How To Make Wyze Camera Record Continuously [2023]

written by

Doug Stevenson

updated September 28, 2023

An inconvenience I have faced with my Wyze cameras was their inability to continuously record live video, which is something that is expected from a smart security camera.

Considering that most smart security camera users need the continuous video recording feature, the omission of the feature can be a dealbreaker for many.

So I decided to dig deep and find ways to enable continuous video recording, or at least simulate a similar experience on unsupported Wyze cameras.

To record continuously on your Wyze camera, enable Record to MicroSD card option from the camera setting on the Wyze app. For Wyze Cam Outdoor, the feature is called Scheduled Recording. Continuous/Scheduled video recordings cannot be stored on the cloud and can only be stored locally on an external microSD card.

Enabling Continuous Video Recording

Fortunately, the option to continuously record video from Wyze cameras does exist as a hidden option within the Wyze app for most Wyze camera models.

In order to record events continuously on your Wyze Camera, follow these steps:

Open the Wyze app

Click on the Wyze camera that you need to enable continuous video recording

Tap on the Settings icon when the live stream loads up

Tap on Advanced Settings

Tap on Record to MicroSD Card. This turns on local recordings

Select Continuous recording

This is disabled by default in order to save space in the Wyze Cloud servers through which the footage is usually relayed onto the Wyze app.

This is the reason why a 12-second limiter even exists on the Wyze cameras. Longer videos take much more cloud space and eventually more bandwidth.

All Wyze Cameras come with a microSD card slot. A microSD card can aid your Wyze cameras to record and shoot continuous video footage.

The footage is also saved in 5-minute clips onto the microSD card, organized neatly with respect to the time slot for easier access and viewing.

Also, you will lose some smart features that rely on the Wyze servers to invoke. But that is a small price to pay for proper continuous recorded footage.

In order to set up your Wyze cameras for continuous video recording, there are a few key requirements:

The Wyze camera, of course.

A MicroSD card that is formatted in FAT32. Wyze recommends a 32GB microSD card as larger capacities can have issues.

If you don't have a PC to format your microSD card in FAT32, you can use the Wyze Cam itself to format the card.

To format the microSD card in FAT32 with a Wyze camera, simply follow the following steps:

Insert the microSD card into the Wyze camera.

From the Wyze app on your phone or tablet, navigate to the live feed of the particular Wyze camera.

Tap on the settings gear.

Tap on advanced settings.

Select the Local Storage option.

Tap on Format.

This will format your microSD card in FAT32. Do note that you will lose all your existing data in the microSD card during the format.

Of course, a downside to storing video files locally onto the microSD card is that you won't be able to access them via the Wyze app.

You will have to manually transfer files from the microSD card for viewing the footage.

But with RTSP on Wyze cams, the footage organization and viewing can take on a new look, but it's still a distant mirage for most Wyze users due to the slow rollouts and incompatibility issues.

Scheduled Recording For Wyze Cam Outdoor

Unfortunately, Wyze specifically omitted the continuous video recording feature for the Wyze Cam Outdoor.

Wyze says they omitted the feature to get over the insane battery drain the Wyze Cam Outdoor might face when it is placed outside without a power outlet.

A workaround for this that is recommended by Wyze is to simply enable Scheduled Recording, which is exclusive to the Wyze Cam Outdoor.

Scheduled Recording lets you set a specific time frame in which the Wyze Cam Outdoor will automatically record video directly to the installed microSD card.

In a way, this is just a rehashed version of the Continuous video recording feature on other Wyze cameras, but with an added scheduling feature that can make your cam last longer.

There is also no limit to how long you can record in this mode, so you can simply set the time frame as 12 AM to 11:59 PM to basically emulate the continuous recording.

But taking into consideration that the Wyze Cam Outdoor is powered by a battery, the scheduled recording will last only as long as the Wyze Cam Outdoor lasts.

On a typical full-charged battery, the Wyze Cam Outdoor should last about 10hrs.

To set up Scheduled Recording on your Wyze Cam Outdoor, simply follow these exact steps:

Open the Wyze app.

Select the Wyze Cam Outdoor device.

Tap on the More option.

Select Scheduled Recording.

Set the Recording Duration and Start Time according to your preferences.

Select the Continuous Video Type if you want continuous nonstop recording in that specified time frame.

Select the Motion Only Video Type if you want to record for a preset duration during that specified time frame.

Tap on Set to set up your scheduled recording.

You can individually configure this setting for multiple Wyze Cam Outdoor devices directly from the Wyze app.

Continuous Recording Or Scheduled Recording Not Working on Wyze Camera: How to Fix

Continuous Video Recording Or Scheduled Recording Still Not Working? How to Fix

If you face issues even after enabling the above-mentioned settings, then chances are that the problems lie elsewhere.

Sometimes, minor problems associated with the Wyze or even human error can creep in to cause issues that can lead to such errors.

Thankfully, they require minor troubleshooting steps to solve too.

Check Wyze Camera Hardware

Check the body of the Wyze camera for any damage or wear that exposes the internals. If so, get it repaired immediately from an authorized Wyze service center.

Check the microSD card slot for any damage. Try another microSD card and check if that reads and works as intended.

Also, check with another computer or phone whether the microSD card itself is being read. Format the card again to FAT32 and try again.

Unpair and Pair the Wyze Cam

The Wyze App can at times refuse to operate properly with the Wyze cameras. You can get over this by simply unpairing that camera and then pairing it back again.

Doing so will also help resolve any Wyze app-related issues too.

To unpair a Wyze camera from the Wyze app, simply follow the following steps:

Open the Wyze app and click on the pencil icon on the home page.

Click Edit Devices.

Tap on the red icon to unpair the camera.

To pair the Wyze camera back again, simply follow the following steps:

Open the Wyze app and click on the plus icon on the home page.

Click Add Devices.

Tap on the Camera option and follow through with the setup.

Factory Reset

A factory reset will clear all your user data associated with that Wyze camera, also wiping out any bugs that might have clogged the system.

This will also reset your cameras to just like how it was when you first bought them. So you might have to go through the pairing and setup process again.

Coincidently, a factory reset will also clear detection zone issues on a wayward Wyze cam.

To factory reset a Wyze Cam v1/v2/Pan, simply follow the following steps:

Power on the Wyze Camera by plugging it into the wall socket.

Power on the Wyze Camera by plugging it into the wall socket.

Remove the microSD card inside the camera.
Long press and hold the setup button for 10-20 seconds. This begins the reset process.

The process might take up to 5 minutes and the led lights will flash after the reset is complete.

The process might take up to 5 minutes and the led lights will flash after the reset is complete.

This will begin the process of factory reset. Wyze Cam Outdoor cant be factory reset.

Factory Resetting can also get rid of the infamous error code 90 on your Wyze Cam, which pops up when the cam goes offline.

Final Thoughts

The Wyze App can be a cluttered mess at times, and the quantity of features that are added doesn't help matters.

And with this ever-evolving set of features, common functions like turning off Vehicle detection and such can become a cumbersome task.

This causes a lot of options to simply be hard to find, to the point where issues like the continuous recording dilemma pop up.

But that being said, the Wyze ecosystem is still a fantastic option for anyone looking into getting a smart security camera for their home.

I hope my article on enabling continuous video recording on your Wyze cameras has been a fruitful read and has helped you solve the same.

Have a good day!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How long can Wyze Cameras record using cloud recording?

Wyze cameras can record up to 14 days using cloud recording but in 12-second clips every 5 minutes.

How long can Wyze Cameras record using a microSD card?

The duration depends on the quality of the footage and the storage capacity of the microSD card.

A typical 32GB microSD card can store 7-8 days of continuous footage in SD quality and 2-3 days of continuous footage in HD quality.

Can the Wyze Doorbell record video continuously?

Wyze doorbell series can't, unfortunately, record video continuously, but live streams are possible just like other Wyze cameras.

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Doug Stevenson

Hey! I'm Doug, My passion for tech started by fixing phones and computers for my friends and family.

I started Blinqblinq to give reliable tech advice to anyone who needs it, for free! If you have questions on anything tech-related, feel free to contact me.

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