In this article, we will guide you through setting up a recording schedule for your Reolink NVR system. You'll learn how to configure both motion and continuous recording schedules. This article is organized into the following sections:
2. Configure Recording Schedules for Reolink NVR
- Reolink NVRs that support smart detection (New UI)
- Reolink NVRs that do not support smart detection (Old UI)
1. NVR Recording Type Support
All Reolink NVRs support both continuous recording and motion detection recording, but the actual functionality depends on the cameras connected to the NVR. For example, if a camera does not support continuous recording, it will not be able to perform continuous recording even if connected to the NVR. Below is a table showing the types of recordings supported by different cameras.
| Motion Recording | Continuous Recording | |
|---|---|---|
| Battery-powered Cameras | All |
Argus MagiCam (Wired Power Mode Only), Video Doorbell (2nd Gen) (Wired Power Mode Only), Reolink Altas series, TrackMix LTE Plus, TrackMix LTE Plus 2 |
| PoE & plug-in Cameras | All | All cameras except cameras with hardware version 3816. |
Refer to What Reolink Models are Supported Recording Schedule to learn about detailed compatibility,
2. Configure Recording Schedules for Reolink NVR
NVR features vary depending on the firmware and hardware versions. Based on Smart Detection support, NVRs are divided into two types:
- NVRs with Smart Detection (New UI)
- NVRs without Smart Detection (Old UI)
Choose the option that matches your NVR. To set up the recording schedule, make sure an HDD is installed in the NVR.
Reolink NVRs that support smart detection (New UI)
Applies to: RLN8-410 (hardware version NVR_NNT3NA78P / N7MB01 / N3MB01 / N2MB02 / H3MB18), RLN16-410 (hardware version NVR_NNT4NA716P / N6MB01 / H3MB18), RLN4E, NVS4E, RLN36, NVS36, RLN12W, NVS12W, NVS4E, NVS8, NVS12W, NVS16, NVS36, RP-PN8, RP-PN16, RP-N64.
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Via Reolink App
Here is a video for your reference to set up the recording schedule for the NVR via Reolink App.
Before setting up, upgrade the Reolink App to the latest version and the device to the latest firmware version.
Step 1. Log in to your device on the Reolink App, and then tap NVR >
icon >Record.
Step 2. Enable Record for the NVR. Enable Record, and tap Settings under the camera you want to set up. Then you will see the Motion Recording Schedule and the Continuous Recording Schedule (if supported). The settings page may look different due to the recording methods used.
Step 3. Tap Motion Recording Schedule to set it up.
❶ Tap Detection Type to select the detection types you want to enable. Tap Save to apply the settings.
❷ Tap the
icon to edit the times by swiping the schedule grid. If you want to remove a scheduled period, tap
icon and then swipe the schedule grids. Blue grids indicate the periods when motion recording is enabled. White grids indicate recording is disabled for the selected time period.
❸ (Optional) Tap Select All to fill the entire schedule with the selected recording mode. Tap Erase All to remove all scheduled recordings.
❹ Tap Save to apply the settings.
Step 4. Tap Continuous Recording Schedule (if available) to set it up.
❶ Tap the
❷ (Optional) Tap Select All to fill the entire schedule with the selected recording mode. Tap Erase All to remove all scheduled recordings.
❸ Tap Save to apply the settings.
After completing the above steps, you will have set the correct recording schedule for only one of the channels/cameras that you want to record with. Please switch to a different camera/channel and repeat the process for each one.
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Via Reolink Client
Before setting up, upgrade the Reolink Client to the latest version and the device to the latest firmware version.
Step 1. Log in to the camera via the Reolink Client. Click
to expand the camera, and then click the
icon for the camera you want to configure.
Step 2. Go to the Surveillance > Record page. Then enable the NVR Record function first.
Step 3. Click Schedule to configure the event-triggered recording schedule and the continuous recording schedule.
Step 4. Set the Event Triggered recording schedule and Continuous recording schedule based on your needs.
❶ Click Enable Record for this camera. (If it is enabled, you can disregard this step.)
❷ Click Event Triggered, then choose one or more Detection Types, such as Person, Vehicle, Animal, or Any Motion you want. Or click Continuous (Within Schedule).
❸ Select Enable/Disable and click and drag across the timetable to select the recording period (One grid is for an hour). Blue grids indicate periods when recording is enabled. Gray grids indicate periods when recording is disabled.
❹ (Optional) Click Enable All to fill the entire schedule with the selected motion/continuous recording. This means the camera will record continuously at all times or on motion. Alternatively, click Disable All to remove all scheduled recordings and prevent the camera from recording motion/continuously.
❺ (Optional) Click Apply to Other Cameras to share the same recording schedule.
❻ Click Save if you finish setting up.If you'd like the recording schedule for the selected camera/channel to be applied to other cameras/channels, click Apply to Other Cameras and select the wanted camera. It's fairly convenient.
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Via Reolink Web browser
Here is a video to show how to set up motion detection recording.
Step 1. Log in to your NVR via a web browser. Then click the
Step 2. Go to Surveillance > Record > Schedule page. Enable Record (turn it blue) for NVR first.
Step 3. Click the drop-down arrow to choose a camera you want to set up a recording schedule for. For example, choose channel 04 Camera 1 in the picture above.
Step 4. Click the Schedule button (turn it blue) to enable recording for the selected channel.Step 5. Select Alarm to set up Event-Triggered Recording. If the camera supports smart detection, you can also tick the checkbox to enable Any Motion/Person/Vehicle/Animal motion recording according to your needs. Or select Timer to set up Continuous Recording Schedule.
Select Enable/Disable, then click and drag on the grid to turn it blue/grey. The blue grid means Alarm recording at this hour is enabled, while grey means disabled.
Step 6. If you want to copy the weekly schedule to another camera connected to the NVR, click Apply to Other Cameras, and choose the corresponding camera. Don't forget to click Save if you have finished configuring the Alarm/Timer schedule.
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Via Reolink NVR (new UI)
Step 1. Connect your Reolink NVR to a monitor via HDMI/VGA.
Step 2. Right-click on the screen, then click the
icon > Surveillance > Enable Record. Turn on the NVR recording switch. If not, the NVR will not record any videos for any camera. Then click Daily Schedule.
Step 3. Set up Recording shedule for the cameras.
❶ Now you can click the drop-down arrow to select the camera for which you want to set up a recording schedule. Turn on the switch next to the camera name so that the recording schedule will take effect.
❷ Select Alarm and then tick the corresponding alarm types so that your camera will record video triggered by such alarm types/any motion; Or click Timer to set up continuous recording schedule.
❸ Click and drag on the grid (one stands for an hour) to enable/disable alarm recording at that hour. Blue indicates enabled, while grey indicates disabled.
Notes: If you want to copy the weekly schedule to another camera connected to the NVR, click Apply to Other Cameras, and choose the corresponding camera.
Reolink NVRs that do not support smart detection (Old UI)
Applies to: RLN8-410 (hardware version H3MB02), RLN8-410-E (hardware version H3MB16), RLN16-410 (hardware version H3MB02/H3MB06), RLN4-410, RLN4-211W and RLN4-210W.
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Via Reolink App
Step 1. Log in to your device on the Reolink App, and then tap NVR >
Step 2. Enable Record, and then tap Settings under the camera you want to set up. Tap Schedule to set up the recording schedule.
Step 3. Set up recording schedule.
❶ Tap
icon — event-triggered recording (Blue grids); or
icon — continuous recording (Orange grids) in the lower-left corner. After selecting the recording types, tap or drag across the schedule grid to configure the recording time. If you want to remove a scheduled period, tap
❷ (Optional) Tap Select All to fill the entire schedule with the selected recording mode. Tap Erase All to remove all scheduled recordings.
❸ Tap Save to apply the settings.
Step 4. Tap Trigger Recording to enable the option to start recording on another camera when the selected camera is triggered to record. Tap Save to save settings.
After the above steps, you have only set the proper record schedule for one of the channels/cameras you want to record. Please switch the camera/ channel and repeat the same steps for all of them.
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Via Reolink Client
Before setting up, make sure you have downloaded the latest Reolink Client version on your PC. Log in to your device on the Reolink Client.
Step 1. Click
icon next to the camera > Surveillance > Record > Schedule.
Step 2. Set the Event Triggered recording schedule and Continuous recording schedule based on your needs.
❶ Click Enable Record for this camera. (If it is enabled, you can disregard it.)
❶ Select the Motion / Continuous / None (no recording) recording based on your needs.
❷ Click and drag across the timetable to select the recording period (One grid is for an hour). Blue grids indicate the selected motion recording period. Orange grids indicate the selected continuous recording period. Gray grids indicate recording is disabled.
❸ Click Save if you finish setting up. -
Via Reolink Web browser
Step 1. Input the IP Address of your NVR on a web browser and log in to your NVR. Then click the
Step 2. Go to Recording > Advanced. Drag the Channel Selection box and choose the channel you want, then check the Enable box.
Step 3. Select Motion/Normal/None, then click and drag on the grids to set the times when motion recording is activated. Click Apply to save your settings.
Note:
1. Blue indicates Continuous recording schedule, green indicates Motion recording schedule, and white indicates no recording schedule.
2. If you want to set 24/7 motion recording, please tap on all-time grids to turn them green.
3. If you want to set 24/7 continuous recording, please tap on all-time grids to turn them blue.
4. You may also click on Copy To to save the schedule settings for other cameras.
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Via Reolink NVR (Old UI)
Step 1. Log in to Reolink PoE NVR on a monitor.
Step 2. Go to Menu > Recording > Schedule page. Drag the Camera No. Selection box and choose the channel you want, then Check the Enable box.
Step 3. Select Motion/Normal/None, then click and drag on the grids to set the times when motion recording is activated. Click Apply to save your settings.
Note:
1. Blue indicates Continuous recording schedule, green indicates Motion recording schedule, and white indicates no recording schedule.
2. If you want to set 24/7 motion recording, please tap on all-time grids to turn them green.
3. If you want to set 24/7 continuous recording, please tap on all-time grids to turn them blue.
4. You may also click on Copy To to save the schedule settings for other cameras.
Important Notes
- If you want to set up smart detection for a camera on a Reolink NVR, both the NVR and the camera itself must support smart detection.
- For cameras with smart detection, the available detection types vary by camera model. The most common detection types are any motion, person, vehicle, and animal. For some models that do not support smart detection, there is no detection type that can be chosen. The camera records all motion-triggered alarm events.
- On the motion recording schedule page, you can select which types of events you want the camera to record. If you select Any Motion only, it will detect general motion, and you won’t be able to see recordings of person, vehicle, or animal events during playback.
- The detection types vary across different models of your camera, and some cameras (8MP and 12MP) support setting the recording for pets. Please refer to the interface on your device for details.
After configuring the recording schedule, go to the Playback page to verify that recordings are being saved correctly. If recording is working properly, the recordings will appear in the timeline and as thumbnails. You can view recordings in the Reolink App, Reolink Client, NVR, or web browser. For playback instructions, refer to How to Playback Recordings.
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