Troubleshooting Mi Camera Night Vision Issues

Effective Solutions for When Your Mi Camera’s Night Vision Isn’t Working

If your Mi camera performs flawlessly during daylight but produces blurry or black images in low-light conditions, it can be quite frustrating. This guide provides comprehensive steps to diagnose and resolve common issues that cause night vision failure in your Mi camera, ensuring clear and reliable surveillance around the clock.

How to Troubleshoot “Mi Camera Night Vision Not Functioning”

1. Reboot Your Smartphone

Sometimes, the problem isn’t with the camera itself but with your mobile device. A misbehaving phone can impair the app’s ability to display proper footage, especially at night. To fix this, turn off your smartphone completely, wait about 10 seconds, then power it back on. Launch the Xiaomi Mi app again and check if the night vision operates correctly. If issues persist, proceed to the next solution.

2. Power Cycle Your Camera

Hardware glitches can disable features like night vision. Performing a power cycle can resolve these temporary malfunctions. To reboot your Mi camera:

Open the Xiaomi Home app and select your camera device.
Tap the three-dot menu icon in the top-right corner.
Choose Camera Settings.
Scroll to find and select Reboot Camera.

Once the camera restarts, close and reopen the app, then verify if the night vision now functions properly. If not, continue with further troubleshooting.

3. Toggle Night Vision Settings

Glitches may cause your camera to lose access to its night vision mode, even if the setting appears enabled. To fix this, disable and then re-enable night vision:

Launch the Xiaomi Home app and select your camera.
Tap the three-dot menu and go to Camera Settings.
Tap Night Vision.
Select Off.
Close the app, then reopen it and navigate back to the Night Vision setting.
Switch it back to Automatic or Always On.

This process resets the night vision mode and can resolve minor software glitches that impair functionality.

4. Remove and Re-Add Your Camera

If issues persist, removing and re-adding the camera to your Xiaomi app can clear persistent bugs and refresh the device’s software connection. Follow these steps:

Open the Xiaomi Home app.
Tap your camera icon, then access the menu with the three-dot icon.
Select Delete Camera to remove it from the app.
Restart the app and ensure the camera is plugged into power.
Tap the + icon to add a new device.
Choose your camera model from the list and follow the pairing instructions, including scanning the QR code displayed on your camera monitor.
Complete the Wi-Fi connection process, and wait for the device to successfully pair, indicated by an audible confirmation.

Re-adding the camera often resolves deep-seated software issues affecting night vision.

5. Update Camera Firmware

Outdated firmware can cause compatibility issues, including failure of night vision features. To ensure your camera has the latest updates:

Access your camera in the Xiaomi app.
Tap the three-dot menu and select Firmware Update.
If an update is available, tap Upgrade Now.
Allow the update to complete and then verify if night vision functionality has been restored.

6. Ensure Proper Placement of the Camera

Infrared light emitted by your camera’s night vision relies on the device being positioned correctly. Place your camera on a flat, even surface to avoid tilt or slant that can disrupt infrared emission. After repositioning, wait until nightfall and observe the footage to check for improvements.

7. Keep the Monitor Area Unobstructed

Any physical barrier blocking the camera’s monitor area can diminish its infrared light reach. Ensure that no objects, curtains, or materials obscure the lens or the monitor. Position the camera in an open area where the infrared light can disperse freely for optimal night vision.

8. Perform a Factory Reset

If all else fails, restoring your camera to factory settings may eliminate severe software issues:

Make sure the camera is plugged into a power source.
Locate the reset button at the base of the camera.
Press and hold the reset button for approximately three seconds until you hear a confirmation voice prompt.
Release the button and wait for the LED indicator to turn orange, signaling reset completion.

After resetting, reconfigure your camera and test night vision performance.

Final Thoughts

If none of these solutions restore your Mi camera’s night vision, it may be a hardware defect or a more complex software issue. In such cases, contacting Xiaomi customer support for further diagnosis or considering a replacement might be necessary. Regular updates, proper placement, and routine maintenance can help prevent future problems and ensure your security camera functions optimally around the clock.