The recording schedule feature allows you to set your cameras to capture footage based on your needs. For certain Reolink models, you can configure the recording schedule not only by time but also by detection types using the smart detection mode. We can assist you in setting up a recording schedule for your Reolink cameras.

This article will be introduced to you in five parts:

1. Recording Types that Reolink Products Support

2. When to Set up the Recording Schedule

3. Step-By-Step Instructions for Setting up Recording Schedule

4. Set up SD Card Recording for Your Reolink Camera

5. Related Articles

1. Recording Types that Reolink Products Support

Reolink devices offer several methods for video storage, including local storage to an SD card, FTP, the local recording feature via the Reolink Client, and Reolink Cloud services. This article primarily focuses on three common local storage options:

  1. The camera's own microSD card
  2. Reolink NVRs (Network Video Recorders)
  3. Reolink Home Hubs

Reolink cameras support two types of recording:

  1. Motion Recording:
    The camera records when it detects motion events. If your camera supports smart detection, you can choose to record specific types of alarm events rather than capturing all motion-triggered events.

  2. Continuous Recording:
    This allows you to specify a recording schedule, ensuring that the camera continuously captures footage during the designated times.

The table below outlines the types of recordings supported by different devices and their corresponding software configurations.

  • If you are using the camera alone, refer to the Reolink Standalone Camera section.
  • If you are using the camera with a Reolink NVR or Reolink Home Hub, refer to the corresponding Reolink NVR Series or Reolink Home Hub Series sections.
Device Model Continuous Recording Motion Recording Supported Detection Types Storage Path Configuration Method
Reolink Standalone Camera Battery-powered Cameras

Reolink Altas PT Ultra,

Reolink TrackMix LTE Plus.

 Y

Other,

Person, 

Vehicle,

Pet/Animal,

Visitor,

Package.

 MicroSD card

Reolink App,

Reolnk Client.
PoE&WiFi (plug-in) Cameras All cameras except cameras with hardware version 3816.

Any motion,

Person,

Vehicle,

Pet/Animal,

Visitor,

Package.

Reolink App,

Reolink Client,

Reolink Web Browser.
Reolink NVR Series Depends on camera. Depends on camera HDD

Reolink App,

Reolink Client,

Reolink Web Browser.

Reolink NVRs.
Reolink Home Hub Series Depends on camera. Depends on camera MicroSD card/HDD

Reolink App,

Reolink Client.

Note:

1. The recording settings page may vary, as some cameras support both motion and continuous recording, while others support only motion recording.

2. Cameras equipped with smart detection offer various detection types. Most models support the detection of Any motion, Person, and Vehicle. Additionally, some cameras support Pet/Animal, Visitor, and Package detection. Select the types of recording you want the camera to capture. If you choose Any Motion, the camera will only detect general motions, and you won’t be able to see recordings of Persons, Vehicles, Pets/Animals, or other specific events during playback.  

3. Battery-powered cameras without smart detection do not have a recording schedule. You only need to enable the record function.

2. When to Set up the Recording Schedule

1. To record during specific times, such as when you're away, simply set the recording schedule accordingly.

2. For cameras with smart detection features, to avoid recording of non-essential events like rain or snow, go to the motion recording schedule page and disable the "Any Motion/Other" detection type.

3. Since microSD cards and HDDs can quickly fill up with 24/7 continuous recording, it's recommended to enable continuous recording only during necessary time, while using motion recording to capture important events.

4. If motion recording is set but the camera continues recording non-stop, go to the continuous recording schedule page and make sure to disable the entire schedule. (If connected to an NVR, this refers to the Timer schedule).

5. To enable both continuous and motion recording simultaneously, activate both schedules on their respective schedule pages. Motion-triggered recordings will be clearly marked during playback.

3. Step-By-Step Instructions for Setting up Recording Schedule

*Via Reolink App

  • Reolink Standalone Camera and Reolink Home Hub

    Despite the differences in how you access the settings page for each device, Reolink standalone cameras and the Reolink Home Hub share the same method for setting up the recording schedule.

    1. For Reolink Standalone Camera

    Step 1. Launch your Reolink App and go to the Device Settings. Scroll down to follow Step 2. app device settings

    2. For Reolink Home Hub

    Step 1. Launch your Reolink App and go to the device settings page of your Reolink Home Hub, then go to the settings page of the camera you want to set up.

    Home Hub settingshome hub record schedule

    Step 2. Tap Camera Recording. The recording settings page may vary, as some cameras do not support continuous recording. Select the one you want to configure.

    camera recordingcamera recording settings

    Part 1. Motion Recording Schedule

    Tap on Detection Type to edit the activated types or tap on the bar to adjust the times when motion recording is enabled. Remember to tap Save after making your settings.

    Note:

    1. Blue means enabled, grey means disabled.

    2. If you want to apply this configuration to the other days, select the other days under Copy To.

    motion recording scheduledetection typeAlarm time bar settingdisable time bar

    Part 2. Continuous Recording Schedule

    Tap the bar to adjust the recording times for the camera. Remember to tap Save after making your settings.

    Note:

    1. Blue means enabled, grey means disabled.

    2. If you want to apply this configuration to the other days, select the other days under Copy To.

    all days continuous recording scheduleAlarm time bar settingdisable time bar

    Part 3. Recording Schedule settings are slightly different for PoE/WiFi plug-in cameras without smart detection.

    If you have PoE/WiFi cameras without smart detection, the recording schedule will be slightly different from that of other cameras.

    1. For standalone use.

    Tap the bar for one day, then tap and drag on the bar to select a time. Set the recordings as Alarm, Timer, or None by tapping the button on the right side of the page. If you want to copy the settings to other days, tap on the other days under Copy to.

    A blue grid indicates motion recording for that time, a yellow grid signifies continuous recording, and a grey grid means no recording is enabled for that time.

    Note: If you set up a Timer recording schedule for your camera, you can still view motion events during playback.

    E1 pro scheduleE1 pro schedule bar

    2. For use with Reolink Home Hub

    If used with the Reolink Home Hub, you can configure recording settings as follows:

    Motion Recording Schedule: Set the camera to record only when motion is detected, based on your preferred schedule.
    Continuous Recording Schedule: Set the camera to record continuously, regardless of whether motion is detected, during the specified times. You can also "Disable" schedule to stop the camera from recording continuously.

    E1 pro recording settingsE1 pro home hub motion appall days continuous recording schedule

  • Reolink NVR 

    Applies to NVR (New UI): RLN8-410 (hardware version H3MB18/N2MB02/N3MB01/N7MB01), RLN16-410 (hardware version H3MB18/N6MB01), RLN36 and RLN12W.

    Here is a video for your reference:

    Step 1. Launch your Reolink App, go to the NVR device settings, and then tap Record to proceed.

    NVR settingsNVR record settings

    Step 2. Tap Schedule under the device you want to set up, and the setting page may be different because of the supporting recording ways of the device.

    NVR record schedule   

    You can set up a schedule through Alarm and Timer.

    Part 1. Motion Recording Schedule

    On Alarm Schedule page, tap on Detection Type to edit the activated types, tap on the bar to adjust the times when motion recording is enabled. Remember to tap Save after setting up.

    Note:

    1. Blue means enabled, grey means disabled.

    2. If you want to apply this configuration to the other days, select the other days under Copy To.

    alarm all time schedule NVRdetection type

    Alarm time bar settingdisable time bar

    Part 2. Continuous Recording Schedule

    On Timer Schedule Schedule page, tap the bar to adjust the recording times for the camera. Remember to tap Save after setting up.

    Note:

    1. Blue means enabled, grey means disabled.

    2. If you want to apply this configuration to the other days, select the other days under Copy To.

    NVR camera record timer scheduletimer bar NVR

    Applies to NVR (Old UI): RLN8-410 (hardware version H3MB02), RLN8-410-E (hardware version H3MB16), RLN16-410 (hardware version H3MB02/H3MB06).

    Step 1. Launch your Reolink App and open the device settings page of NVR.

    Old NVR settings

    Step 2. Go to the Record page, choose the camera you want to configure, enable its switch, then tap the Schedule button to enter the Schedule Setting.

    Old NVR settings pageOld NVR Record

    Step 3. Tap on the bar for a specific day and configure the schedule as desired. Tap and swipe to select a time, then choose a recording type for that period. Yellow indicates Timer (continuous recording), blue indicates Alarm (motion recording), and grey means no recording scheduled. Finally, you can select days at the bottom of the page to copy the settings to other days. Tap Save to apply your configuration. 

    Old NVR scheduleOld NVR bar

    Step 5. 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.
    record settings old uitrigger recording

 

*Via Reolink Client

  • Reolink Standalone Camera and Reolink Home Hub

    Despite the differences in how you access the settings page for each device, Reolink standalone cameras and the Reolink Home Hub share the same method for setting up the recording schedule.

    1. For Reolink Standalone Camera

    Step 1. Log in to the camera on the Reolink Client, and click the Device Settings icon. Scroll down to follow Step 2.

    open RLC

    2. For Reolink Home Hub

    Step 1. Go to the device settings of the device you want to edit.

    Home Hub device settings

    Step 2. Go to Surveillance > Record page. Please enable Record first.

    ENABLE RECORD RLC

    Step 3. Click Schedule. Some cameras support both motion recording and continuous recording, and some only support motion recording, so their interfaces are different from each other.

    open schedule

    Part 1. Motion Recording Schedule

    Click Alarm, then tick the motion types of the alarm recording you want. Select Enable/Disable, then click and drag to select grids (one for an hour) on the timetable. Blue means the motions of the selected alarm type will trigger the camera recording at that hour, while grey means none. Click Save if you finish setting up.

    alarm select

    Part 2. Continuous Recording Schedule

    Click Timer, then select Enable/Disable. Click and drag to select grids (one for an hour) on the timetable. Blue means the camera will record non-stop at that hour, while grey means none. Click Save if you finish setting up.

    timer schedule

    Part 3. Recording Schedule settings are slightly different for PoE/WiFi plug-in cameras without smart detection.

    If you have PoE/WiFi cameras without smart detection, the recording schedule will be slightly different from that of other cameras.

    Note: If you set up a Timer recording schedule for your camera, you can still view motion events during playback.

    1. For standalone use

    Click the Motion (alarm recording)/Timer (continuous recording)/None (no recording) button, then click and drag on the timetable to enable/disable different recordings for that hour. They are blue, yellow and grey respectively. Click the Save button in the bottom right corner if you finish setting.

    EI schedule

    2. For use with Reolink Home Hub

    If used with the Reolink Home Hub, you can configure recording settings as follows:

    Alarm Schedule: Set the camera to record only when motion is detected, based on your preferred schedule.

    Timer Schedule: Set the camera to record continuously, regardless of whether motion is detected, during the specified times. You can also "Disable" schedule to stop the camera from recording continuously.

    E1 pro home hubE1 pro home hub timer

  • Reolink NVR

    Applies to NVR (New UI): RLN8-410 (hardware version H3MB18/N2MB02/N3MB01/N7MB01), RLN16-410 (hardware version H3MB18/N6MB01), RLN36 and RLN12W.

    Step 1. Launch your Reolink client and Go to NVR device settings > Surveillance > Record. You must first Enable Record so the NVR HDD will start recording.

    NVR setting

    enable record

    Step 2. Click Schedule to set up recording schedules for the camera added to the NVR. 

    NVR schedule special ED

    Part 1. Motion Recording Schedule.

    Choose the channel you want to configure and turn on the Schedule button. Then select Alarm to configure motion alarm recording. Tick the detection type for recording, then click and drag to select grids (one for an hour) to Enable/Disable motion-triggered recording for that hour. 

    NVR Alarm

    Part 2. Continuous Recording Schedule.

    Select Timer. Choose Enable/disable and then click and drag to select grids (one for an hour) to Enable/Disable continuous recording for that hour. Blue means enabled while gray means disabled.

    NVR Timer

    After you finish recording schedule settings, click Save to save the camera recording schedule.

    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.

    Applies to NVR (Old UI): RLN8-410 (hardware version H3MB02), RLN8-410-E (hardware version H3MB16), RLN16-410 (hardware version H3MB02/H3MB06).

    Step 1. Launch your Reolink client, then go to Device setting > Surveillance > Record > Schedule page.

    Old NVR settings

    Step 2. On the Schedule page, select the camera you want to configure and enable the "Record" button. Then, set up the schedule for your camera. There are three options: Blue indicates motion recording (Motion), Yellow indicates continuous recording (Timer), and Grey indicates no recording schedule. Click Save to apply your settings.

    Old NVR schedule

 

*Via Reolink Web Browser

  • Reolink Standalone Camera

    Step 1. Log in to the camera via a web browser. Click the gear icon on the top right to get to the device settings page.

    Web

    click the settings icon

    Step 2. Click Surveillance > Record. Turn on Enable Record.

    enable record

    Part 1. Motion Recording Schedule

    Click Alarm, then tick the motion types of the alarm recording you want. Select Enable/Disable then click and drag to select grids (one for an hour) on the timetable. Blue means the motions of the selected alarm type will trigger the camera recording at that hour, while grey means none. Click Save if you finish setting up.

    alarm recording schedule

    Part 2. Continuous Recording Schedule

    Click Timer, then select Enable/Disable. Click and drag to select the grids (one for an hour) on the timetable. Blue means the camera will record non-stop at that hour, while grey means none. Click Save if you finish setting up.

    timer schedule

    Part 3. Recording Schedule settings are slightly different for PoE/WiFi cameras without smart detection.

    If you have PoE/WiFi cameras without smart detection, such as RLC-511, the recording schedule will be slightly different from that of other cameras.

    1. Turn on Enable Record.
    2. Click the Motion(alarm recording)/Timer(continuous recording)/None(no recording) button, then click and drag on the grids to enable/disable different recordings for that hour. They are blue, yellow and grey respectively.
    3. Click the Save button in the bottom right corner if you finish setting.

    record schedule for 511

    If the web interface of your camera is an old version, you can refer to the steps below. 

    Step 1. Log in to your camera via a web browser and go to the device settings page. 

    Step 2. Click and drag on the grids to set the schedule as you need, then click OK to save the settings. One grid means one hour.

    record schedule

    Notes: The green or blue grid means that the device will record to a micro SD card when motions are detected, while the white or grey one means “don’t record”.

  • Reolink NVR

    Step 1. Input the IP Address of your NVR on a web browser and log in to your NVR. Then click the Device Settings gear icon on the top right corner.

    log in via web browser

    device settings icon

    Step 2. Go to Surveillance > Record > Schedule page.

    record settings

    Step 3. Click the drag-down arrow to choose a camera you want to set up a recording schedule for. For example, choose channel 06 TrackMix PoE in the picture above.

    Step 4. Click the Schedule button (turn it blue) to enable recording for the selected channel.

    Part 1. Motion Recording Schedule.

    Select Alarm. If the camera supports smart detection, you can also tick the checkbox to enable Person/Vehicle/Pet motion recording according to your needs. 

    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.

    nvr record schedule

    Part 2. Continuous Recording Schedule.

    On the Record > Schedule page, choose the camera channel and turn on the schedule button as done previously. Then select Timer this time. 

    Select Enable/Disable and then click and drag on the grid to turn it blue/grey. The blue grid means Timer recording at this hour is enabled, while the grey means disabled.

    timer schedule

    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. Don't forget to click Save if you have finished configuring the Alarm/Timer schedule.

  • Reolink Home Hub

    The Reolink Web Browser currently does not support the setup of the Reolink Home Hub; it only allows for live viewing and playback.

 

*Via Reolink NVR (New UI)

  • Reolink Cameras

    Applies to: RLN8-410 (hardware version H3MB18/N2MB02/N3MB01/N7MB01), RLN16-410 (hardware version H3MB18/N6MB01), RLN36 and RLN12W.

    Step 1. Go to Settings > Surveillance > Record. Turn on the NVR recording switch. If not, the NVR will not record any videos for any camera.

    Settings icon

    enable recording

    Step 2. Click Record > Daily Schedule. Now you can click the drag-down arrow to select the camera for which you want to set up a recording schedule. We take RLC-823A as an example.

    Part 1. Motion Recording Schedule.

    Step 1. Turn on the switch under the camera name so that the recording schedule will take effect.

    Step 2. Select Alarm and then tick the corresponding alarm types so that your camera will record video triggered by such alarm types/any motion. 

    Step 3. Click and drag on the grid (one stands for an hour) to enable/disable alarm recording at that hour. Blue means recording enabled and grey means disabled.

    alarm recording schedule

    Also, here is a video to show how to set up motion detection recording:

    Part 2. Continuous Recording Schedule.

    Step 1. Select Timer if you want the camera to record continuously.

    Step 2. Click and drag on the grid (one stands for an hour) to enable/disable non-stop recording at that hour. Blue means recording enabled and grey means disabled.

    timer recording schedule

    If you want to copy the recording schedule to other cameras connected to the NVR, click Applies to Other Camera(s) at the bottom left corner.

 

*Via Reolink NVR (Old UI)

  • Reolink Cameras

    Applies to: RLN4-410 (hardware version H3MB17), RLN8-410 (hardware version H3MB02), RLN8-410-E, RLN16-410 (hardware version H3MB02/H3MB06)

    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.

    Part 1. Motion Recording Schedule

    Select Motion, then click on the grids to set the times when motion recording is activated. Click Apply to save your settings.

    Note: If you want to set 24/7 motion recording, please tap on all-time grids to turn them Green.

    Part 2. Continuous Recording Schedule

    Select Normal, then click and drag on the grids to set the recording time. Click Apply to save the settings.

    Note: If you want to set 24/7 continuous recording, please tap on all-time grids to turn them blue.

    POE main menu

    Recording Schedule Page

    Note: You may also click on Copy To to save the schedule settings for other cameras.

    copy to

    To playback the recorded videos stored in the PoE NVR HDD, please refer to Playback Recordings via Reolink PoE NVR.

4. Set up SD Card Recording for Your Reolink Camera

Also, here is a detailed video for your reference to see how to install the micro SD card for the camera and make it record to the micro SD card.

5. Related Articles

Introduction to Reolink Smart Detection

How to Setup Smart Detection Alert

Reolink Camera Not Recording to SD Card

Reolink NVR Not Recording

Reolink Auto Tracking Not Working

Done! By setting up a schedule for your cameras, you can capture the footage you want while avoiding unnecessary recordings. If you need further assistance, you can click "Submit a request" at the bottom of the page to contact Support.