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Blink Camera Troubleshooting and How to Guide

Blink Camera Troubleshooting and How to Guide

Blink cameras are affordable and come with a range of great features, like local and cloud storage, long battery life on just two AA batteries, and a wire-free design among other things. But like other smart home devices, these cameras can sometimes have issues, or a user can experience some challenges setting up or using them.

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:

  1. Tap the banner question mark sign to reach the sync module offline screen.
  2. Follow the suggested steps from the sync module offline screen.
  • 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.
  1. Tap the sync module status button to reach the sync module settings screen, and then use the Help/Troubleshooting link to continue. Here, you are provided options to reset or change the Wi-Fi network that the sync module was connected to, request an email with more detailed troubleshooting, or stop the system offline notifications from being sent.
  2. If your sync module doesn’t connect after power cycling, and resetting the Wi-Fi does not regain its function, try to reconfigure your sync module.

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:

  1. Open the IFTTT app.
  2. Tap “My Applets” in the IFTTT app. It is in the bottom right-hand corner of the app.
  3. Tap Services at the top of the screen.
  4. Tap the Blink icon.
  5. Tap the gear icon in the upper right-hand corner of the app.
  6. Tap Disconnect Blink and confirm. This will disconnect Blink from IFTTT and remove their applets.

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:

  1. Download the IFFTT app from Google Play Store or Apple App Store.
  2. Once the app is installed, you will need to create or sign into your IFTTT account.
  3. Once you are signed into IFTTT, you will see the Get Started screens which you can close.
  4. Click on “Get more” to access the Search screen. Then search for Blink and tap on the blue Blink logo. If you are located in Europe, you will want to search for Blink (Europe).
  5. You will then be prompted to connect your Blink account with IFTTT. Click Continue to sign in to your Blink Account. Use the same email and password as you use for your Blink system to sign in. You will then enter the PIN sent to your email address.
  6. Tap on Grant Access in order to be able to connect to pre-made applets or you can make your own with the service available through 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:

  1. Tap the Recent Apps shortcut, located at the bottom of your phone screen. It is represented by three vertical lines, but some phones show a rounded box.
  2. Find the app you want to close by swiping right or left.
  3. Swipe the app upwards to close, or if you want to close all your apps at once, tap “Close all”.

You can re-launch the Blink app from your home screen and continue using your Blink system.

On iOS devices:

  1. Press the home button twice quickly. If your device doesn’t have a home button, from the Home screen swipe up from the bottom of the screen and pauses slightly in the middle of the screen. This will load previews of recently used apps in the App Switcher.
  2. Swipe right or left to locate the Blink App.
  3. When you have found the Blink app, swipe the app preview upward to force the application to close.

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:

  1. Open the Settings app on your phone
  2. Tap “Do Not Disturb”
  3. Ensure “Do Not Disturb” is disabled.

Android users:

Verify Do Not Disturb is disabled. To access this feature:

  1. Open the Settings app on your phone
  2. Tap into Sounds
  3. Verify “Do Not Disturb” is set to “off”

Verify power saving mode is off and battery optimization is disabled for Blink. Follow the steps below to access these features:

  1. Open the Settings app on your phone
  2. Tap “Battery”
  3. If your phone has “Power Saving Mode”, verify this is set to Off.
  4. If your phone has “Ultra Saving Mode”, verify this is set to Off.
  5. If your phone has “Put apps to sleep” verify Blink app is set to “Apps that won’t be put to sleep”.
  6. While in the Battery settings option, tap More.
  7. Tap “Optimize Battery Usage”
  8. Tap “Not Optimized” then tap “All apps”.
  9. Verify the Blink app shows “Not Allowed”, or tap it and set “Don’t allow” then confirm by tapping “OK”.

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”.

  1. Open Settings.
  2. Click on “Device Care”, then click “Battery”.
  3. Click “App power management”.
  4. If “Put unused apps to sleep” is enabled, ensure that Blink is on the list of “Apps that won’t be put to sleep”.

The settings are located in different areas for Samsung S8:

  1. Open the Settings app on your phone and click on “Apps”.
  2. Then, tap the three dots in the top right corner and select “Special Access”.
  3. The default view will show “apps not optimized”. Change this to “all apps”.
  4. Look for the Blink app and make sure the toggle is set to OFF.

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.

  1. From the Blink app, click on Notifications from the Manage Account side menu.
  2. Make sure that the toggle is set to on.
  3. Click on the words “Motion Notification”
  4. Make sure you have this set to either Urgent or High in order for sounds to accompany the notification.

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:

  1. On the Blink app Home screen, tap the + icon in the top right corner,
  2. Tap the Blink mini camera. You will be taken to the “Scan QR Code” screen, where your camera may request permission to scan the QR code. This is the way to enter the serial number automatically. You may enter the number manually instead.
  3. To add the Mini to a new system, give your system a name in the text entry field, and it will be created. When adding the Mini to an existing system, just tap the system name to continue.
  4. After selecting “Next”, you will be instructed to connect your camera and wait for one light to flash blue and another to be solid green. Tap “Discover device” if this is the case and a connection request appears: “Blink” would like to establish a connection to the “BLINK-XXXX” network.
  5. Tap “Join” and then choose your Wi-Fi network from the screen that appears. If you add the camera to an existing system, make sure you choose the same Wi-Fi network that your other devices are connected to.
  6. When the Blink servers are ready, the Camera Added screen is shown. Tap Done to complete the setup and return to the app home screen.

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:

  1. Tap the Blink logo on the app.
  2. Tap the Add a system button.
  3. Set a name for the system like “Home” or “Office”.
  4. Tap add a Sync Module.
  5. Read the guide then tap “Ready” when you have the necessary information.
  6. Enter your Sync Module’s serial number located on the bottom of the unit.
  7. Plug your Sync Module into power, and wait 30 seconds until you see a solid green and flashing blue light.
  8. Leave the Blink app and go to Settings>WiFi. Connect to the Blink-#### network. It is normal to see “Security Recommendation” or “Connected, no internet”.
  9. After a successful connection, navigate back to the Blink App.
  10. Locate your Home Wi-Fi network then tap it to continue.
  11. Enter your home Wi-Fi network’s password to connect.
  12. After about 30 seconds, you will see the message “Sync Module added!”. Tap “Done”.
  13. Tap to add a Blink camera.
  14. Select which camera to add.
  15. Read guide then tap ready.
  16. Enter the camera’s serial number and hit the continue button.
  17. Name and position your camera then tap the snapshot.
  18. Once generated, gauge the signal strengths and tap “Done”. Repeat the above steps for any additional cameras.

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:

  1. Start the Settings app.
  2. Tap General.
  3. Tap Software Update.
  4. Tap Automatic Updates.
  5. Turn on Automatic Updates by swiping the button to the right.

To automatically update apps on your Android device:

  1. Open the Google Play Store app.
  2. Tap Menu> Settings.
  3. Tap Auto-update apps.
  4. Select an option:
  • 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.