Important: Your camera needs to be connected to both Wi-Fi and the Nest service to upload video to the cloud.
All Google Nest cameras and doorbells can securely upload and save video in the cloud. Once your camera's video is safely uploaded, you can access it anytime.
How local video storage works when the camera's offline
Important:
- Higher video quality settings and more activity fills the camera's internal memory up faster.
- For security reasons, your camera's internal memory is not accessible.
Cameras can disconnect for several reasons. For example, your camera might be unplugged, or perhaps your internet, router, or home power is out. Learn more about camera or doorbell connection issues.
To offer backup when cameras go offline, the device stores events in the internal memory. These devices upload these videos to the cloud once they reconnect to the Nest service:
- Nest Cam Indoor (wired, 3rd gen)
- Nest Cam Outdoor (wired, 2nd gen)
- Nest Cam (wired)
- Nest Cam (battery)
- Nest Doorbell (battery)
- Nest Doorbell (wired, 3rd gen)
- Nest Doorbell (wired, 2nd gen)
How your camera stores video when it's offline and powered on
- The Nest cameras and doorbells mentioned above have enough on-device storage to record up to one hour of events.
- If your camera is on backup battery while it records an event, it will only save a video clip to its maximum length setting. Your camera will cut off the recording and save the clip, even if the event is still happening.
- When connected to power and subscribed to 24/7 Video History, the Nest Cam (wired) and Nest Cam (battery) record for 8 minutes straight after they go offline. They switch to event-based recording after this period.
What happens when your camera is offline and powered off
- In the case of power outage, the Nest Doorbell (wired, 2nd gen) won’t be able to record videos. The built-in battery can’t power the doorbell.
- During a power outage, the Nest Cam (wired) won’t be able to record videos since it doesn’t have a backup battery.
- If your camera or doorbell powers off completely, it can't record and save events to its internal memory. Make sure to check your device’s battery charge, scheduled power outages in your area, or predicted extreme weather events that may affect your device.
When your camera or doorbell reconnects
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Locally stored video is uploaded to the cloud and removed from your camera's internal memory.
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The app will send a push notification when your camera is back online.
- Events that are saved in your camera’s internal memory will appear in the Google Home app's Activity
.
Event or 24/7 Video History storage
With an Event Video History subscription, your camera only saves clips to the cloud when it detects important sound or motion. With 24/7 Video History, your camera saves all footage to the cloud anytime it's connected to power and is streaming video.
Whether your camera can record and save video, and for how many days it saves video to the cloud, depends on:
- Which Nest camera or doorbell model you have
- Whether you have a Google Home Premium subscription