Troubleshooting: Why Is My Kiwibit Camera Not Recording? – Kiwibit

If you're experiencing issues with your Kiwibit camera not recording, follow the steps below to ensure everything is set up correctly and functioning as intended.

Ensure Motion Detection Is Enabled

Kiwibit cameras only record when motion is detected. To ensure proper functionality, make sure the motion detection feature is enabled. You can do this by navigating to:

Go to Home page in the Kiwibit app.
Tap the Camera Settings gear icon.
Enable Motion Detection.

Ensure the Camera Is Not Live Streaming

When the camera is actively live streaming, it does not record any footage. To conserve processing power and ensure stable real-time viewing, the camera prioritizes the live stream and temporarily suspends motion-triggered recording during that time.

If you're testing motion detection feature, make sure to exit Live View mode in the app and allow the camera to return to standby. This ensures motion events can be properly detected and recorded as intended.

Check Storage Setup

To ensure your Kiwibit camera records and saves videos, it's important to understand the available storage options and what your current setup allows. Here's a step-by-step overview:

Default Setup – 1-Day Rolling Cloud Snapshots (Enabled Automatically)

After adding your camera to the Kiwibit app, motion detection snapshots (still images) are automatically saved to the cloud. This is the default setup, and no additional action is required. However, videos are not recorded in this setup.
Want to Record Videos? – Enable Free 1-Day Rolling Cloud Video Storage If you'd like to view motion-triggered video clips instead of snapshots, you can activate a free 1-day rolling cloud video feature:
Once activated, the camera will store motion-triggered videos from the past 24 hours.
Need More Storage and Features? – Upgrade to a Paid Cloud Plan To unlock extended features like:
You can purchase a Kiwibit Plus plan with the app. This is ideal for users who need long-term video history and advanced detection tools.
Prefer Local Recording? – Use a microSD Card If you'd rather save recordings locally, you can insert a microSD card (up to 128GB) into the camera. To view your stored footage:
- Open the Kiwibit app.
- Go to the Activity page.
- At the top of the screen, select SD Card.

Achieve Optimal Motion Detection

To achieve optimal motion detection with your Kiwibit camera, proper installation and adjustment are essential. The following key considerations will help you maximize the performance of your camera's motion detection capabilities.

Mounting Height: For the best motion detection and viewing angles, we recommend mounting the camera between 7-10 feet (2-3 meters) above the ground. This height allows the camera to capture a wide, clear view of the monitored area while keeping the field of view focused on essential details.
Mounting Angle: The mounting angle directly influences the detection range. With the recommended mounting height, the camera performs optimally when mounted at a downward angle of 10-15 degrees.
Ensure Motion Moves Across the Camera: Position the camera so that motion moves across its field of view rather than directly toward it. This improves motion detection accuracy and minimizes the risk of missed events.
Avoid Obstructions: Ensure there are no obstacles, such as branches or walls, that could obscure the camera's view or cause glare or hazy video, especially during nighttime recording.
Avoid Glass: Do not install the camera behind glass or similar materials, even if they are transparent. Motion detectors cannot function properly through glass, which will prevent the system from detecting motion effectively.
Adjust Motion Sensitivity: Increasing sensitivity allows the camera to detect motion at a longer distance. To adjust this setting:
- Go to the Home page in the Kiwibit app.
- Tap the Camera Settings gear icon.
- Tap Motion Detection.
- Tap Detection Sensitivity.
- Select High for increased motion accuracy.

Note: Higher sensitivity may also lead to more frequent triggers, which can impact battery life. Try different sensitivity levels to find the right balance between reliable motion detection and power efficiency based on your environment.

Test Whether the Motion Detector Is Functioning

If you're unsure whether the motion detector of your camera is working properly, you can perform a simple test to check its functionality:

Ensure the camera is not in Live Streaming. The camera does not detect or record motion while live streaming.
Stand in front of the camera and move around to trigger motion detection.
Check whether the blue indicator light turns on. If the Indicator Light feature is enabled, the blue light will briefly illuminate when motion is detected. This confirms that the motion detector is functioning. To enable the Indicator Light:
1. Go to the Home page in the Kiwibit app.
2. Tap the Camera Settings gear icon.
3. Enable Indicator Light.

Have Questions or Need Help?

If you need any further assistance or run into any issues, our support team is here to help:

Phone Support: Need help right away? Call us at +1 (888) 831-8803 (Monday to Friday, 10 AM – 6 PM PT).
Email or In-App Support: Have questions or need assistance? You can email us directly at support@kiwibit.com, or open the app and go to Account > Request Help to send us a message.
Live Chat or Leave a Message: Click or tap the chat button at the bottom-right corner of this page. You can chat with us live when we're online, or leave a message if we're away — we'll get back to you as soon as possible.