Troubled by Reolink Camera Video Loss? (Easy Solutions)

If you wonder what causes Reolink camera video loss, stay with us throughout this guide!
Before we start, let’s review the types of recordings your Reolink camera makes!
Reolink Camera Recording Types | |
Recording Type: | Description: |
Captured (Manual) Recordings | These are recordings manually started by the user to record the camera’s current live feed continuously (or partially). |
Motion Recordings | Recordings are initiated as a result of the camera’s “Motion Detection” feature in the case of detected movement. |
Local Recordings (Reolink Client) | These are recordings scheduled through the Reolink client for automatic camera capturing throughout the day or night. |
Use the information above to accurately define the exact video loss your Reolink camera experiences, before proceeding with the appropriate solution.
- If the Reolink camera is losing captured recordings, it could mean that there’s a problem with the local storage (SD), NVR, or an underlying power issue.
- If the Reolink camera is losing motion recordings, it often indicates an issue with the motion detection feature or a problem with movement recognition.
- If the Reolink camera is losing local recordings (downloaded), search for the issue within the Reolink client and the setup with the camera.
How to Fix the Reolink Camera Video Loss On NVR?
Reolink cameras hooked up to an NVR receive power over the Ethernet cable’s PoE line.
This means that no additional power supply will be required for setting up the camera and thus, there’s only a single cable coming out of the camera.
1. Verify Reolink’s PoE Connection

After identifying that NVR-wired Reolink cameras receive power over the PoE line of the Ethernet cable, the first step is to check the quality of that very connection.
A loose or unsecured Ethernet cable may periodically disrupt Reolink from finalizing its recording, regardless of whether it is motion detection or a scheduled live feed capturing.
How Test Reolink PoE Connection (Ethernet)?
To determine if the camera’s Ethernet cable is reliable, check if the cable jack’s lamp is blinking on either end.
Head over to your monitoring room, where the NVR is located, and identify which cable hooks up with the camera.
If the lamp does not illuminate, it almost certainly means that the connection is inactive.
To solve an inactive connection, try the following:
- Change the port: Try plugging Reolink into a different NVR port.
- Change the cable: Use an alternative Ethernet cable to plug the camera.
2. Check the NVR’s Filtering Settings

Since with an NVR you can store and view all of your camera’s recording types (motion, scheduled, and local), filtering settings exist to narrow your search.
If you’ve specified to view only specific recordings the Reolink camera made, you may confuse this for a video loss issue.
Here’s how to view all of the NVR’s recordings:
- Sign in to the NVR through the system monitor.
- Click the “Playback” button to enter “Playback.”
- Specify the Reolink camera you wish to inspect.
- Pick a date for which recordings to show below.
- Select the types of recordings you wish to view.
For example, if you wish to check only the motion recordings, tick the “Alarm Only” tile and then specify the types of motions you wish to view.
All the NVR filtering settings will be on the screen and allow you to view exact videos made by the selected Reolink camera.
3. Inspect the NVR’s Power Supply
Even if the camera starts recording at a particular time, the recording will not be stored unless the NVR is up and running.
That’s why the next step is to verify that the device is receiving a consistent power supply at all times.

Here’s what to check:
- The NVR’s power adapter condition and equipment.
- The functionality of the power outlet or the extender.
- The functionality of any external devices in the setup.
Important: Factory Reset the NVR!
If you’re confident about resetting the NVR and erasing all system settings, press and hold the “RESET” button on the rear or side panel for roughly 10 seconds.
This should cause the NVR to reboot, depending on the model, and erase all system settings.
How to Fix the Reolink Camera Says Video Loss On Local Storage (SD)?
Local camera storage means that there is no NVR or FTP server involved in the installation that stores the recording and provides you rerouted local access.
Instead, all of your camera’s recordings will be stored on an SD card, which you can access through the Reolink mobile app.

- To view Reolink’s recordings on an Android, go to “App Settings” → “Storage Path” and specify the filtering settings.
- To view Reolink’s recordings on an iPhone, access the album of your phone, specify one or more recordings, and download them to your iPhone.
In case of losses in your camera’s local storage, try the following!
1. Reinsert Reolink’s SD Card

A fault with the SD card’s installation in your Reolink camera might be preventing it from storing any new recordings.
If so, we recommend taking out the SD card, cleaning it using wet wipes, and placing it back in.
There’s a small SD compartment on the side of the camera, so detach it from the wall and press the release pin using a thin tool.
The SD tray should pop out along with the camera, allowing you to remove Reolink’s local storage.
2. Free Up the SD Card Storage
If the SD card of your Reolink camera exceeds its storage limit, no new recordings will be stored and registered any further.
Unfortunately, Reolink’s interface does not allow for manual deletion of particular clips, so you must format the camera instead.

- To format Reolink’s SD on Android, go to Device Settings → Device Information → Storage → “Format”.
- To format Reolink’s SD on iPhone, navigate to the phone’s album, check the SD directory of the camera, and uninstall the clips.
Tip: You can check the remaining storage of Reolink through the “Storage” tab.
3. Reinstall the Reolink App
Perhaps, the fault is caused by the application instead of the camera’s SD card or storage itself.
If that’s the case, reinstalling the app should address issues with the video registering.

- To uninstall the Reolink app on Android, open the Google Play Store, go to “Profile” → “Manage Installed Apps” and click “Uninstall” next to Reolink.
- To uninstall the Reolink app on iPhone, press and hold the app’s icon on the homepage until the menu appears and press “Remove this app”.
Use the Google Play Store or App Store to download the app again and complete the setup.
How to Fix the Reolink Camera Video Loss On FTP Server (Reolink Client)
An FTP server allows the Reolink camera to upload recent recordings based on a schedule configured by the user.
The recording is then transferred from the camera’s local storage to your computer and no longer occupies any space.
To fix the FTP server’s video losses, try this!
1. Use the Same Network

The FTP server uses a local internet connection to transfer data between the camera and your computer.
If not connected to the same Wi-Fi and network, the camera’s SD storage will not be accessible through the server’s configuration.
- To check the Reolink camera’s Wi-Fi status, access the Reolink app → Settings → Network page.
If you wish to change the camera’s Wi-Fi to your computer’s, pick a Wi-FI network’s SSID from the list and input the password.
Then, press “Connect” and follow the remaining instructions.
Note: The FTP server is primarily used for cameras operating on a Wi-Fi connection!
2. Ensure the FTP is Enabled

Being on the same Wi-Fi is not enough, as you must also enable the server’s FTP storage capabilities.
There’s a feature in the settings that allows the server application installed on your computer to gain secured access to your devices over a local network environment.
- To enable the FTP, sign into your device, go to Device Settings → Surveillance → FTP, and make sure the feature is set to “On”.
Now, wait for all clips to be uploaded and check if there are missing files.
3. Check the Scheduling Settings
Not setting correct scheduling details will prevent the FTP server from downloading camera data and transferring it to your computer.
The server’s interface allows for in-depth management of the scheduling system, and it is up to the user how it is going to be configured.

Here’s how to assign scheduling settings to the Reolink FTP:
- Open the Reolink Client and log in to your camera.
- Go to “Device Settings” and click on “Surveillance”.
- Press “FTP” and then click on “Schedule” below.
- Upload a schedule based on the provided settings.
- Press on “Save” to register all the changes and exit.
Now, according to the configured schedule, particular camera clips, recordings, and motions will be transferred to the FTP’s storage, accessible through your computer.

Finn Wheatley, a Master’s graduate in Computer Science from UCL, London, honed his skills at small data science consultancies. There, he helped large corporations enhance their data capabilities by deploying cutting-edge machine learning analytics and resolving technical hurdles.