Does Wyze Cam Need an SD Card?

Wyze SD Card 2Wyze SD Card 2

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I am considering purchasing a Wyze Cam for my home, and I wanted to know if Wyze Cam needs an SD card to work. I gathered information to answer this question, and I have shared my research with you in case you also wanted to know if your Wyze Cam needs an SD card.

Does Wyze Cam need an SD card? Without an SD card, Wyze Cam can only store 12-second clips that are automatically recorded when alerts are triggered. Wyze Cam needs a microSD card to record longer video clips. The security camera holds a microSD card with up to 32GB of storage space.

To fully utilize all the capabilities of your Wyze Cam, you will need a microSD card. You will also need to know how to install the microSD card and record video onto it.

Wyze Cam Needs a Micro SD Card

Wyze SD Card Install

Without a microSD card (Amazon), Wyze Cam can only record 12-second clips when an alert is triggered. There is a 5-minute cooldown period before the camera can record another 12-second clip. These clips are stored for free in the Amazon Web Service cloud for 14 days and then automatically deleted.

To record longer clips, you will need to install a FAT32 Class 10 microSD card into the Wyze Cam. FAT32 refers to the format of the storage card, and Class 10 refers to the speed. This is a common type of microSD card on the market and can be purchased online here.

The MicroSD card can have a capacity of up to 32GB of storage space. Your microSD card can be less than 32GB but not more.

When you use a microSD storage card, Wyze Cam still sends the alert-triggered 12-second clips to the cloud as a back-up.

Love your Wyze Cam? Check out our other post about 10+ Tips and tricks with your Wyze cam!

Installing a Micro SD Card

Wyze SD Card 1

Follow these steps to install a compatible microSD card:

  1. Unplug the Wyze Cam.
  2. Insert the microSD card into the slot on the bottom of the camera according to the picture next to the slot.
  3. Plug the Wyze Cam back in.

If the microSD card was successfully installed, the Wyze Cam will make a ding sound. If you do not hear the ding, repeat the above steps.

Is the Wyze Cam Weatherproof? Click here to learn more!

Never insert or remove a microSD card while the Wyze Cam is plugged in as this can damage the data on the card.

Setting Up a Micro SD Card

Wyze Feature 2

Once a new microSD card has been successfully installed, you need to format the card and tell Wyze to record to the card. Follow these steps:

  1. Go to the Wyze Cam app on your phone.
  2. Select “Settings”.
  3. Select “Advanced Settings”.
  4. Select “Local Storage”.
  5. Select “Format”.
  6. Turn on “Local recording to microSD card” on the same page.
  7. Choose “Record events only” or “Continuous recording”. You can change this setting at any time.

A word of caution: if you format a previously used microSD card, it will erase any existing data on the card.

What Wyze Cam Stores

Phone with wyze app open

Wyze Cam with a microSD card has two recording options: Continuous Recording and Record Events Only.

Continuous Recording

With continuous recording, Wyze Cam records continuously until it runs out of storage space on the card. When this happens, the camera will start recording over the beginning of the card and continue recording without any lapses.

The table below shows estimates of how long a microSD card will last while recording continuously before it starts overwriting early video.

  360p and SD Video HD Video
8GB 2-3 days 0.5-1 day
16GB 4-5 days 1-2 days
32GB 7-8 days 2-3 days

Record Events Only

With this option, Wyze Cam will record 1-minute videos anytime motion is detected. If there is continuous motion during any given period of time, the entire period will be recorded. The recording will stop when there has been no motion for 1 minute.

This recording option allows you to use your storage space and your time more efficiently because it produces only the most important videos that you may want to watch later. This saves space on your microSD card and saves you the time of having to comb through hours of video to find what you want to watch.

Wyze Cam Features

Wyze offers affordable indoor home security cameras with some impressive features including:

  • Live stream
  • 2-way audio
  • Night vision
  • 110 degree field of view
  • 1080p resolution
  • Amazon Alexa and Google Home Hub compatibility

Setting Up Wyze Cam

The camera has a magnetic metal plate that can be easily installed anywhere in your home with adhesive tape. When installing your Wyze Cam, keep in mind that it must be plugged into a wall outlet.

To set up Wyze Cam:

  1. Make sure your phone is connected to your 2.4GHz Wifi network. Wyze will not work on a 5GHz network.
  2. Open the Wyze app.
  3. Click “+ New Device”.
  4. Hold the SETUP button on the back of the camera until it says that it’s ready to connect.
  5. Follow the prompts to add your Wifi information.
  6. Scan the QR code from your phone to the camera.
  7. Press the button on your phone to confirm that you scanned the QR code.
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