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How to fix a video recording or scheduling issue on your Roku Smart Home camera or video doorbell
Your Roku® Smart Home camera allows you to capture event recordings to the cloud. Some recording features are only available on specific smart home cameras. Video doorbells can only capture event recordings as they do not have a micro SD card slot. Learn more about how to set up and view recordings on your camera or doorbell.
This article reviews where your recordings are saved, and how to view your recordings. If your recordings are not working or displaying as expected, you can also find troubleshooting tips for common issues, including:
What to do if a recording is missing
The timestamp for your recording is missing or incorrect
The sound for a recording is missing?
Event recording
What is it? Each time your smart home camera detects motion or sound, it captures a video clip and saves it as an event recording. You can adjust motion and sound settings to determine when an event recording is captured.
Supported models: You can capture an event recording on any Roku Smart Home camera and doorbell.
Storage: When you purchase a Roku Smart Home Subscription, an event recording is stored in the cloud for 14 days, but you can also choose to record it simultaneously to a micro SD card in case the internet connection is lost. Without a subscription, an event recording can only be backed up on a micro SD card.
How to watch: An event recording stored in the cloud can be accessed from the Roku Smart Home app. To view an event recording backed up on a micro SD card, you must remove the card and view it on your computer.
Continuous recording
What is it? Continuous recording saves 1-minute video clips for as long as the camera is connected to power. When the storage is full, the oldest files are overwritten to make room for new video clips.
Supported models: All Roku Smart Home cameras, except the Roku Outdoor Camera SE, support continuous recording.
Storage: Continuous recording can only be saved to a micro SD card.
How to watch: To view a continuous recording, you must remove the micro SD card and view it on your computer.
Scheduled recording
What is it? A scheduled recording captures video only during a designated time on a daily, weekly, or one-time occurrence. Select the start time, end time, and occurrence, and your camera will record a video for the duration.
Supported models: Only the Roku Outdoor Camera SE (model CW 1000) supports scheduled recording.
Storage: A scheduled recording can only be stored on a micro SD card.
How to watch: You can view a scheduled recording in the smart home app by opening your album. You can also remove the micro SD card and view it on your computer.
Time-lapse recording
What is it? A time lapse recording captures images at regular intervals to create a short video that shows an event happening gradually over hours or days. Simply select the start time, end time, and the interval.
Supported models: A time-lapse recording can be captured on any Roku Smart Home camera.
Storage: A time-lapse recording can only be saved to a micro SD card.
How to watch: You can watch a time-lapse recording from your album in the smart home app, or you can remove the micro SD card and view it on your computer.
Troubleshooting recording issues
Missing recordings
If you are missing recordings you expected to see in the smart home app, check if you have created any rules that are affecting your recordings.
Open the Home screen
Select your camera or doorbell
Tap Settings
Tap Rules
Check if you have rules specifying your camera or motion detection to turn off.
Review if you have rules affecting when your recordings start and end.
Missing timestamp
If the timestamp for your recording is missing, confirm that your camera or doorbell is being told to display a timestamp.
Open the Home screen
Select your camera or doorbell
Tap Settings
Tap Advanced settings
Toggle on Show timestamp
Incorrect timestamp
If the timestamp on your recording is wrong, sync your smart home app to match the time displayed on your smart phone or tablet.
Follow steps 1-4 above
Tap the Sync button
Recording has no sound
If your recording has no sound, confirm that your camera or doorbell is being told to record sound for each device.
Open the Home screen
Select your camera or doorbell
Tap Settings
Tap Advanced settings
Toggle on Record sound
Last updated at 2/25/2026 10:00:50 PM
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