Vivint Doorbell Camera Not Detecting Visitors? (Quick Fix!)

It could be frustrating when you are expecting a package or guest, but your Vivint Doorbell Camera not detecting visitors leaves you unaware of who’s at your door. 

In most cases, the problem is with your Vivint camera’s motion detection settings or Wi-Fi connectivity.

So, by the end of this guide, we’ll unwrap the most effective solutions to restore your camera’s detection functionality.

Vivint Doorbell Camera Not Detecting Visitors – Instant Fixes!

Note: The Vivint doorbell won’t ring inside the house if it is not detecting visitors!

1. Adjust the Motion Detection Settings

If the Vivint Doorbell Camera refuses to pick up motion from the visitors, the issue is probably with the motion detection settings.

Adjusting these settings can help the Vivint camera spot movement more accurately and send you the right alerts.

• On your panel, tap “Camera” → “Settings”, enter your system PIN, and go to “Detection Settings”.

1.1 Motion Detection Area:

The motion box might be too small or misplaced, missing visitors entirely.

Use the touch screen to drag the box and cover your porch or stretch and shrink it with the two horizontal bars in the bottom right to fit the area you want monitored.

1.2 Motion Detection Sensitivity:

High sensitivity can cause false alerts, while low sensitivity might miss visitors.

Since the Vivint Doorbell camera is missing visitors, you must increase the motion detection sensitivity by dragging the slider to “+1” or “+2”.

1.3 Object Size Detection:

The camera may be looking for the wrong object size and ignoring visitors.

Use the object size slider to increase the setting by one or two if small objects are triggering a recording, or lower it slightly if it’s missing larger figures, like humans.

1.4 Save & Test:

After adjusting all of the settings we’ve mentioned above, tap “Save”, walk out of the frame, then approach the door to test if the camera now detects you and sends a visitor alert as expected.

2. Power Reset the Vivint Doorbell

The detection failure of the Vivint doorbell camera may be a result of an underlying power issue with the doorbell’s hardwiring.

Hence, the power cycle involves safely reverting some of the Vivint doorbell installation steps to disrupt the electrical supply and completely reset the unit’s system.

Follow these steps to power reset the Vivint doorbell:

• Identify the doorbell switch in the circuit breaker panel.
• Unscrew the doorbell from the back plate and pull it out.
• Next, loosen the two wire terminals on the back plate.
• Now, detach the wire hooks from the doorbell terminals.
• Wait 30 seconds, then reattach the wires to the terminals.
• Reinstall the faceplate and mounting plate of the doorbell.
• Reactivate the power at the breaker and test the doorbell.

Warning: Avoid touching any of the wires in the Vivint doorbell installation without suspending the electrical supply.

3. Update the Vivint Panel & App

Well, outdated firmware on your Vivint panel or app can cause the doorbell to miss visitors by disrupting the communication.

Updating both to the most current OS should resolve the issues.

Step #1: Update the Vivint Panel Firmware:

• At the panel, press the three dots to open the menu.
• Tap “General”, then enter the 4-digit PIN to proceed.
• Tap on “Update” next to the “Software Update” line.
• If there’s a newer OS, select “Yes” to start the update.
• Wait several minutes until the Vivint panel is updated.

Step #2: Update the Vivint App Firmware:

• Open your phone’s app store and go to “Settings”.
• Find the Vivint app in the installed apps section.
• Download and install the latest version of the app.
• Wait until the OS is uploaded, then test the Vivint.

Note: If there is no newer firmware available for the Vivint panel, the “Software Update” field will be gray.

4. Pair Vivint to the Panel Over NFC

The synchronization between your doorbell and the panel might have been disrupted, and this could be the reason why the Vivint Doorbell camera is not detecting motion.

Well, resyncing over NFC can re-establish the connection and restore the Vivint doorbell visitor detection capability.

Here’s how to resynchronize the Vivint doorbell to the camera:

• Unlock the panel and tap the menu icon in the bottom right.
• Press “Software version” and enter the “2203” PIN code.
• Go to “Smart Home devices” → “Cameras” from the tab.
• Press “Add camera” to start the synchronization process.
• Next, choose “NFC”, then tap Add to connect the doorbell.
• Wait until the panel finishes the synchronization process.

So, for the NFC pairing to work, the Vivint doorbell and panel must be within a minimum of a 100-foot radius.

Since the panel uses a 2.4 GHz frequency, the signal can seamlessly travel through walls, and physical obstructions cannot prevent the pairing.

Note: Ensure there are no other wireless (Bluetooth) devices close to the panel or camera!

5. Check the Vivint App Notifications

If the Vivint Doorbell Camera is not alerting you about visitors, the issue may be with the phone notification settings rather than the camera itself.

The next step is to verify that the notifications from the Vivint Home Security app are allowed on your iOS or Android.

How to Check Notifications on Android:

• Go to “Settings” → “Apps” and find the Vivint app.
• Tap “Notifications” and ensure it’s set to “Enabled”.

Once you’re done, check these extra notification settings:

• “Allow Notification”
• “Banners”
• “Sounds”
• “Badges”.

How to Check Notifications on iOS:

• Go to “Settings” and scroll down to “Notifications”.
• Tap on the Vivint application from the app category.
• Ensure “Allow Notifications” is set to “On” in the tab.

Also, make sure your smartphone volume isn’t lowered, the device is not set to “Mute,” and the “DND” or “Airplane” mode is not enabled.

6. Inspect the Vivint Doorbell Wi-Fi

A potentially unstable Wi-Fi connection could prevent the Vivint doorbell from detecting visitors by suspending all motion detection features.

So, the next steps consist of three steps: checking if Vivint is connected, reconnecting Vivint, and improving the Wi-Fi.

Step #1: Check if Vivint is Connected:

To determine if the Vivint doorbell is connected, launch the Vivint app and access the live feed.

Wait for the broadcast to load and check if there are any interruptions or drops in the live quality. 

Step #2: Reconnect the Vivint Doorbell:

• Open the Vivint app and navigate to “Devices”.
• Tap on the Vivint Doorbell Camera from the list.
• Tap “Settings” → “WiFi Settings” to get started.
• Hold the Vivint doorbell button to start pairing.
• Follow the steps in the app to finish the pairing.

Step #3: Improve the Vivint Doorbell Wi-Fi:

• Move your router closer to where the doorbell is.
• Dislocate wireless obstructions close to the unit.
• Use a Wi-Fi extender to make the signal stronger.
• Try switching the doorbell to a different Wi-Fi band.

Tip: You can check the exact Wi-Fi speed of your network at speedtest.net.

7. Reconnect the Chime Transformer

Insufficient power supply from an unstable transformer can impair the Vivint Doorbell camera’s motion detection and result in missed alerts.

So, we recommend reconnecting your transformer to ensure a stable voltage supply and resolve potential underlying faults with the terminal wiring.

Here’s where to find and how to reset the doorbell transformer:

• Locate the circuit breaker and disable power to the doorbell circuit.
• Identify the transformer, typically near the chime or electrical panel.
• Inspect the transformer’s voltage terminals for loose or frayed wires.
• Securely reconnect the wires to the transformer’s screw terminals.
• Tighten the terminal screws to ensure a firm electrical connection.
• Test the doorbell camera after re-enabling the power at the breaker.

You could also use a multimeter to measure the exact output of the transformer.

Like any other doorbell installation, your Vivint requires a 14–24V AC transformer; hence, if there is no voltage reading on the current one, you might have to replace it.

Warning: Only interact with the transformer after disabling the system’s electrical supply. 

8. Reset the Vivint Doorbell to Defaults

Well, the reason why the Vivint doorbell camera is not detecting visitors might be because the device needs a complete factory reset to clear underlying errors. 

By erasing all settings, the doorbell will be removed from the installation and then re-added from scratch from the app. 

Warning: This is a last-resort measure, so continue with caution!

Here’s how to factory reset the Vivint doorbell:

• Ensure the Vivint Doorbell Camera is powered on first.
• Press and hold the doorbell button for ~20 seconds.
• Wait for the Vivint LED to turn red and indicate a reset.
• Release the button and allow the doorbell to OS reset.
• Test the visitor detection after re-adding the Vivint unit.

Note: If you’re still experiencing visitor detection issues with the Vivint doorbell camera, consider reaching out to Vivint customer support.