Fi device and whether it is receiving a proper signal.
You can reset the Wi-Fi by unplugging the router cables and if it comes to the battery remove them as well and wait for 30 seconds. Next, plug in the cables and also put back the batteries, and turn on the device. Now, wait for 5 minutes and the Wi-Fi connection will be up and running.
However, if the problem persists, then contact your internet service provider and change the plan. Also, if there is a local outage, then you need to wait for the maintenance work to complete.
Method 5: Change settings for misconfigured activities
If you don’t want to detect any particular motion, then you can mark off certain zones in the camera view. These are particular objects that move often and can trigger a false alarm, such as a tree branch.
Get to the settings of the Blink camera and check whether the activity zones are set correctly. You can make the changes through the Blink Home Monitor app, reset the zone, and then fix the motion detection feature. If required, you can re-configure the activities zones, based on your preference.
So, go to Settings, tap on the option “Activity zone”, and tap on Reset Zone. Alternatively, tap on the Grid, when the square area opens, mark as many grey areas as possible “Active”.
You can also set the Privacy zones that you don’t want to record or view through the Blink camera, and this can be your bedroom. So, check whether any misconfigurations are leading to the camera not detecting motion.
Go to Settings > Privacy Zone and tap on the Reset Privacy section, based on the model of the Bling camera. You will find that the privacy zones are getting marks with a grey color in the camera view.
Method 6: Adjust the retrigger time
If the motion events are too close to the camera, then Blink might fail to capture it. However, you can control the retrigger time, which would delay the capture period and it is intended to prevent the camera from sending multiple alarms for the same motion event.
So, get to the Blink Camera Settings page and adjust the slider for retrigger time, as you would prefer the time. Next, toggle to enable the motion detection feature. Set the slider to 30 seconds but you can try a shorter retrigger time, such as 10 seconds, or you can balance between the missed and excessive notifications by turning it into 20 seconds.
Method 7: Change the camera sensibility
If the Blink camera is getting triggered often, then you can adjust the sensitivity. If you increase the sensitivity, then it can pick up motion events that go missing. You will find the Sensitivity slider below the retrigger time on the camera settings page.
Usually, the default value is 5 and you can adjust it to 6 or 7. Do not increase this value to a higher level, otherwise, you may have to face a false alarm situation.
Method 8: Change the settings for night vision
Blink cameras use IR LEDs to illuminate the zone that they want to capture during the night. Now, you can either turn it off or set it to automatic mode based on the presence of external light.
Usually, auto mode is preferred but after dawn, IR can cause issues with the Blink camera and fail to detect motion and this is created due to the external light source where the Blink camera is introduced. Thus, you can change the settings for the night vision on the Camera Setting page, try to set the control to Auto mode, and change the IR intensity to “Medium”.
Method 9: Turn on motion recording
If you have turned off motion recording, then it can lead to the camera not detecting motion. So, get to the Camera Settings page which is usually present at the bottom of the motion detection menu, and toggle the enable button for the Motion Recording feature.
Method 10: Verify the subscription
If the Blink camera is not responding, then there might be an issue with the data storage. Usually, Blink provides a 30-day free trial of subscription plus.
So, if the camera isn’t recording, then either subscribe to Blink cloud storage or connect a local flash drive to sync the recordings and other data. A Blink subscription plus plan costs $10/month, and you would definitely need it for multiple Blink camera connections.
How to Reset the Blink Camera?
If you face any Blink camera error and DIY hacks are not enough to fix it, then a hard rest can be the best solution. You will find a Reset button, usually located at the bottom of the camera. So, use a narrow object and press the button for a few seconds. You will find that the green lights turn red and then the device shuts down and again the red lights appear which get replaced by green and blue lights. The entire process takes 2-3 minutes and the camera would be back to normal.
