Why Is My Tapo Camera Not Recording? (Easy Fix Guide)

Are you asking why is my Tapo camera not recording? Well, we’re here to help!

If your camera stops working, either the camera’s microSD card is in the wrong format or the motion detection feature is disabled.

Luckily, there are some simple but effective solutions to fix this. 

The best way to fix your Tapo camera problem is to format your camera’s microSD card to FAT32. If this doesn’t work, factory reset and reconfigure your camera correctly.

Terrific! It’s time to go over the finer details.  

Why Is My Tapo Camera Not Recording – Surefire Methods

There are several possible reasons your Tapo camera is not recording.

The camera’s microSD format may be the most common culprit, but here are other causes: 

In this article, we’ll help you identify and resolve issues with your Tapo camera. We listed the most effective steps for your convenience.

Before You Start

Before you proceed to any of the solutions below, complete these four fundamental troubleshooting steps.

One of these may resolve the issue, so you don’t need to perform more complex solutions. 

1. Check if your camera is online and connected to WiFi.
2. Restart your Tapo camera.
3. Confirm that the app and device firmware are up to date.
4. Power cycle your router and modem to refresh the connection.

If these don’t do the trick, move on to more advanced solutions. 

1. Format Your Camera’s microSD Card to FAT32

Tapo cameras exclusively support the FAT32 file system. If your camera isn’t recording, verify that the microSD card inserted is formatted correctly.

If it’s not in the FAT32 format, reformat it to ensure your camera effectively reads and writes the data to the card. 

Formatting your camera’s microSD will erase corrupted or incompatible files. However, you will also lose all existing recordings on your card.

So, ensure you back up any important files before you proceed. 

To format your microSD card to FAT32, follow these steps:

1. Open the Tapo app on your phone.
2. Tap on the Live View of your camera.
3. Tap on the Settings icon. 
4. Select Storage Management.
5. Tap Format SD Card. 
6. Tap Confirm to start the formatting process.
7. Once done, you will see the message “Format SD Card Successfully”.
8. Tap OK to finish. 

Note: The formatting process usually takes a few minutes, depending on the size of your micoSD card. 

If you don’t see the recordings on your camera’s microSD card or the Tapo app after formatting, proceed to the next solution. 

2. Turn On Motion Detection for Your Camera

Another possible reason your Tapo camera is not recording is the Motion Detection.

This useful feature allows your camera to start recording when it detects movement in its view automatically.

However, if disabled, your camera won’t record anything unless you manually trigger it. To fix the issue, turn on Motion Detection for your camera.

Here are the steps to do this:

1. Open the Tapo app on your phone.
2. Tap on the Live View of your camera.
3. Tap on the Settings icon.
4. Select Motion Detection.
5. Tap the switch to activate Motion Detection, indicated by a green dot.

Note: You can adjust the motion detection schedule, notification, and sound according to your preferences. 

After turning on Motion Detection, your camera should be able to record anything that moves in its view.

If not, move on to the next solution. 

3. Increase the Motion Detection Sensitivity

The third solution to your Tapo camera not recording problem is to increase the motion detection sensitivity, which determines how sensitive your camera is to motion.

If it’s too low, your camera won’t record anything unless the movement is very obvious or close to the camera.

However, if the sensitivity is too high, your camera will record too many false alarms.

It will detect shadows, lights, or insects, making it hard to find relevant recordings and filling up your storage space more quickly. 

Follow these steps to increase the motion detection sensitivity of your camera:

1. Open the Tapo app on your phone.
2. Tap on the Live View of your camera.
3. Tap on the Settings icon.
4. Select Motion Detection.
5. Tap on the Sensitivity option. 
6. Drag the slider to the right to increase the sensitivity.  
7. Choose from Low, Medium, High, or Custom Levels.

Tip: Test the sensitivity by moving before your Tapo camera and checking if it triggers a recording. 

4. Modify the Activity Zones for Optimized Triggering

Activity zones allow you to customize the areas your Tapo camera monitors for motion. It lets you focus on specific regions of interest, such as doors, hallways, or windows.

However, if they are not set up properly, your camera won’t record anything unless the movement is within the specified areas. 

For instance, if the activity zones are set too small or too far from the camera, your camera won’t record anything that happens outside of them.

To fix this, adjust the activity zones to cover the most important areas of the camera’s view. 

Here are the steps to do this:

1. Open the Tapo app on your phone.
2. Tap on the Live View of your camera.
3. Tap on the Settings icon.
4. Select Motion Detection.
5. Tap on the Activity Zones option. 
6. Tap the Edit icon in the upper right corner.
7. Tap the squares in the grid overlay of your camera’s view to select or deselect them. 
8. Tap on the Reset icon to clear all selections and start over. 
9. Once done, tap on the Save icon to apply the changes.

Note: Selected squares will be highlighted in blue, which are the areas your Tapo camera monitors for motion.  

5. Adjust the Camera’s Position and View Angle

The position and view angle of your camera is another reason your Tapo camera isn’t recording.

If the camera is too high, too low, too far, or too close to the area you want to monitor, you won’t get the best results.

To fix this, find the best spot and angle for your camera to capture the most details and the widest views. 

Here are the steps to adjust the camera position and view angle:

1. Unplug your Tapo camera from the power source. 
2. Carefully remove it from its mount. 
3. Find a new location for your device. 
4. Use the Tapo app on your phone to check the live view of your camera.
5. See if the position and angle are satisfactory.
6. Rotate or tilt the camera to change the view angle.  
7. Ensure it’s not facing any direct sunlight, glare, or reflection.  
8. Secure your camera to its mount and plug it back into the power source. 

Note: The area you wish to monitor must have a clear line of sight and a stable surface to support your Tapo camera. 

After adjusting the camera’s position and view angle, your camera should be able to record the area more clearly and completely.

If not, proceed to the last solution. 

6. Factory Reset and Reconfigure Your Camera Correctly

Performing a factory reset reverts your device to its default settings and erases all the data and configurations you made.

It helps you fix software issues and errors causing your Tapo camera not to record.

However, it also deletes all your recordings, settings, and preferences, so back up any important files before proceeding.

Things you need:

To factory reset and reconfigure your camera, follow these steps:

1. Find the Reset button on the bottom of your Tapo camera.
2. Hold the reset button with a pin or paper clip for 10 seconds. 
3. Release when you hear a beep or see the LED indicator flash red and blue alternately.
4. Wait for your camera to reboot.
5. Once your camera is reset, reconfigure and reconnect it to your WiFi network.
6. Follow the instructions on the Tapo app or the user manual. 

Note: Be sure to reconfigure your camera and connect it to your WiFi network again. 

Set up your camera’s microSD card, motion detection, activity zones, and other settings again according to your preferences.

After resetting and reconfiguring your Tapo camera, it should record normally again. If not, contact the Tapo support team for further assistance.   

Quick Recap

Why is my Tapo camera not recording? It’s often due to improperly formatted microSD cards or disabled Motion Detection.

The recommended steps include reformatting the microSD card to FAT32 and, if necessary, performing a factory reset followed by proper reconfiguration. 

To discover more Tap camera troubleshooting solutions, visit our blog!