Video Doorbell fails to pick up motion

@jayleewebb1​ If it's not a connection or reception issue (which you can verify by using the Connection Check tool in the app), then we have to go back to troubleshooting the environment to figure out wht the Motion Detection feature isn't working.

In People Only mode, the camera analyzes the actual image and triggers for anything that is shaped like a person and is moving around.

When All Motion is enabled, or at night (when it's too dark for the intelligent motion sensor to work), it uses a more traditional infrared motion sensor. That means it works by detecting heat-generating objects moving around, in contrast with the rest of the environment. So you might see it struggle in very hot environments.

And because it needs to pick up on lateral movement, it will work best when the subject is moving across the field of view. So it might help a bit if you're able to change the angle of the Video Doorbell so that intruders approaching aren't walking directly towards it. Our Support team can help with a Horizontal Wedge for that purpose.

SAME EXACT ISSUES HERE and I have tried ALL different settings, resetting, wifi extender and even got it replaced. STILL not working properly. This is so frustrating and unsafe!

Same exact issues with mine. There is no rhyme or reason when the doorbells will pick up motion. SimpliSafe is sending me a camera to mount in the front. The problem with this that I see is that it has to be mounted low enough so I don’t have to get up on a ladder every time the battery needs to be taken out and charged. Since the camera is only magnetized to the base, it can easily be stolen. I told SimpliSafe that I’d try it. The video doorbells are junk in my opinion (I’m on my second set and there is no improvement) and technical support is absolutely no help.  We basically have no security. We”ll see how the camera goes but I unfortunatelyhave low expectations given my experience with SimpliSafe.

So first, both video doorbells were not regularly picking up motion. For the past few days, the doorbell furthest from the router has been picking up. I’m not holding my breath though, given all the problems I have with SimpliSafe.  But the doorbell closest to the router has not picked up anything! Live streams are perfectly fine so it’s not even a router issue. I don’t have hours to spend on the phone with pointless ‘technical support’. Still waiting for someone to help install outdoor camera which is SimpliSafe’s supposed solution to my problem.  I purposely purchased the video doorbell for the front to meet my needs but SimpliSafe can’t seem to fix the problems multitudes of customers are reporting. I’d rather SimpliSafe send me a FUNCTIONAL video doorbell rather than an outdoor camera.

I am having this very same issue.  I also received another doorbell and I am STILL experiencing the same problem, in addition to spending an additional $600 on a Mesh Router system and two extenders.  At this point, I'm adding my old Ring on top of the SS doorbell just to be able to capture the 'porch pirates' and delivery companies....... I'm beyond frustrated.

I have begun experiencing doorbell issues when the outdoor cameras were introduced around a year and a half ago.  Simplisafe has never resolved doorbell motion issues and work  arounds by setting to people only etc do not work. I was advised that the most recent software update (October 2022) would resolve the doorbell issue but that is not the case.  Now since last update a new issue has begun;, at night, the back doorbell records when the front doorbell detects motion.  Very disappointing.  I have purchased an updated router, outdoor cameras, wedge and have had multiple doorbell replacements thru simplisafe.  I think that a software issue occurred with the doorbells when they added the original outdoor cam software to the mix.  I have been hoping that they would resolve these issues especially now that it seems to be more widespread.  I am considering installing a secondary outdoor wired camera setup since simplisafe has been a disappointment. 

I am beyond disappointed too as I was a happy doorbell customer for over 2 years it worked perfectly.  Then about Nov/Dec timeframe the motion detection changed and it only picks up people directly in front of the camera.  It used to pick up anything in my driveway and cars/people in driveway and walking up sidewalk to front door, cars going in and out of garage.  I am more than upset and tech support has been terrible (but very nice) telling me same steps over and over and over again I could do them all in my sleep and 2 new cameras later still same thing.  Please resolve this!!!!

same issue.  My doorbell camera used to record video and alert me when the FedEx guy left a package.  Now it does not.  I have read all these posts.  It is not a connection issue, and the doorbell camera has not been moved since it was installed -- it worked previously, but not now.  I tried to find a "people only" or "all" option on the app and could not find it.  I see no point in a "wedge" since it worked just fine until a month or so ago, set up just as it is.  Suggestions, please.

I just read some posts on another thread.  Some people date this problem to a recent software update.  I think that might be the case with my system.  Software updates that mess things up is a pretty common occurrence.  Can I un-upgrade, back to the previous software package?

Same issues here. I can stand in front of the doorbell and it won’t trigger, yet EVERY vehicle in the street picks up. ALL night long.  Just sitting here this morning in the past 5 minutes bing, bing, bing everyone going to school/work.  I thought it was me when I had to reset my router for an unrelated problem.  

Hey Simplisafe are you listening??

we are all waiting for a software fix for Apple IOS that broke last fall.  Please update us!!!!

Problem has been resolved.  I removed the camera and did a soft reset. All is well now. 

Like many others who have posted, my doorbell pro worked great for a couple of years, picking up all activity, but for about the past year it detects very little and has been extremely frustrating. I’ve contacted support, had a new doorbell sent, installed it, changed the angle, bought and installed a WIFI extender, ensured that the connectivity for WIFI showed all blue bars, did many a hard reset, soft reset, uninstalled and reinstalled, tried every combination of sensitivity, people-motion, etc. Something changed at Simplisafe’s end…and I’ve been patiently waiting for you to figure it out and fix it. I don’t want to spend any more time chatting with customer support, or have someone flippantly suggest I redo one of the many strategies that I can use at my end to address it; clearly, like me, many of the people who have posted comments have gone to great lengths to make the camera function better at the user end to no avail - it’s up to Simplisafe to come up with a solution. Is SimpliSafe addressing this, or is it time to look for a more reliable system?

I was experiencing the identical issues with my doorbell.  Slowly degraded it's ability to pick up motion of people approaching my front door. I tried changing settings, wedges for viewing angle changes, etc.  Finally decided to do a "hard" reset.  Removed it from system and reset device.  Then added back into system.  Worked like a charm.  My only guess is that over time motion algorithm or code became degraded.  

Surprised that it worked and hoping it holds up.  Hard resets require removal of doorbell to access buttons.  A minor effort to reestablish doorbell working great again.

I just purchased a doorbell camera less than 30 days ago. It will pick up every car driving by on the street, which is on the periphery of its view, but not cars driving up and down my driveway. This is absolutely ridiculous.