Download and login to the Blink APP
Before you can start using your Blink camera, you’ll need to create an account on the Blink Home Monitor app. Follow the steps below to get started:
- Download the Blink Home Monitor app, available in both the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store.
- Once the app is installed, tap “Create Account” and select your country and region.
- After selecting your country and region, enter your email address and create a password. Make sure you use an email address that you have access to, as Blink will send a verification code to this email.
- Check your inbox for an email from Blink and copy the verification code. Then paste the code into the app and tap “Verify”.
- After verifying your email, enter your phone number and wait for a text message with a verification code. Enter the code into the app to verify your phone number. Alternatively, you can choose to receive a code over the phone by selecting the ‘Voice Call’ option.
- Finally, you can link your Blink account to your Amazon account. This will allow you to control your camera with Alexa, or view your camera feeds on an Amazon Echo Show device. To link your accounts, enter your Amazon username and password. If you don’t want to link your accounts, just click ‘Skip’.
If your Blink system came with a Sync Module, set it up now. This small device connects your Blink cameras, improves their battery life and allows you to record video to a USB drive. You’ll need a Sync Module if you have a Blink Outdoor camera or if you want to set up multiple Blink cameras.
Set Up Blink Sync Module
If your Blink system didn’t come with a Sync Module, or you’re setting up a Blink Mini Smart Camera, you can skip this step and go to the next section.
Setting up a Sync Module for your Blink camera system is an important step that can improve the battery life of your cameras and enable video recording to a USB drive. Here’s how to set up a Sync Module:
- Open the Blink Home Monitor app and tap the plus sign in the top-right corner of the home page. If you don’t see the plus sign, tap the home icon in the bottom-left corner to access the home page.
- Tap “Blink Wireless Camera System”, then scan the QR code on the back of the Sync module. Alternatively, you can enter the serial number manually.
- Name your Blink system and click ‘Next’.
- Connect the Sync Module to a power outlet using the supplied USB cable and power adapter. The micro-USB port is used for power, while the larger USB-A port is used for recording video to a thumb drive.
- Wait for the green light to come on and the blue light to start flashing. The bottom light should be solid green and the top light should be flashing blue – just as you see in the app. If you don’t see the lights blinking properly, use a paper clip to press the reset button on the side of the Sync Module above the USB A port.
- Tap ‘Discover Device’ and then ‘Join’ when your device appears in the list.
- Select your WiFi network, enter your password, and tap Join.
- Wait for your device to update. Do not unplug the Sync Module while it is updating.
- Finally, tap “Done” to complete the setup process.
Great! Once you’ve set up your Sync Module, you’re ready to set up your Blink cameras. This is easy to do using the Blink Home Monitor app. Here are the steps:
Set Up Blink Outdoor Cameras
Setting up your Blink cameras is a straightforward process that can be completed using the Blink Home Monitor app. Here’s how to do it:
- Remove the back cover of your Blink camera by removing the circular rubber cover in the centre of the case and using the tools provided to unscrew the back cover until it’s easy to lift off.
- Insert two AA batteries into your Blink camera. For best results, use lithium-ion batteries to make your smart cameras last as long as possible.
- Open the Blink Home Monitor app and tap the plus sign in the top-right corner of the home page. If you don’t see the plus sign, tap the home icon in the bottom-left corner to access the home page.
- Select your Blink camera model, then scan the QR code inside the Blink camera. If you have set up a Sync Module, you can add your camera to your Blink network here.
- Wait for your camera to update, then tap ‘Next’ when you see the prompt in the top right corner of your screen.
- Click ‘Done’ to finish setting up your Blink camera.
- Screw the back cover on your Blink camera. If you plan to install your Blink camera outdoors, make sure you screw the back cover on tightly to prevent water from getting inside.
With your Blink cameras set up, you can now enjoy real-time monitoring, motion detection alerts, and the ability to store video clips locally or in the cloud.
Set Up Motion Detection Alerts
One of the most useful features of the Blink Home Monitor app is motion alerts, which allow you to receive notifications when your camera detects motion. Here’s how to set up motion alerts and adjust your settings:
- Select “Armed” at the bottom of your home screen to enable motion detection alerts.
- To change your motion detection settings, tap the three-line icon just above each camera’s live view. From here, you can set up motion ‘zones’ to disable motion detection alerts in certain areas, adjust your camera’s motion sensitivity and change other settings.
- To ensure you receive motion detection alerts, make sure the slider under ‘Motion detection’ and next to ‘Enable’ is turned on. Also make sure the running man icon just above your camera feed is highlighted in dark blue.
- You can also change your motion detection settings by tapping the gear icon at the bottom of your screen. Then go to “Notification options” and select the type of notifications you want to receive.
By adjusting your motion detection settings, you can make sure you only get the notifications that are most important to you. Whether you want to receive alerts for all detected motion or only for specific areas, the Blink Home Monitor app gives you the flexibility to customise your settings to suit your needs.
View Recorded Videos
To view the videos recorded by your Blink cameras, you can use the Clip Roll feature in the Blink Home Monitor app. Here’s how to access and manage your video clips:
- Open the Blink Home Monitor app and tap the Clip Roll icon at the bottom of your screen.
- Select a clip that you want to watch. You can also use the search bar to find a specific clip by name or date.
- Once you’ve selected a clip, you can watch it by tapping the Play button. You can also tap the Share icon to send your video via email, text, and more.
- To delete an individual clip, swipe left on the clip and tap Delete. To delete all clips at once, select Edit, select all, and then select Delete.
The Clip Roll feature makes it easy to access and manage your video clips, so you can keep an eye on your home and keep your recordings organised.