Detection Settings and Zones allow you control when, where, and how motion is detected by your Wyze Cam. Only want to detect motion at your front door, driveway, or that small area around the cookie jar? This article is for you.
This article covers the following topics:
- How Motion Detection works
- Detection Settings
- Detection Zones
- How to set up a Detection Zone
- Additional Notes
How motion detection works
Your Wyze Cam detects motion by comparing pixels changing between video frames. "Motion" is recorded when large clusters of pixels change over time. This large cluster can mean a small object moving close to the camera, or a big object moving farther away (like a tree blowing in the wind).
Detection Settings
You can set the sensitivity of your Wyze Cam in Detection Settings. There, you’ll see a slider with a range of Low to High. This slider will adjust the percentage of changed pixels needed to generate an event video.
To change the settings, go to your Wyze app and tap on your Wyze Cam. Tap Settings > Detection Settings.
Detection Zones
The Detection Zone feature allows you to define a specific area that you want your Wyze Cam to detect motion in. Everything outside of the zone is ignored and will not trigger an Event Video (if Motion Detection is turned on) or Motion Tagging (if Motion Tracking is turned on).
You can use Detection Zones to exclude frequently or publicly accessed areas, like busy sidewalks or roads.
To set up a Detection Zone:
- In the Wyze app, tap on your Wyze Cam.
- Tap the Settings gear > Detection Settings > Detection Zone.
- Toggle Detection Zone On.
- With the Detection Zone on, draw on the grid to set your motion detection target area. The Detection Zone will be saved automatically.
Additional Notes
Some behaviors to note when using a Detection Zone:
- Wyze Cam Pan only: If you manually move the camera away from the Detection Zone OR if the camera moves away from the Detection Zone following motion when Motion Tracking is turned on, after 15 seconds of inactivity (no motion detected) the camera will automatically return to the position you selected when you set the Detection Zone and will reinstate the Detection Zone.
- Wyze Cam Pan only: When you turn on the Pan Scan feature, your Motion Detection Zone setting will be changed to fullscreen (Detection Zone will be turned off). You can turn your Detection Zone on again once you have turned off the Pan Scan feature.
- If you have Motion Tagging turned on, Motion Tagging will frame motion that occurs anywhere in the fullscreen, not only motion in the motion detection zone. If that frame touches the Detection Zone, the motion object will be tagged and will trigger other actions based on your settings (Event Video, Motion Tracking, etc.).