Of course, the time on video footage, either captured by Eufy Camera or Doorbell, matters, big time! Imagine an intrusion or break-in happens on your property; you may want to know the exact time that particular activity happened to keep track of the relevant chain of events.
This is why it is a great cause for concern when your Eufy Camera or Doorbell is showing the wrong time stamp on surveillance footage. You should know, though, that the main cause of this issue is usually related to the time settings or time zones being changed.
Key Points
- The wrong time showing on Eufy Camera or Doorbell recordings mainly occurs due to wrong time/time zone configurations.
- It could also stem when users fail to synchronize their devices with an Internet time server properly.
- Other causes include active VPNs or outdated software.
To say the least, many timestamp issues that occur with Eufy Camera or Doorbell recordings can be hard to understand, which is why we have created a guide to help you solve them.
Wrong Time Showing on Eufy Camera or Doorbell Recordings: Why This Happens
The wrong time showing on Eufy Camera or Doorbell recordings could be caused by various reasons. For example, there’s a good chance users forget to configure time settings during setup or do not synchronize their devices with a Network Time Protocol properly. In other cases, it could be due to frequent changes in time or time zones, active VPNs, or outdated software.
Well, any of these issues could crop up at any time. Surprisingly, they're quite frequent on many smart home gadgets. Don't fret, though! There are a few things you can do to fix the issue, as you will see in the following section.
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Wrong Time Showing on Eufy Camera or Doorbell Recordings: 10 Possible Fixes
Barring uncanny problems like wrong time showing on Eufy Camera or Doorbell recordings is usually pretty simple. Here are some tips—but before you proceed, first see if a simple restart can resolve the issue.
1. Adjust the Time/Time Zone in Your Eufy App
It’s a no-brainer, but the first thing to do is to configure your device's time setting. This step helps your Eufy camera or Doorbell sync with the clock on your phone or computer so that every recording will have the correct timestamp.
Thankfully, this is a simple procedure that you can perform directly from the Eufy App. The app lets you adjust your Eufy device’s time and time zone with only a few steps.
Adjusting the Time/Time Zone in HomeBase Connected Eufy Devices
Here’s what you can do to change the time and time zone for a Eufy Camera or Doorbell with a HomeBase.
First, open the Eufy Security App on your phone and select your HomeBase Name.
Next, choose HomeBase Settings, go to General, and tap on “Time Setting”. Finally, select “Timezone” and pick the correct timezone.
Adjusting the Time/Time Zone in Non-HomeBase Eufy Devices
You need to understand that some Eufy Cameras Or Doorbells do not have a HomeBase, so adjusting the time is quite different.
First, open the Eufy Security App, go to devices, and select the device whose time you want to change. From there, tap the cog icon on your screen to open settings.
Navigate the settings, select “General,” and scroll down to “Time Settings.” You should see a Sync Time option. Now, toggle on that to sync your Eufy device to your smartphone’s time and time zone.
Pro Tip: If you have already set your device to the current timezone and it does not work, try setting it to another timezone, connecting it, and then setting it back to the correct timezone. The system will refresh the settings once you set it back to your current zone.
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2. Adjust Your Smartphone’s Time Settings
Here’s a fun fact: Did you know that sometimes your phone may switch timezones when traveling?
Well, believe it or not, that happens. Especially when you have the option to set your smartphone’s time automatically toggled on. It could actually be the reason your Eufy Camera or Doorbell recordings are showing the wrong time.
See, if your phone is registering Eastern Standard Time, and you are currently on Mountain Time, that is definitely a big area for concern! Therefore, you may have to go to your phone settings and switch off the automatic time zone setting.
To change the time on Android, go to Settings, navigate to “General,” and select “Date & Time”.
You’ll see options for Automatic time zones. Go ahead and toggle that off, then adjust your timezone to the correct one. You can then tap Date and Time to set them manually.
For OS devices, go into your smartphone’s Settings and select “General”. Then, scroll down to “Date & Time” and choose “Set Automatically” to turn it off.
To ensure your current timezone is displaying properly, tap the Time Zone and enter the location with the time zone you need. You can also change the date and time according to what you prefer.
3. Configure Network Time Protocol (NTP) Properly
In order to prevent Eufy devices from showing the wrong time, the manufacturer uses Network Time Protocol (NTP) as well as Daylight Saving Time (DST) to adjust device time. So you need to properly synchronize your Eufy Camera or Doorbell with an NTP server in order to avoid the wrong time stamp on recordings.
Here is a simple way of how NTP works: The protocol provides a very reliable way to transmit and receive an accurate time over IP-based networks.
If you want to synchronize your Eufy camera or doorbell with an NTP, you need to log in to the device itself via a web browser. Then, go to settings and navigate to where “Time” settings are managed.
From there, you can select “Sync with Computer Time” or manually set the correct Time Zone and System Time to synchronize the device’s time with the NTP time automatically. This should get your system to record with the correct time stamp.
4. Disable Any VPNs
A Virtual Private Network, or VPN, is a typical cybersecurity tool that can make it seem like you are in a different place. The VPN keeps your online actions hidden in a coded space; that way, even your Internet Service Provider cannot see your moves.
It was not so long ago that Eufy stopped supporting such networks. So, in case you are using a VPN on your Eufy device, disable it. Otherwise, you’re going to run into a lot of issues, including your Eufy device showing the wrong time during recordings.
5. Update the Eufy App and Device
If the Eufy camera or doorbell is constantly showing the wrong time on recordings, even after repeated efforts, it is advisable to update both the Eufy Security App and the device’s firmware to the latest version.
Software updates are usually released to fix any bugs in the system, which would include those causing issues with time data.
You can also check to see if your device needs firmware updates. Firmware has more to do with the device's inner mechanics. Usually, it updates itself automatically in the background, but you need to make sure your phone has a good, stable internet connection.
6. Reset Your Eufy Camera Or Doorbell
So, you've tested everything, and your Eufy Camera or Doorbell is still not working? A reset could be the fix you need. This will bring back the default settings and clean up any incompletely updated files or corrupt configurations.
However, before you proceed, there is something crucial to consider. Back up your files because you’ll lose all the stored data on your device, including critical videos.
Resetting Eufy devices is pretty straightforward as they come with a reset button, often on the back. All you have to do is push and keep holding this button for about 10-15 seconds until the LED light goes out, and then let it go. That's it!
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Frequently Asked Questions
How Do You Change the Date and Time on My Eufy Camera?
Next, select Device Settings, go to General, and tap “Time Setting”. Finally, select “Timezone” and pick the correct timezone. This will sync the camera’s time with your phone’s time.
How Do You Fix the Timestamp on My Eufy Camera?
How Do You Change the Record Time on Eufy?
Battery-operated cameras can record up to 120 seconds. However, for wired cameras, the recording limit is up to 300 seconds.
Do Eufy Cameras Record All the Time?
You can easily enable continuous recording in the Eufy Security App. Simply go to “Devices”, go to HomeBase, tap Storage, and select “Continuous Recording”. You can also choose which cameras you want to record continuously and the video quality you prefer.
Bottom Line
As you can see, the wrong time showing on Eufy Camera or Doorbell recordings could be caused by several reasons. However, fixing the problem is equally simple.
If you experience a time sync issue, try troubleshooting the issue using the steps provided. And don't forget to routinely adjust your Eufy device's time and time zone keeps to ensure that it remains accurate.
