‎(Indoor) Camera Recording when System is Off | SimpliSafe Support Home
 

7 Messages

Monday, May 9th, 2022 9:11 PM

(Indoor) Camera Recording when System is Off

Ditto for me. It should NOT record if the system is OFF.

>>it seems as if the only way to disable the camera recording when you are home, is if you turn off motion detection in the camera settings in the SimpliSafe app. 
>>you have the option to have the shutter closed when the system is in “home” or “off” mode, but it still activates & records if motion detection is on. 
>>however, if motion detection is off, will it still record when in “away” mode?? I think it won’t, which defeats the purpose of the camera if the alarm is triggered, right?

It’s confusing.

SimpliSafe, please address this issue. 

This post was created from this comment on different post

Community Admin

 • 

5.7K Messages

3 years ago

@tammied13​ sorry to hear about this. It does not sound like your camera is behaving correctly. That is, assuming that you're talking about the Indoor Camera, where the armed state is bound to the shutter setting.

So yes, when the shutter is set to closed in Home Mode, it should not be initiating recordings from motion. If the system is armed in Home Mode, the only times you should be getting a recording would be when someone disarms, and when there's an actual alarm.

I would actually recommend that you reset that camera by holding down the button on the top for 16 seconds. When your release, it will reboot, and you can set it up again through the SimpliSafe app.

But if we're talking about the Outdoor Camera: at this time, that particular model is active at all times and does not respond to the armed state of the system.

2 Messages

@davey_d​ are there any plans to tie this to the alarm state? It is extremely annoying to have the spotlight switch on every few seconds while relaxing on the patio with the alarm off. Not to mention the lower battery life. I realize I can turn the spotlight off, but that kind of defeats the purpose if I want it to work at night while I'm asleep and the alarm is active.

Edit: talking about the outdoor camera obviously

(edited)

1 Message

@davey_d  I have the same issue, and resetting via the top button does not help. Neither does disabling motion sensing. It’d be great if Simplisafe could add privacy shutter support via software or firmware

3 Messages

I’m having the same problem with one indoor camera. It’s detecting motion and recording when the system is off. It’s creepy. When I report it I’m told that I shouldn’t worry because SimpliSafe can’t see anything if there is no alarm. How do I know that!!? Creepy.

1K Messages

@flourchild45​ in your app under that camera makes sure you have the privacy shutter and motion off on off mode if not even when the alarm is off it will detect you and start recording and send youa notification. 

3 Messages

All the settings were correct and all of my cameras had the same settings—only one camera recorded while the system was off. SimpliSafe confirmed and ended up sending me a new camera. But I believe the problem is still out there and I didn’t get assurances that SimpliSafe knows why or wants to publicly acknowledge the problem. 

1 Message

5 months ago

Hello...

Sadly it looks like its been several years and SimpliSafe has yet to fix this Privacy Invation !

Yes, I like the idea of having the camera record when an Alarm is triggered and being able to select what it does when your 'Home' or 'Away' is nice.

However...  When the system is "OFF" (not home, not away).  And motion sense is ON.  This thing shares my video with SimpliSafe.

I wasnt sure this was actually happening until I installed a Firewalla (Fire Wall) and it detected LARGE volumes of data being transfered.  When we figured it was "OF" and we were  safe inside ...  

Yes - I am talking abouit the Indoor Cameras and Yes we have tried the reset several times

Community Admin

 • 

3.4K Messages

@balloonpilot1​ If your indoor camera's Privacy Shutter is set to Open while your system is in Off Mode, it will still store any recordings it films in our servers - the same as it does when you system is in Home and Off mode. But please know that at SimpliSafe, we believe that privacy and security go hand-in-hand. All of your videos are encrypted, and no one (not even SimpliSafe staff,) can access them but you.

13 Messages

Happening to me now. Indoor camera shutter is set to closed when system is "off". After nearly a year of using the system all of a sudden, I am getting notifications of motion while "off". Physically looking at the camera the shutter is open. If I set the "away" mode to closed then the shutter closes. If I set "away" back to open, the shutter opens again. Something is broken., I'm turning off motion detection for this camera until I hear a resolution. THIS IS NOT what anyone should consider normal behavior.

Same here!  When alarm is set to "home," and shutter is "closed," camera is detecting motion and recording.  Not cool.

Community Admin

 • 

5.7K Messages

@sharonperlmutter@rhallman @balloonpilot1 thanks all for reporting. Just wanted to check in to let you know that our internal team is investigating similar cases.

I did want to ask just so we're sure, do you all have the Smart Alarm Indoor Camera (the white model) or the SimpliCam (the black model)?

And also sharonperlmutter, you do mention specifically that this is happening for you in Home Mode. Do you happen to have Secret Alerts set up for any of your sensors? That registers in our system as an "alarm" type, so it does trigger recordings.

It is the black one

Yes, I have secret alerts set on some motion detectors, but it is the camera itself that's activating (nobody is near the other detectors, but is walking past the camera).

(edited)

1 Message

4 months ago

It is violating. Again today-- it's been awhile...my simplisafe cam has decided to operate motion detection while in the disarmed Do Not Detect Motion Settings.

I require privacy-- the safety to disrobe and 'hang out'.

Not today!!

Although I am not getting the recording ...the blue light is solid - the shutter is open-- somebody is getting the feed.

Community Admin

 • 

5.7K Messages

@amorgana​ thank you for reporting. If I could ask, do you have the SimpliCam (the black model) or the Smart Alarm Indoor Camera (the white model)? 

We want you to know that we're taking your concerns very seriously and are already investigating.

3 Messages

I have the same issue. Black indoor camera. 

Motion on - shutter setting  closed on home and off modes  - camera still recording 

3 Messages

3 months ago

@davey_d This happens to my black camera (model SSCM2, software v2.6.2.126) too, but it seems to only happen when I turn the system from “home” to “off.” After I set it to “off,” the camera shutter opens and it records, then it is set off by the motion sensor and will record, but after a while it is not set off by the sensor anymore.

(edited)

Community Admin

 • 

5.7K Messages

@OrchidGal​ that sounds more like the normal behavior. The camera is designed to record when you disarm, regardless of the state of the shutter.

3 months ago

Just wanted to update the "secret alert" issue.  When I look at my history, I see, yes, a secret alert on a motion detector and recordings from all my cameras. 

Then, some time later, "camera motion detected" and a recording just from this camera.  When the system is set to "home," and the settings for the camera in "home" mode say that the shutter is closed and it's not supposed to be detecting motion. 

This has been a known issue for some time, no?  Why can't you stop your cameras from spying on your customers?

Community Admin

 • 

3.4K Messages

@sharonperlmutter​ Whenever you disarm your system into Home or Off modes, your indoor cameras will film a short recording, regardless of its Privacy Shutter setting. This is an intentional feature so you can see who disarmed your system. 

3 Messages

Well, that only makes sense if you have the camera pointing at the control pad. That should be able to be disabled.

@emily_s​ I never said it happened while I was disarming the system. 

The system is armed to home. 

The camera privacy shutter is set to closed. 

The camera detects motion and records.  BECAUSE IT HAS DETECTED MOTION.  Even though it is not supposed to be detecting motion because of the settings.

I don't mean to get grumpy here, but this has been happening for Literally Years, and I would've thought you'd have figured out the necessary fix by now.

9 Messages

3 months ago

I am setting up the system for the first time and I am having this issue. The system is off, the shutter is set to closed when off, the motion detection is set to off. However, every time I walk by the camera, it is taking a video. I believe I have all the settings correct, so can someone please explain why it is recording?

3 Messages

That’s the question I can’t get an answer for. When my system was disarmed and completely off, one of my cameras would record for no reason. And I wouldn’t know unless I looked at the history—no alert was given. And it wasn’t all the time, just random. They ended up sending me a new camera, after they tried to tell me I didn’t understand the settings or had them wrong. They finally investigated on their end and saw that it was happening. Never got a firm answer as to why. They sent a new camera and asked me to return the old one.

9 Messages

Did the new camera fix the issue?

9 Messages

I just spoke with Customer Support. If there are any Secret Alerts configured, the camera will take a video no matter what the settings are for the camera. So, when the sliding door is opened upstairs, the camera is taking an empty video downstairs even if it is Disabled with Motion off. Support said this is how it is supposed to work...no idea why though.

1 Message

2 months ago

I agree that it is very annoying that you still get motion detection messages from indoor cameras after de-activating the system prior to entry so I have turned off Simplisafe notifications on my smartphone and I am living in the hope that I have not screwed anything up!

3 Messages

The issue for me  isn't notifications. The issue is that even though I'm telling my camera to close the shutter, it is still "watching" what is taking place in my residence. Turning off notifications will prevent you from knowing that you are being filmed, but it won't prevent the filming from taking place. 

Turning off notifications could also potentially lead to "false alarms". Local emergency personnel could be sent to your home because you simply didn't know that there had been an alert. 

I have pulled the plug on this indoor camera. Until this issue is resolved, I'll go with cameras on the interior of my home which I can control. 

(edited)

New to the Community? Get started by reading our Welcome Article and please be sure to review our Community Guidelines before posting.