Wyze Cam v3 Red Light Stays On? (Try These Easy Fixes!)

If your Wyze Cam v3 red light stays on, you probably wonder:

• Is my Waze Cam recording?
• Is there a connection issue?
• What’s wrong with the Cam?

The red light means that your camera is starting up and if the red light stays on for more than 60 seconds, in most cases, it runs into an error.

This guide will help you understand everything about the red light and guide you through an inspection of the supply, firmware, and registration.

Let’s get started!

What to Do When the Wyze Cam v3 Red Light Stays On?

Note: Does the indicator change at any point, or does it stay red the whole time?

1. Reconnect the Power Cable

Start with something simple, such as reconnecting the camera’s power cable. As mentioned, the solid red light could indicate either a firmware problem or a power supply insufficiency.

Hence, a power cycle, thus, reseating the power cable, should solve the issue.

Here’s what to do:

1. Unplug the USB Type-C cable from the camera.
2. Disconnect the other end from Wyze’s adapter.
3. Wait ~60 seconds until the camera discharges.
4. After that, reseat the power cable on both ends.
5. Wait until the Wyze Cam turns on, and then test.

To complete a full discharge, the camera must remain unplugged for at least 60 seconds. Well, reconnecting the cable before that could prevent the hardware from discharging fully. 

Important: Use Wyze’s Original Adapter!

The red light could also be caused by an incompatibility with the adapter’s voltage.

So, if you’re using a replacement USB, try installing the original type-C adapter that came with the camera and check if the LED indicator returns to normal.

Note: If your camera’s original adapter is faulty, order a replacement from the Wyze website!

2. Switch to a Different Outlet

A defective wall power outlet is another cause for the solid red light on the Wyze camera.

Before proceeding with the more advanced solutions, we recommend relocating the Wyze Cam v3 and testing it on another proven outlet in your home.

Also, avoid installing third-party equipment in the setup of the camera.

That particularly applies to outdoor uses of the Wyze Cam v3, as the product is intended for indoors and requires a USB extender if it is to be placed outside. 

Disconnect all power strips, smart/intelligent outlets, and A/C dividers that allow for multiple devices to connect with the outlet simultaneously. 

3. Toggle the Camera Light OFF

Perhaps the persistent red light could be a simple glitch with the camera’s indicator. So, there’s a function within the Wyze mobile app that allows you to manually disable/enable the indicator on demand.

This would only work if your camera is working perfectly, but is showing the red light.

If setting the indicator to “Off” and then turning it to “On” again solves the issue, it means that the red light was nothing more than a temporary bug.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Open the Wyze app and navigate to “Camera Settings”.
2. Navigate to the “Advanced Settings” tab in the section.
3. Now, find the “Toggle Camera Status Light Off/On” tile.
4. Set the camera’s indicator to “Off” and exit the application.

Now, the camera’s indicator should go off immediately and turn blank.

Determine whether all of your camera’s functions are still usable and whether the product can still connect to the internet.

4. Flash Wyze Cam v3’s Firmware

Another Wyze Cam v3 solid red light fix is to flash the camera’s firmware to a previous version.

If the red light has occurred after uploading the most recent OS for Wyze, it means the update package hasn’t been unpacked correctly, or some of the system files are now missing/corrupt.

Note: Flashing Wyze v3’s firmware requires an active internet connection and power supply.

4.1 How to Prepare Wyze Cam v3’s Firmware?

The first step is to prepare the update file. You need a computer (PC or laptop) that’s connected to the internet, as well as the Wyze Cam v3’s SD card.

The SD card compartment is below the Type-C input on the camera, and taking it out requires slow dragging.

Once the SD card is out, you’ll need an SD card reader that supports a USB connection with your PC or an SD port on your laptop. 

Now, follow these steps to download and prepare the OS:

1. Open a web browser on your computer or laptop.
2. Navigate to Wyze’s Release Notes & Firmware tab.
3. Download the previous update available for Wyze.
4. After that, download and install the .zip update file.
5. Upload the .rar file into a folder on your PC or laptop.
6. Extract the .rar’s update files into the uploaded folder.
7. Install Wyze’s micro SD card into the device’s reader.
8. Next, rename the zipped folder to “demo_wcv3.bin”.
9. Upload the .rar file’s content into the Wyze SD card.
10. Remove the SD card from your PC or laptop’s reader.

4.2 How to Upload Wyze Cam v3’s Firmware?

Once you have uploaded the firmware file, unplug the Wyze camera and reinsert the SD card. After the SD card is reinserted, reconnect the power cable and wait for the indicator to light up.

• To start the update, hold the “SETUP” button on the camera for 3–6 seconds and wait until the indicator changes from red/blue to blank.

Wait for at least 5–10 minutes, reinsert the SD card into your computer’s reader, and uninstall the demo_wcv3.bin file to continue using the card.

If the camera was already registered in the Wyze application, you can continue using it, otherwise, it must undergo the initial camera setup.

5. Replace the Camera Equipment

So, we recommend testing your Wyze Cam v3 using an alternative power adapter and USB Type-C separately to determine if either of these components is faulty.

Well, if you’ve used the Wyze-supplied USB and adapter for a while now, there’s a chance that either the adapter or the cable has started to wear out.

So, since USB type-C cables and 12V-24V adapters are easy to come across, use the one from your charger or other electrical appliance.

Make sure to install the USB cable first and test it. Then, install the adapter and test again using the same USB cable.

Alternatively, install the new adapter and the USB cable simultaneously.

6. Change Wyze’s Wi-Fi Network

Changing the camera’s Wi-Fi is a solution that generally helps with Wi-Fi issues, OS problems, and even startup failures.

The Wyze app allows for choosing a different Wi-Fi network for your camera without having to deregister the product and re-add it.

Here’s how to change Wyze’s Wi-Fi easily:

1. Open the Wyze app and go to “Device Information”.
2. Tap “Change Wi-Fi Network” in the page’s settings.
3. Follow the on-screen steps to select a new network.

Remember that the Wyze Cam v3 and the Wyze Cam Pan v3 do not support 5 GHz Wi-Fi.

If you have a dual-band router, then it means the camera was already connected to the correct network.

In such a case, we recommend testing the camera on your smartphone’s hotspot.

Note: The hotspot of your smartphone is designed to emit a 2.4 GHz signal natively. 

7. Take Out/Replace the SD Card

The microSD card of your Wyze camera could be the troublemaker and the reason behind the solid red light.

So, during initialization, your Wyze camera is instructed by default to check all instances of operations, including the power supply, Wi-Fi, and, of course, the microSD storage.

A microSD card that’s no longer recognized by the reader could be fatal to the stored recordings and the camera’s functionality.

• To take out the microSD, unplug the Wyze camera and eject it from the SD slot, situated right above the USB Type-C port.

Wait for several seconds, reconnect the camera, and check if the red indicator is still there.

If the issue persists, then install a replacement FAT-32 32-gigabyte SD card. 

8. Factory Reset Wyze’s OS

If nothing else has helped and the Wyze Cam v3 red light stays on, then it’s factory reset time!

So, there’s a “SETUP” button on the back of the Wyze camera that’s responsible for two things: 

• Setting up the camera
• Starting a factory reset

Follow these steps to factory reset your Wyze v3:

1. Unplug the Wyze Cam v3’s adapter for 10 seconds.
2. Locate and hold the “SETUP” button for 15 seconds.
3. Next, release the button once the indicator goes off.

The factory reset may take up to 5 minutes, so cease all interactions with the camera until then.

In the meantime, keep checking if the indicator shows any different lightning patterns from red.

Is Wyze Camera Red Light Still There?

If your Wyze Cam v3 is still experiencing the red light, then it’s time to contact Wyze’s Customer Support.

If there’s a more serious HW failure behind the solid red light, they will either request an inspection of the camera or send you a brand-new unit. 

To contact Wyze, you will need:

• The order number of the Wyze Cam v3
• All of the shipping address information

You will be asked several questions relative to the problem, and then the customer support will decide how to proceed further.