Blink Cameras are one of the better smart home security products on the market today. With a large list of floodlight, solar, wired, and wireless options – there is no shortage of items to fit your needs.
Unfortunately, like all tech products Blink Cameras have a few known issues that have been plaguing some of its customers.
As the article suggests, the most problematic issue seems to be that the camera isn’t functioning properly at all. While this is usually accompanied by the tolling of bells, you may have a few options before you have to put your product to rest.
To save customers from having to dig up a warranty or start looking for a replacement camera, let’s take a look at some fixes.
Camera Light Indicators and What They Mean
As is surely the case with most of you, the Blink camera has a few different colored lights that will either be permanently illuminated or flash intermittently. These are helpful ways to make diagnosing issues with the camera far easier. If your camera is showing a light, pay attention to the color and its frequency.
If your camera is showing a steady blue light, then you are probably not reading this article. This is indicating that your camera is on and well-connected to the internet. It could also mean that it is recording, though both are good signs.
A flashing blue light means that the camera is still completing its installation and will be able to connect when finished. This usually is not a bad sign, though will require a bit of patience before you can use the camera.
A steady red light is letting you know that the camera is not currently connected to the internet. It also means that it is currently finishing the installation. If you can’t get this light to switch to a more favorable hue, we have a solution or two below.
The flashing red light is going to be three different possibilities. The first is that your camera senses movement, the second is that it is busy setting up, and finally it could mean the camera has a low battery.
Steady green light means that your device is either not currently on your Wifi or it is on but not actively recording. The easiest way to check which this is would be to use your app to see if the connection is stable. This is usually not a bad sign.
The flashing green light typically means that your internet connection is not very strong. This can be remedied by moving the sync module closer or vice versa, which we will cover more in-depth below. This could also indicate that Blink is having network issues, in which case you may want to verify with customer service.
General Fixes For a Blink Camera
It shouldn’t be hard to understand why non-responsive security cameras are a problem. While visible cameras can lessen the likelihood of a home invasion, they will do little to monitor your house if they are offline or not responding.
To avoid this frustrating and potentially dangerous issue, let’s go over the ways to fix it.
Check that your Wifi runs off 2.4 GHz, as 5.0 will be incompatible with Blink devices. You could also spring for a dual-band router.
Replace The Batteries
While this may seem like an unlikely issue, a single battery life can vary massively. Despite what the manufacturer may claim, you can never truly nail down a battery to one specific time.
Home security cameras are also in a weird phase where several of the wireless options have lackluster battery life. Regardless, you will need to check it if you find that the camera is not turning on.
Always try to use Lithium batteries if you can.
The convenient and helpful thing about blink cameras is that they are all compatible with micro-USB cables. The best way to check if your batteries are the problem is to remove them and power the camera to a micro-USB. Check to see if the camera switches on — if it does, it is time to replace the batteries.
Reboot Modem, Router, Sync Module & Camera
Sounds like a daunting task ahead of us, though it will likely take a little over a minute at most. This is becoming such a standard in my how-to articles I’m beginning to feel a bit like a hack, but it continues to be a panacea for several tech-related issues.
We can do everything in a few, simplistic steps:
- Remove any wires from your modem and router, making sure both are off.
- Wait for roughly half a minute or more.
- Plug both back in and wait a couple of minutes for the internet to fully reconnect.
- Remove the module from any power source it may have (outlet, batteries, etc.).
- Moving to the camera, take out the batteries or micro-USB and wait for ten seconds.
- After ten seconds have passed, plug the Sync Module back in.
- Reinsert the batteries and wait for the camera to power on.
If your camera is still giving you problems, no worries! We have quite a bit more to get through before we start discussing warranties.
Frozen Blink App
If your application is unresponsive or frozen, it could interfere with your camera’s ability to function. To prevent this, simply terminate the app and relaunch it.
If you are still experiencing issues with the app as far as lag, freezing, or skipping, it might be worth it to uninstall the application. Once you do, simply reinstall it and see if that makes it work a bit smoother.
Even if this doesn’t resolve everything all at once, it’s an important step in making sure that the device isn’t having problems because of your mobile device’s faulty app.
Move the Sync Module Closer to the Camera
If you have a steady red light or a flashing green light, chances are you may need to make things a bit more intimate with your smart home system. The best way to see if your connection is suspect will be to check directly through the app. If the connection feels below taverage, move the module or camera.
The reason we suggest moving the module first is to lessen the chances of you leaving a part of the home vulnerable. The Sync Module can sit anywhere a power outlet is present, but a camera has to monitor key locations. After you move the module closer, check to see if the connection is a bit stronger.
Check Cables, Connections, and Outlets
When we bought our house, the former homeowner was nice enough to leave us with a few decorative outlets that don’t actually work. This caused us to replace a few items that weren’t broken at all – they just didn’t have a working electrical connection.
This seemingly minor solution may save you from purchasing an unnecessary camera (or microwave in my case). The first thing you will want to do is either try other electronics on that outlet or move your module, or camera, to a different power source.
If the outlet is not the issue, try and make sure the wires are all well-connected and functioning properly. If you notice frays, openings, or visible damage it may be a sign that your wire needs replacing. Once you go over the cables, give each a light tug at the end to see if they are well attached to their individual ports.
Return the Camera & Sync Module to Factory Settings
If the previous method didn’t help, this is going one step further in severity. For most issues nowadays, sometimes you have to simply start over with the product.
This will come with the downside that any stored settings will be forgotten after the process is complete. Hard thing to be concerned with if the camera doesn’t work at all, however.
This should be considered a last resort, as the setup of all your cameras will need to be reapplied. For any camera that connects to the Sync Module, just reset the Sync Module. For those using a Blink Mini, go to the second set of steps.
To factory reset the Sync Module (and compatible cameras), do the following:
- On the back of your Sync Module is a QR code, and underneath that is a reset button.
- It should resemble a sideways thermometer or just a small opening, hold it down for five seconds (may need a needle, pen tip, or fingernail).
- A red light will flicker momentarily, then after about fifteen seconds a flashing blue hue and steady green light should replace it.
- It has now been fully reset and can be linked to the Blink App.
To Factory reset the individual Blink Mini Camera, do the following:
- Look at the bottom of your camera, there will be a small reset button.
- Hold down the button for half a minute.
- The Blink Mini should now be fully reset.
To reconnect your Blink app with the System Module, do the following:
- Navigate to the Blink app on your phone. It does not matter which device you have.
- Hit the “+” sign in the top-right corner of your screen.
- There will be a list of options available from your purchased Blink devices.
- Select Blink wireless camera system.
- You will need to scan the QR code found on the back of your Sync Module.
- Allow the app permission to use your camera and scan the QR code. Alternatively, if you don’t want the app to have access to your camera you can manually enter the serial number.
- It will ask you to enter a name for the system and the process will complete.
- When adding the camera, follow the same general list of steps.
It’s a tedious process, but thankfully you should only have to do it a few times in your camera’s lifecycle. If this doesn’t work, it is time to consider bringing in a professional, contacting customer service, or finding the expiration date of your warranty.
Fixes For Blink Camera Not Detecting Motion
While it might be better than a camera that doesn’t work at all – a Blink camera that can’t detect motion is not performing at its best. Thankfully, this is usually a very easy fix that follows a logical group of steps.
Let’s quickly go over how to remedy this annoying affliction.
What is most likely the issue is that the feature for motion detection is not switched on. This is a problem, though very easy to fix. Go to your Blink app, and hit the “Arm System” option in the bottom-left corner if it isn’t already enabled. Test to see if the situation is fixed, if not – stay in the Blink app.
Return to the main menu and select Settings. In the settings menu, navigate to the camera that isn’t working and select the Sensitivity option.
At the lowest setting, the camera will ignore everything. At the highest setting, it will go off if you think about walking by it. Adjust it until you are satisfied, then see if the problem has been resolved.
Finally, while still in the Blink app – return to the Settings menu. Select the Power option and turn off the Energy saving feature.
While this feature is an excellent addition, it wisely turns off the biggest drains on the battery. Unfortunately, one of those is motion detection. So when energy saving is on, your motion detection will not be.
If none of these work, try some of the general fixes above.
Night Vision Won’t Work
As most of us know, burglars tend to work the graveyard shift. So when our night vision doesn’t work, it does us very little good to monitor the dog at 3 P.M.
The first thing you want to check is that the Infrared Emitter isn’t obstructed. If there is anything in the way, remove it and see if the issue has been resolved.
Another thing to check is whether or not the settings are set to where the night vision doesn’t trigger.
Follow These Steps to Enable Night Vision:
- Navigate to the Blink App.
- Go to Camera Settings and then select Night Vision.
- Switch the setting to On.
- Your night vision issue should be resolved!
Should you want to refine your night vision features, you can do so via the Control and Intensify options in the same menu.
Final Thoughts
If your camera is still not functioning properly, reach out to someone to get it fixed or replaced. For most people who haven’t had the device for some time, their warranty should still be in effect.
The warranty for all Blink cameras is one year unless otherwise stated. Not the most gratifying option, but it beats having to shell out another hundred dollars.
To answer other similar questions like why is my Blink camera blinking red, why is my Blink camera blurry, or even which 4k security camera is the best – check out more articles here at Swift Moves!
