Xfinity Camera and Video Doorbell troubleshooting

Learn what to do when you have a problem with 24/7 Video Recording, or a camera or video doorbell connected to your Xfinity system.

Blinking lights

Camera

Issue: The light is blinking on my camera.The light on the front of your camera and its power adapter can help you understand the camera’s status.

Light	Status
Solid blue	The camera is on and operating normally.
Solid white/amber	The camera is powering up.
Blinking blue or white:	The camera is in pairing mode and needs to be paired (or re-paired) to your account. Identify your camera and use the model-appropriate pairing instructions.
Blinking amber	The camera has a connection issue. Use these troubleshooting steps to reconnect.
Blinking alternate amber/red	The camera is plugged in to a power adapter that doesn’t match the one it came with. Plug the camera into the original power adapter.
Blinking green	The camera is in factory mode. Restart the camera by unplugging the camera’s power adapter from the wall outlet and plugging it back in. The camera will take approximately three minutes to restart.
Any other color	Please contact us for assistance.

Video doorbell

Issue: The light is blinking on my video doorbell.

There are two lights on the front of your video doorbell that can help you understand the status:

• Status LED.
• Doorbell button.
  
  

Type	Light	Status
Status LED	Blinking white	The camera is in pairing mode and needs to be paired (or re-paired) to your account. Use these steps to activate your video doorbell to proceed.
	Blinking alternate amber/red	The video doorbell doesn’t have enough voltage. Please contact us for help.
	Growing white	A white light will appear at the center of the LED and grow outwards when the doorbell button is pressed.
Doorbell button	Glowing white	The LED will glow white when a visitor approaches and is within five feet of the video doorbell.

If the light is any other color, please contact us for help.

24/7 Video Recording issues

No 24/7 Video Recording option

Issue: My camera or video doorbell doesn't show 24/7 Video Recording as an option.

1. Is your camera or video doorbell compatible?
2. If it is, restart the camera or video doorbell.
   • For more information, see the Restart camera or video doorbell section.
3. If you still don't see the option, contact us.
   
   

No 24/7 Video Recording video on my app

Issue: I don't see 24/7 Video Recording video on my app.

24/7 Video Recording must be turned on through the Xfinity app or Xfinity Home app before you can use it. For the best experience, view recordings from the Xfinity app.

Not recording

Issue: My camera or video doorbell isn't recording.

1. Can you see live video?
   • Yes: Is 24/7 Video Recording turned on for this camera/video doorbell?
   • No: Troubleshoot your camera/video doorbell feed.
     • For more information, see the Can't see live video section.
2. If the camera isn't recording, restart the camera.
   • For more information, see the Restart camera or video doorbell section.
3. If the camera still isn't recording, contact us for troubleshooting assistance.

Video issues

Can't see live video

Issue: I can't see live video from my camera.

1. Make sure the camera is plugged into a working power outlet that is not controlled by a light switch.
2. Make sure that the power light on the front of the camera is on and solid blue.
   • If the light is blinking white or blue, the camera is in pairing mode and will need to be paired to your system using the instructions specific to your camera model.
   • If the light is blinking amber, the camera is having trouble connecting to WiFi, go to the next step.
   • If the light is any other color, contact us for troubleshooting assistance.
3. If you moved the camera's power adapter or wireless gateway after the camera was installed, the camera may be out of range of the gateway.
   • Plug the camera in closer to the gateway.
4. If you're using an Apple device (iOS 14+), allow local network permissions.
   • On your Apple device, select Settings.
   • Select Privacy.
   • Select Local Network.
   • Select the switch for the Xfinity app or Xfinity Home app.
5. Wait a minute for the video feed to sync.
6. If you still can't see video, follow these steps to troubleshoot the camera's WiFi connection.
   
   

Video missing events

Issue: Events are missing from my video.

Video clips are saved when the camera or video doorbell detects motion (an event). A missing motion event or break in the video timeline could be caused by one of the following:

• Power loss.
• Internet outage.
• Internet upload speed doesn't meet the minimum 2 Mbps requirement.
• The camera area setting is enabled, and the event occurred outside the customized motion detection area.
  
  

If poor connectivity seems to be the cause and you can move the camera, try plugging the camera in closer to the gateway. If your device uses a power adapter, you can also try to reposition it closer to the gateway. You can also extend WiFi range with WiFi Boost Pods.

If none of these seem to be the cause, restart the camera or video doorbell. For more information, see the Restart camera or video doorbell section.

Can't hear sound

Issue: I can't hear sound on my video.

1. Verify that your app version supports cameras.
   
   • Xfinity app version 3.38 or later.
   • Xfinity Home app version 10.38 or later.
2. Is sound turned on?
   • Sound must be turned on for each camera or video doorbell.
   • Sound won't be available on video recorded before sound was turned on.
3. How was the video recorded?
   • Sound is not available on video clips created by rules or manually created using Record Video.
4. Check the volume on the device you're using to view the video.
5. Are you using an Android device?
   • Androids have separate audio controls for In Call and Media.
   • Live audio volume is controlled by the In Call setting and 24/7 Video Recording audio is controlled by the Media setting.
   • Learn more about Android volume settings.
6. Make sure the microphone on the camera isn't obstructed.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

White ring in video feed

Issue: A white ring appears in my video feed.

When the camera's night vision infrared (IR) is active (in low-light or nighttime situations), the IR LED can reflect off of obstructions and back into the camera, causing a white ring effect.

If you can, adjust the camera angle and position so the camera's field of view ("IR LED Coverage" in the diagrams below) is clear of obstructions.

Side View: Incorrect Installation

(Reflective surface is reflecting the IR beam.)

(White ceiling is reflecting the IR beam.)

Side View: Correct Installation

(No obstructions are reflecting the IR beam.)

Top View: Incorrect Installation

(A soffit or other exterior part of the house is reflecting the IR beam.)

Top View: Correct Installation

(No obstructions are reflecting the IR beam.)

Glare or poor visibility on video with Night Vision

Issue: Live video or video clips using Night Vision have a glare or poor visibility.

Depending on the location of your camera, certain conditions may create a less than optimal experience when Night Vision is engaged. Cameras located indoors, pointing outside through a window may experience a glare or reflection from the glass that washes out live video or video clips.

If your videos consistently have poor visibility when Night Vision is engaged, customers with compatible Xfinity Cameras (the latest indoor/outdoor camera or the indoor camera) or Video Doorbells may choose to disable their Night Vision setting.

1. Sign in to the Xfinity app.
2. Select the Security tab.
3. Scroll down to the desired camera or video doorbell and select the camera thumbnail.
4. On the camera screen, select the gear icon on the upper right.
5. Toggle the Night Vision setting to the off position.
   
   

Turning off Night Vision can result in dark footage in low-light conditions. Keeping Night Vision off is only recommended for cameras that face reflective surfaces, like windows, where the infrared lights can cause a reflection that can block your view.

Cameras in locations with bright ambient light (such as a room where a night light or large television is present) may experience overexposed videos or Night Vision engaging/disengaging frequently. If you choose to disable Night Vision for other reasons, you can still have live video or video clips resulting with poor visibility.

Notes:

• Night vision is automatically set to enabled for compatible cameras.
• Customers using the Xfinity app on Android and iOS devices can access the Night Vision toggle feature.

Two-way audio issues

Echo on live video when using two-way audio

Issue: I hear an echo on my live video when using two-way audio.

Some customers might experience an echo when using two-way audio. This is often caused by the environment where the camera is located.

1. Make sure your phone and camera are not too close to each other when using two-way audio.
2. Try moving your camera to another room/location and testing sound again to determine if the echo is caused by an issue with the camera or the location of the camera.
   
   

Camera two-way audio not working

Issue: Two-way audio is not working for my camera.

For issues with camera sounds, see the Can't hear sound section.

For issues with talking through your camera/video doorbell:

1. Verify that your Xfinity Camera supports two-way audio.
2. Two-way audio is only available on the Xfinity app.
   • Verify you have the latest version of the Xfinity app (Xfinity app version 3.38 or higher).
3. Verify that sound is enabled in the Xfinity app and that you have granted permission for the Xfinity app to use your phone’s microphone.
4. Verify that your phone’s microphone is working by recording sound using another app.

Notifications Issues

Not getting Motion or Doorbell Ring notifications

Issue: I’m not getting Motion or Doorbell Ring notifications from my camera.

• Have you turned on Motion or Doorbell Notifications for the camera?
  • These features have to be turned on for each camera individually.
• Verify that you have granted permission for the Xfinity app to send notifications in your phone’s settings.
  • If it is, verify that push notifications are enabled in the Xfinity app.
• Is the camera area setting enabled?
  • The customized motion detection area might be too small to capture motion events.
  • Try disabling the camera area setting or expanding the customized area to capture more events.
    
    

No camera thumbnail for Motion or Doorbell Ring notifications

Issue: My Motion or Doorbell Ring notifications don’t have camera thumbnails.

The thumbnail may be delayed or might not be able to download due to poor connectivity or available memory on your phone.

• Verify that your phone connected to WiFi or cellular by opening a web page.
• If you have service but the thumbnails aren’t downloading, you can open the Xfinity app and view the live camera feed.
  
  

Why Motion or Doorbell Ring notifications

Issue: I didn’t turn on Motion or Doorbell Ring notifications. Why am I receiving notifications?

Motion Notifications is an account-wide setting. Someone with access to the account turned it on. Learn how to turn notifications on and off.

Too many Motion notifications

Issue: I'm getting too many Motion notifications.

You may receive more notifications if your camera or video doorbell is pointed at an area with a lot of activity such as a road or sidewalk.

• Try adjusting the camera’s position to exclude high traffic areas which should cut down on notifications.
• Enable the camera area settings and limit motion detection to a specific area within the camera view.

Pairing and installation

Camera won't pair

Issue: My camera won't pair.

1. Make sure the camera has been powered on for at least three minutes and the light on the front of the camera is on and blinking white or blue.
2. Make sure that the camera is plugged into the power adapter.
3. Restart the camera by unplugging the camera’s power adapter from the wall outlet and plugging it back in.
   • The camera will take approximately three minutes to restart.
4. If the problem persists, reset the camera to factory settings.
5. Restart the pairing process if necessary.
   • Note: If your video doorbell becomes unpaired, please contact us for assistance.
     
     

Camera placement

Issue: How far away from the gateway can I place a camera?

The power adapter provides the camera's connection to your WiFi network. The maximum distance between the camera's power adapter and the gateway or an WiFi Boost Pod (range extender) is three rooms. For best signal and performance, ensure that the power adapter is visible and not blocked by furniture or other large objects. If you're still experiencing poor video quality, the camera may be out of range of the gateway. Plug the camera in closer to the gateway.

Note: For Xfinity Video Doorbell, the device itself provides the connection to your WiFi Network. If your video doorbell is experiencing connectivity issues, see troubleshooting steps.

Other issues

Motion activation

Issue: Can my camera or video doorbell be motion activated?

If your camera has 24/7 Video Recording enabled, it will capture any activity that occurs within its range and save it as a video clip that you can review at your leisure.

Restart camera or video doorbell

Issue: How do I restart my camera or video doorbell?
You can restart cameras from the Xfinity app or Xfinity Home app. Video doorbells can be restarted from the Xfinity app. If your camera uses a power adapter, you can also unplug the camera from the power outlet, wait 10 seconds and plug it back in. The camera will take about three minutes to restart, and then reappear in the cameras list.

Additional information

Visit our Online Support Center to find common solutions.

The easiest way to activate, manage, and troubleshoot your Xfinity experience is with the Xfinity app! Get 24/7 real-time support, pay your bill, view plan details, get outage updates, and more. Download the free Xfinity app, or scan the QR code with your smartphone.

Need additional support? Ask Xfinity Assistant.