Blink Camera Blinking Red [Easy Troubleshooting Steps!]

A Blink camera is an incredibly useful resource to have installed at home if you value home security. A feature-rich camera with easy and convenient use, Blink cameras can help you secure your home against intruders while allowing you to monitor your surroundings for peace of mind.

It also has many other features like motion detection, security alarms, night vision, and more. For discerning homeowners, this can be a meaningful addition to home security measures which can mean a lot in the age of out-of-control crime.

If you have one or more Blink cameras at home, however, there are certain issues you can run into.

Particularly, many users have reported the issue of their Blink cameras showing a blinking red light on the notification LED. This can happen for many reasons and you should be able to diagnose and solve the issue yourself at home relatively easily, instead of having to contact Blink support or thinking about repairing or replacing the product. This can save you time and money.

In this guide, we discuss the common reasons why the Blink camera light blinks red and provide you with possible solutions for the issue. If you experience this issue, try out these solutions step-by-step and see if your issue gets resolved.


Blink Camera Blinking Red: Possible Issues

If the LED notification light on your Blink camera is blinking red outside of normal operational parameters, this indicates a problem most of the time. It is meant to let you know that there is an issue with your camera that needs looking into.

There might be specific patterns to the blinking that indicate specific error codes. You can try looking at your product manual to find out what these codes mean and if the manufacturer has recommended any specific fixes.

Based on this, in a nutshell, most of the time the error is associated with one of two things – an issue with power delivery or an issue with network connectivity.

Low batteries, faulty batteries, weak Wi-Fi signals, line of sight issues, and sync issues can usually cause such errors. In cases such as this, the fix should be easy as you can always relocate the camera, replace the batteries, or invest in better network hardware.

Sometimes, though, the issue is caused by software issues. In cases along these lines, resetting the device or looking for firmware updates might be a judicious idea.

Finally, certain hardware issues can also cause the LED notification light to keep blinking. If this is the case, your only resort might be to actually get in touch with Blink support and consider repairing or replacing your camera.

If your camera is under warranty, this should be relatively easy. It’s not rocket science and it’s much easier than having to sit through an episode of Grey’s Anatomy.


Try These Fixes

Now that you understand the possible issues that might be causing your Blink camera LED to blink red, try the fixes outlined here one by one.

Troubleshoot Your Wi-Fi

As a spotty Wi-Fi connection is often the culprit if your Blink camera LED is blinking red, start by troubleshooting your connection. To start with, disconnect and reconnect with the wireless network.

Go to the Blink mobile app and enter the “Network and Connectivity” tab inside the application. From here, disconnect from your current connection and erase it from your records.

Then, you can again start a scan for available networks with the “Search” button. Select your network SSID from the list that comes up, put in your network passphrase, and connect. You can then check if the red blinking LED issue goes away.

As a next step, you can try restarting your router. Let the router reboot completely and test your camera. If there are still connection issues, check all the cables connected to the router and replace any faulty cables. If you have downtime issues with your ISP or DNS resolution issues, you can get in touch with your ISP and get the problem solved.

The Blink camera system needs to be connected to the internet to provide most of its services and features.

Motion Detection

There is a feature in your Blink camera that can cause the notification light to flash red until you complete a manual action. This involves motion detection.

As the camera detects motion, the LED flashes red to confirm the motion. Moreover, if you have set up mobile notifications for motion detection, the camera will also immediately send a notification to your registered mobile device. Until you confirm and view the notification, there is a chance that the LED keeps blinking red.

To do this, check your phone and find the notification. Tap on the notification and review the footage. This completes the manual action on your part and the LED should then stop flashing red if this is actually the issue.

Unless you absolutely need mobile notifications, you can temporarily disable this feature, especially while you are at home, to avoid having to manually check in every time.

Check the Sync Module

Blink cameras can be coupled with a Sync module that increases the range and longevity of the Blink cameras by acting as a relay for different operation commands and network communication. Each Sync module can be paired with up to ten cameras and also has USB ports where you can connect your own drive for local storage.

If this is a system you use at home, the issue might be due to bad communication between your Blink camera and the Sync module.

If your camera is frequently losing connection with the Sync module, you can remedy that by moving your camera a little closer to the module so that it sits comfortably within range. Depending on where you have positioned the units, you might find it easier to move the module rather than the camera. In relation to this, you can move either or both so that they sit closer to each other and then check to see if the issue is resolved.

Power Cycle the Camera

One easy quick fix when you face the issue of your Blink camera blinking red is to power cycle the camera. This not only completely reboots the camera but also helps discharge any remaining charge in the camera circuit. This helps overcome glitches or bugs in the system that might be causing the notification LED to keep blinking.

To power cycle the camera, you need to first take it off its mount. Find the battery compartment and remove the cover. Then, you can take out the batteries.

Give the camera a minute, and then reinsert the batteries, replace the cover, and mount the camera again. Wait for the camera to boot up completely, and check if the issue is now resolved. Obviously, if you are using a wired camera, you should disconnect from the power source, rather than removing batteries.

While you are at it, you can also check the contact pads inside the battery compartment and give them a good cleaning if you see any dirt or dust on them.

Reset the Camera

Sometimes, a software glitch or an unfinished firmware update can cause the Blink camera to malfunction and the notification LED to start blinking red.

The ideal way to cope with this issue is to carry out a factory reset, which restores the camera firmware to its factory condition and erases any settings or user preferences. You can try doing this to see if your issue gets solved.

To do this, first, locate the reset button located on the camera. It should be a small button located inside a recessed hole on the back of the unit. You can use a pointed and sharp object, like the straightened end of a paper clip, to reach into the recess and push down on the button. Push the button for at least 15 seconds and let go.

You will then see the camera go through the factory reset process and finally reboot. Then, you need to follow the standard setup process, using the Blink app and setting up the camera to connect with your home Wi-Fi. Once everything is up and running, check to see if the blinking light issue is resolved.

Replace Batteries

Finally, you need to make sure that the LED blinking issue is not being caused by low power in the batteries. This is easy to check by simply replacing the batteries with fresh ones. Unmount your camera and remove the protective cover of the battery compartment. Then, take the batteries out and discard them.

You need to get a set of replacement batteries that are of the same specification as your current ones. Take care not to get the wrong batteries. Place the new batteries in the camera, replace the protective cover, mount the camera, and wait for it to boot completely. If a battery issue was causing the LED to blink red, that issue should now be resolved.


Final Thoughts

While the Blink camera is a great safety and security resource you can install at home, it’s not uncommon to run into issues like the LED light blinking red.

If this happens to you, do not lose your nerve. Instead, try these fixes!

It’s very likely that one of them will solve the problem and your Blink camera can go back to normal operation. If none of this work, you can always consult Blink support and get further instructions on how to sort out the problem.