The good this is that most issues with the Blink camera can quickly be resolved after doing a bit of troubleshooting. In this guide, we look at some of the common Blink camera problems and what you can do to fix them.
Can you reset a blink camera?
Yes, you can reset a blink camera using the reset button. The Blink Mini has a reset button on the bottom side of the camera, which may be necessary to use when you add it to a new or existing Blink system. You may also need to use the reset button in case when you move the Mini to a new location or Wi-Fi network. To reset a Blink wireless camera, reset the Sync Module by holding down the reset button on the module’s side until its light turns red; this resets the Blink camera system and requires installing the module in the Blink app to use the camera again.
What does the red light on the Blink camera mean?
Blink Mini:
A red light on the Blink Mini indicates that the camera is not connected to the internet. The red light also appears during the camera setup process. The red light should be replaced by a blinking green and a solid blue light when the connection is complete. If a steady red light remains, press the reset button using a thin object then wait for the red light to change to the blinking green and steady blue pattern.
Blink Outdoor, Indoor, XT2, and XT:
A red light on a battery powered camera appears when the camera is not connected to the internet. When first set up, the camera’s red light flashes 3-4 hard blinks and then repetitive soft blinks after, until the internet connection is established. If the initial red light isn’t visible, ensure you’ve installed new batteries. You can also see a brief red flash during motion detection. When the batteries are failing, the camera LED flashes red 5 or 6 times after the blue recording light goes out. You need to make sure you have fresh AA Lithium non-rechargeable batteries installed. If a steady red light is not related to the above conditions, reset the camera by pressing the reset button inside the back cover.
Why does my Blink camera say live view failed?
The Blink system relies on having good signal strengths for optimal performance in viewing Live Views. It is critical for the cameras to show 3 bars of connectivity to avoid performance issues. Fewer than 3 bars for each connection can create intermitted issues with the performance of your system. To resolve the problem, try power cycling the camera by removing the batteries, wait for 30 seconds, and reinstall the batteries. Check to ensure the signal to Wi-Fi and sync module is at 3 bars for reliable operation. If the camera has been installed for a while, or it is in a high traffic area the batteries may need to be replaced, regardless of what the battery condition indicates in the app.
Why is Blink camera clicking?
The clicking is caused by the IR lens being engaged and disengaged. This is caused by the batteries being unable to generate enough charge to illuminate the LED or IR. When the camera is on standby, the batteries produce sufficient charge to run, hence why the battery indicator reads fine. Once they are put under load, they cannot handle it. A simple battery replacement should solve this problem.
Why is my Blink sync module offline?
The sync module is the brain of the system that helps initiate the commands from the App to Blink servers and back to your system. It only relies on having good signal strengths toward your wireless router. You should position your sync module in a “Man-in-the-Middle” style location, where it can receive a good signal from your Wi-Fi router but also have visibility to your cameras. Putting the sync module in a hidden location can also reduce its visibility and cause it to suffer from interference. Obstacles and distance are the main contributors to poor signals. Weak strengths to your sync module can result in missed or delayed actions when trying to view your cameras. Examples of poor locations are behind a television, on top of your Wi-Fi router, and inside a closed cabinet. If you see a “Sync Module Offline” banner across the top of the Blink app and the issue does not resolve itself in a few minutes, follow these troubleshooting steps:
Verify Wi-Fi connection is working: Reboot the router and wait for the internet to return.Verify your sync module is displaying a solid green and solid blue light. If you see any other light pattern, power cycle your sync module, unplug the power cord from the back of the unit for 10 seconds, and plug it back in. The sync module should then reboot and display a solid green and solid blue light within 45 seconds. Try another power supply if you do not see lights at all.If your sync module falls offline again, try moving it closer to your wireless router. You want at least 3 bars of signal strength as indicated on the sync module status screen.
Blink app not working
If you are getting errors from IFTTT or your applets are not working, try disconnecting Blink from IFTTT, then re-enable it. To do this: Blink will disconnect from IFTTT services and remove any applets that you have set up when you do this. After completing the above steps, use the following instructions to reconnect Blink with IFTTT:
Blink app is frozen
If the Blink app stalls, shows a spinner or is not responding, you can take the following steps to force it to close, which should resolve the issue.
On Android devices:
You can re-launch the Blink app from your home screen and continue using your Blink system.
On iOS devices:
You can then re-launch the Blink app from your home screen and continue using your Blink system.
Application not installed Error Message
If you are getting an “Application not installed” error message on Android, you will need to uninstall the Blink app and re-download it from the Google Play Store. To do this:
Open the Google Play Store on your phone.From there, search for Blink. Tap the Uninstall button, and then tap OK.After that, you will be able to tap the install button.
Blink camera not connecting
Blink cameras utilize two types of signals for communication:
LFR (Low Frequency Radio) – is the signal that cameras share with the sync module.Wi-Fi (2.4GHz) – is the frequency that the cameras communicate with your Wi-Fi router on. Blink supports mesh/merged networks with a single SSID but only communicates on the 2.4 GHz band.
In case of any camera issues on a mesh network, reboot the router. Obstacles and distance reduce signal strength. Keep in mind that building materials, especially, cement, stone, brick, aluminum, and steel, can seriously interfere with Wi-Fi signals over a distance. Other than moving the camera closer to the Wi-Fi router, one solution is to install a Wi-Fi extender or booster. A newer, more effective solution is called mesh Wi-Fi. To troubleshoot your connection, power cycle the WI-Fi router as a first step to see if the signal strength improves after you tap the Update button in the Blink app. If that does not improve signal strength, move the camera close to the Wi-Fi router and tap the Update button again. Repeat until you see 3 bars of signal strength.
Blink camera not detecting motion
If you are not receiving motion alert push notifications for Blink on your phone, first ensure Notifications for Blink is enabled. To enable notification in your device Settings follow these instructions.
iOS users:
Settings> Notifications> Blink Ensure you have “Allow Notifications” On and select the notification types you want would prefer.
Android users:
Settings> Notification Center> Blink Ensure you have “Allow Notifications” On and select the notification types you want would prefer. Custom alert sounds are supported. If you still are not receiving push notifications from Blink, you can try these troubleshooting instructions:
Sign out of the Blink app, then sign back in.Power cycle your phone by turning it off, then back on.Delete the Blink App, then re-download it from the Google Play Store or iOS App Store. Once downloaded, sign back into your account. You will not need to set up your system again as it is tied to your account.Update your App Store and log back into your account.
If trying the above steps doesn’t work, try these steps to see if the issue resolves:
iOS users:
Verify Do Not Disturb is disabled. You can access this feature by following these steps:
Android users:
Verify Do Not Disturb is disabled. To access this feature: Verify power saving mode is off and battery optimization is disabled for Blink. Follow the steps below to access these features:
Samsung users:
For Samsung phones running One UI, the “Put unused apps to sleep” feature is located in the settings page when you tap “App power management”.
The settings are located in different areas for Samsung S8:
For Android 8.0+ users, you may need to change the importance of the notification if you are receiving the notifications but you do not hear the notification sound.
Blink camera keeps triggering
If your camera is recording motion events after using Live View when there isn’t any motion, try the following troubleshooting steps:
Note that the motion sensor detects changes in temperature in the camera field of view. Sources of heat or cold could cause false triggers.Try moving the camera to a different location. This will isolate the environmental factors that may be triggering the motion sensor.Increase the re-trigger time to at least 15 sends. To do this, tap the settings slider above that camera. Under Motion Detection, you will see a slider for re-trigger time. Sometimes if the camera has a weak connection to your wireless router it can cause the camera to record false motion clips. Increasing the re-trigger time should fix this issue. You can also move the camera closer to your router.
How to connect blink camera to wifi
Blink Mini:
XT2 and XT:
Follow these instructions to connect the Blink camera to Wi-Fi, assuming you have already downloaded the Blink app and created your account:
How to download and install blink firmware
In order to be fully compatible with your Blink devices and to take advantage of all of your camera’s features, it is very important to ensure that your Blink app version is kept current to have the most secure, best-performing experience. Check this too: NIX Photo Frame Troubleshooting & How-to Guide The most recent version of the Blink is always available on your app store to download. Also, it is advisable to set your mobile device for automatic updates in the event the Blink app is deployed that way. To automatically update apps on your iOS device: To automatically update apps on your Android device:
Over any network to update apps using either Wi-Fi or mobile data.Over Wi-Fi only to update apps only when connected to Wi-Fi.
Note that your device needs to have sufficient free space for Blink app updates to be successful. This may require the deletion of other apps, photos, and videos.
Blink camera will not update
Firmware updates are automatically sent to your Sync Module and camera(s). It is important that the internet connection is available until the entire update is downloaded. Check to make sure you have good signal strength (3 bars). If your Blink camera still doesn’t update, try power cycling your camera by removing the batteries for 10 seconds and re-insert them. If that doesn’t work, you can contact Blink to manually update it.