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Aqara doorbells do not record all the time by default, instead relying on motion detection and doorbell presses to trigger recordings, optimizing for battery life and storage. While continuous cloud recording isn’t a standard feature, users can customize settings and leverage local storage solutions for flexible and private surveillance.
Many smart doorbell users wonder about their devices’ recording capabilities, especially if they Aqara doorbells record all the time. The short answer is: typically, no. Aqara smart doorbells, like most in their category, are primarily designed for event-triggered recording rather than continuous 24/7 surveillance. This means they spring into action when motion is detected, or the doorbell button is pressed, capturing specific moments that matter.
However, the full picture is a bit more nuanced, especially concerning specific models like the Aqara Video Doorbell G4. While not their default mode, there are settings and configurations that allow some Aqara doorbells to offer a form of continuous recording. Let’s dive deeper into how Aqara doorbells manage their recording, and what options you have for comprehensive home monitoring.
Do Aqara Doorbells Record All The Time, and How Does Their Recording System Work?
The core functionality of Aqara doorbells record all the time is not true by default. Instead, they operate on an event-based system. When someone approaches your door, triggers motion detection, or rings the doorbell, the device wakes up, captures video footage, and sends an alert to your Aqara Home app. This approach conserves power, especially for battery-powered models, and minimizes unnecessary video storage.
Specifically, the Aqara Video Doorbell G4, a popular model, offers flexible recording options:
- Event-Triggered Recording (Default): This is the standard operation. When motion is detected (with customizable sensitivity and activity zones) or the doorbell button is pressed, the G4 records a short clip (e.g., 10-30 seconds). These clips are then uploaded to Aqara’s free 7-day cloud storage (for up to 3 days from recording date, but stored for 7 total), or saved locally to a microSD card inserted into the device. This ensures you only get recordings of significant events.
- Continuous 24/7 Recording (Optional, Wired Power Required): This is where the nuance lies. The Aqara Video Doorbell G4 can record all the time to a local microSD card, but this functionality requires a stable, wired power supply. It cannot sustain 24/7 recording on battery power alone due to the high energy consumption. If you’ve hardwired your G4, you can enable “Continuous Recording” within the Aqara Home app settings. With this feature activated and a sufficiently sized microSD card, the doorbell will continuously record video, overwriting the oldest footage once the card is full. This is a significant advantage for those who want a complete timeline of activity at their doorstep, ensuring no moment is missed even if an event isn’t specifically triggered. This mode effectively means your Aqara doorbells record all the time on local storage.
Understanding Recording Storage:
- MicroSD Card (Local Storage): For the G4, this is crucial for continuous recording. A high-endurance microSD card (up to 512GB supported) can store days or even weeks of footage. Even without 24/7 recording enabled, the microSD card serves as a backup for event clips, or as the primary storage if you prefer to avoid cloud services.
- Aqara Cloud Storage: Aqara provides free 7-day rolling cloud storage for event-triggered clips. This means any clips generated by motion or doorbell presses are saved to the cloud for you to review and download for a week. This service is for event clips only; continuous recording is strictly local. So, while your Aqara doorbells record all the time locally, only event clips go to the cloud.
- HomeKit Secure Video (HKSV): If you integrate your Aqara G4 with Apple HomeKit, you can leverage HKSV for event recording. HKSV uses your iCloud+ plan storage to securely store 10 days of motion-triggered video, with intelligent detection of people, animals, and vehicles. This is another form of event-based recording, offering enhanced privacy through Apple’s ecosystem.
Practical Examples and Tips:
- Maximizing Continuous Recording: If you want your Aqara doorbells record all the time, ensure your G4 is hardwired. Purchase a reputable, high-endurance microSD card (e.g., SanDisk High Endurance, Samsung PRO Endurance) to handle the constant read/write cycles, ideally 128GB or larger for extended storage.
- Optimizing Event Recording: Utilize activity zones in the Aqara Home app to define specific areas for motion detection, reducing false alerts from passing cars or trees. Adjust motion sensitivity to your environment. Enable human shape detection for more accurate notifications.
- Accessing Recordings: All recordings, whether event-based or continuous (viewed via the G4’s timeline feature in the app), are accessible through the Aqara Home app. For continuous recordings, navigate to the device, then the playback timeline to scroll through recorded footage.
- Power Considerations: Remember, battery-only operation will never allow your Aqara doorbells record all the time. Wired power is essential for this advanced feature. Even event-based recordings benefit from a wired connection as it removes battery life concerns.
- Privacy: While having Aqara doorbells record all the time offers comprehensive surveillance, be mindful of local privacy laws and neighbor expectations, especially concerning public spaces in the camera’s view.
In summary, while the answer to “do Aqara doorbells record all the time” is generally no for their default operation, the Aqara Video Doorbell G4 provides the flexibility to enable continuous 24/7 recording to a local microSD card, provided it’s wired for power. This makes it a versatile solution, catering to users who prefer event-triggered alerts for specific incidents, as well as those who demand comprehensive, constant surveillance for ultimate peace of mind. Understanding these options allows you to configure your Aqara doorbell precisely to your security needs.