A Blink camera is a fantastic home security tool that allows easy monitoring of home security devices from anywhere. One of the most impressive parts is receiving alerts directly to your smartphone via the ‘Live View’ feature. However, like all technology, it can fail at times.
According to Blink customer support, the most common causes for Live View failure issues are connectivity and low battery. First, only use lithium-ion AA batteries and check they are charged. Second, to fix connectivity issues, there are a few simple steps to take to troubleshoot and establish connectivity.
We’ll take a look at Blink’s range of cameras and provide troubleshooting tips for “Blink camera live view failed”.
Who or What is Blink?
Founded in 2014 by Immedia Semiconductor in Massachusetts, Blink is an Amazon-owned company that makes easy-to-use home security devices for domestic use.
Blink’s cameras have become popular due to their easy-to-use features and connectivity with any mobile device for receiving security alerts.
Blink Products
With the addition of the new Blink Video Doorbell, Blink offers 3 cameras and other accessories that all focus on home security.
All of their security camera products feature motion detection alerts, 1080p full HD video, infrared night vision, two-way audio, and temperature monitoring.
The cameras also work with Amazon’s Alexa smart home system, allowing you to view video feeds and receive motion detection announcements on any Amazon Echo speaker.
The cameras can be hard-wired, use solar power, or be battery operated with Blink’s camera models running up to 2 years on 2 lithium-ion batteries.
Blink Home Security Products
- Video Doorbell
- Outdoor Wireless Camera
- Indoor Wireless Camera
- Indoor Plug-in Camera
- Outdoor Floodlight Camera
- Solar Panel Mount
Live View on Blink Cameras
All of their camera models operate with wireless connectivity and provide Live View which allows users to view a camera feed at any time from a mobile device.
Live View requires the mobile device to download Blink’s Home Monitor app, where once installed, users can stream live sound and video from any of their Blink cameras.
All of Blink’s cameras allow for you to talk to anyone being monitored using the “Two-Way Audio” feature. You can access additional features via the app, including video recording, and switching between cameras that are positioned in various parts of a home.
How To Fix Blink Camera live View Failed?
There are a number of common causes when Live View isn’t functioning properly. Fortunately, most Blink cameras come with an adjustable LED indicator light that tells you when there’s a recording issue.
LED indicator light status
- When you first turn on your Blink camera, you’ll see a red flashing light. This indicates that you are setting up wireless connectivity.
- When you insert new batteries, you’ll see a red LED light on the right-hand side of the camera face.
- When the batteries are failing, the camera’s LED light flashes red 5 or 6 times after the blue recording light goes out.
- A brief red flash will be visible when the camera detects motion.
- A solid blue LED light indicates that your Blink camera is active and recording
- A solid red LED indicates that there is a problem with the connectivity
- A red light on the Blink mini-camera indicates that the camera is not connected to the internet.
OK, so now we know what all of the LED status lights mean, let’s look at the most common causes of Live View failure and offer some tips on how to quickly fix them.
Low batteries
While Blink cameras have an excellent battery life of up to 2 years, it’s easy to set and forget. If your cameras are not working properly, then first check the batteries, and if your camera is blinking occasionally with a red LED, it may be time to replace the batteries.
Blink recommends using only good quality AA lithium-ion batteries to power their cameras and many have reported issues when using other types (alkaline or rechargeable) of batteries.
Poor wireless connectivity
All of Blink’s cameras use wireless connectivity to process, record, and stream the video and audio to storage or to your mobile device. When a camera can’t connect to the internet, it can’t record and will omit a solid red LED warning.
Connectivity issues can simply mean that the camera is too far away from a wireless hub. To fix this issue, try adjusting the camera location so it’s closer to the wireless source or sync module.
If your camera has worked in the same position previously and has only recently had connectivity issues, it’s worthwhile hitting reset on your sync module or camera. It may also be worthwhile doing the same on your router at the same time.
Reset a Blink camera
Resetting a Blink camera is very straightforward as most Blink cameras have a reset button designed to troubleshoot devices. On Blink indoor and outdoor cameras, you’ll find the button to reset under the cover on the back. On Blink Mini-camera, the reset button is on the underside of the device, just near the camera lens.
- Use a paperclip to press and hold the reset button for around 10 seconds.
- You’ll see the LED light change status (to blinking red) to indicate that the camera has been reset correctly and is ready to be reconnected.
- If the red lights stay on, contact Blink customer support as your device may be experiencing a fault.
Reset Blink Sync Module
The classic ‘off and on’ method often works a treat here. Before attempting to do a hard reset of the sync module, simply remove the power source for around 20 seconds, then reconnect the sync module to the power source.
If this fails, then follow these steps to reset the sync module:
- The reset button can be found on the right-hand side of the module near the USB port. Press and hold the reset button until a red light illuminates on the module.
- When you see the red light take your finger off the button. You should be able to see an alternating LED light flashing green then blue.
- Your sync module has been reset and can pair with a camera device.
Summary
From time to time connectivity issues may occur on your Blink camera or device that prevents you from using Live View. With this guide, you can easily troubleshoot your camera and diagnose the issue.
Our tips provide you with quick and practical ways to fix any Live View failures and have your home security devices working in harmony with your wireless connection and mobile devices.
