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MicroSD and Continuous Recording

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Brenda

Using a microSD card with your Wyze Cam gives you the ability to record continuous footage and save recorded events directly to your local microSD card. You'll also be able to record Time Lapse videos.

Step 1: Grab a microSD card.

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Any microSD card will do, but we're partial to our Wyze 32GB MicroSDHC card available in the Wyze Shop. If you're using your own card, Wyze cameras are compatible with Class 10 cards in FAT32 and exFAT formats.

  • FAT32: Wyze Cam v3 supports cards size ​​8 GB, 16 GB, and 32 GB.

  • exFAT: Wyze Cam v3 supports cards size 64 GB, 128 GB, and 256 GB*.

* We have tested with cards up to 256 GB when formatted as exFAT. Even larger cards may work, but this has not been tested on our end. 

Step 2: Insert the microSD card into your Wyze Cam.

The slot is located on the bottom of every Wyze Cam, with a few variations. On Wyze Cam v3, for example, it is located under the silicone flap on the bottom of the camera. 

  1. To install a microSD card, unplug your Wyze Cam.
    • This prevents the corruption of any recordings on a used card.
  2. Insert the microSD card into the slot.
    • There is an outline of the microSD next to the slot to show you which way to insert it.
  3. Plug your Wyze Cam into power. 
    • If the microSD card was inserted correctly, the camera will make a "ding" sound. No sound? Unplug the camera, reinsert the card, then plug the card back in.
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Step 3: Format the microSD card.

If the microSD card has been used before, we recommend formatting the card when you install it in your Wyze Cam.

To do this, tap into your camera’s live stream from the Home tab and tap Settings > Advanced Settings > Manage MicroSD Card > Format.

⚡️Heads up! Formatting the card will erase all of the existing content, so be sure to back up your files if there are any you want to save.

Step 4: Record to the microSD card.

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Enable on local recording to your microSD card so you can record Event videos directly to the card, rather than in the cloud.

  1. In the Wyze app, tap into your camera's livestream.
  2. Tap Settings > Advanced.
  3. Tap the toggle next to Record to MicroSD Card.
  4. Choose Continuous or Events Only recording.

Step 5a: View recordings from the Live stream.

  1. In the Wyze app, tap into your camera's live stream.
  2. Tap View Playback.
  3. Tap and drag the timeline to view the recorded video for a specific point in time.
    • Available footage will be highlighted in the timeline.
    • Pinch and zoom on the timeline to select a specific point in time.

Step 5b: View recordings from the Events tab.

  1. In the Wyze app, tap on the Events tab to select an event to view.
  2. Tap Playback to view the recording from the microSD card.

Step 5c: View recordings from the on your computer.

  1. In the Wyze app, tap into your camera's live stream.
  2. Tap Settings > Advanced Settings > Manage MicroSD Card > Eject MicroSD Card.
  3. Remove the microSD card from your Wyze Cam.
  4. Insert it into a computer with a microSD card slot to view the raw video files (mp4 format).

Additional Notes about Continuous and Events Only Recording

Target Bitrate

Wyze Cam v2 and v3, and Wyze Cam Pan v1 and v2:

When quality is set to: Live SD Card Playback
360p 360p 1080p higher target bitrate
SD 1080p lower target bitrate 1080p lower target bitrate
HD 1080p higher target bitrate 1080p lower target bitrate

Wyze Cam Outdoor v1 and v2:

When quality is set to: Live SD Card Playback
360p 360p 1080p lower target bitrate
SD 1080p lower target bitrate 1080p lower target bitrate
HD 1080p higher target bitrate 1080p higher target bitrate

Continuous Recording

  • Your camera will continuously record video to the microSD card, giving you the option to have constant recording available for playback later - no subscription required.
  • If you have a microSD card inserted and Local recording to microSD card turned on in your settings, the camera will continuously record to that microSD card, even if offline.
  • The cam can still create alert videos that are captured and stored on the cloud based on the camera’s other recording settings.
  • The video length depends on the size of your microSD card and your recording settings. 
  • When live streaming in 360p, local footage will be available in SD or HD, whichever resolution you used most recently.
  • When live streaming in SD, local footage will be available in SD.
  • When live streaming in HD, local footage will be available in HD.
  • When the microSD card is full, it will overwrite the oldest footage and roll forward.
  • This feature is not available on Wyze Cam Outdoor. 

To view your recorded footage, you can either bring your Wyze Cam back to an area that is covered by the WiFi network it was set up in and use the Playback feature in the Wyze app, or remove the microSD card from your Wyze Cam to view the raw video files (mp4 format) on a computer. When you return the microSD card to your Wyze Cam, it will resume continuous recording. The camera supports up to a 256 GB microSD card, which holds roughly 2-3 days of playback recording. 

Events Only Recording

💡Tip: Only recording Events is an excellent way to preserve space on your microSD card. 

  • Your camera will only record video if motion is detected.
  • This feature breaks the video feed into 1-minute increments. If a motion is detected at any point within a 1-minute increment, that 1-minute increment is recorded to the microSD card. This means that the camera will record continuously when there is motion, and will not record when there is no motion detected.
  • Just like Continuous Recording, this is independent of the Events that are captured and stored on the cloud based on the camera’s recording settings.
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