Introduction to Reolink AI Video Search

This article introduces Reolink AI Video Search — a powerful feature that allows you to efficiently locate key events from recorded alarm videos using intelligent, text-based searches. You’ll learn

1. What is Reolink AI Video Search
2. Which devices support Reolink AI Video Search
3. How to use Reolink AI Video Search on Reolink software

What is Reolink AI Video Search

Reolink’s AI Video Search enables intelligent, text-based searches to retrieve and review surveillance footage more efficiently.

Unlike conventional AI, which only detects single objects (e.g., a person, vehicle, or animal), Reolink’s advanced large-scale AI model simultaneously understands text, images, and video, and returns highly relevant results based on local alarm-triggered recordings.

Reolink AI Video Search conducts on-device local searches specifically within recordings triggered by motion or alarm events, ensuring both speed and privacy. Whether you're trying to identify a person, vehicle, animal, or other object, AI Video Search enables smarter, faster footage review with just a few keywords.

This capability significantly enhances search efficiency and improves your ability to respond quickly to security incidents, all while ensuring data privacy through on-device processing and without incurring additional costs.

How It Works

The AI system automatically tags each recording with multiple labels based on the detected content. Currently, up to five commonly used object categories are available as filter buttons next to the search bar for you to select manually:

Person / Motor Vehicles / Non-Motor Vehicles / Animals / Packages
(Note: Available options may vary depending on the supported features of your device.)

To search, simply select a category and enter a description. For example, if you select Person and enter "a person carrying a package", the system will search within recordings labeled "Person" and quickly identify and display clips featuring someone carrying a package.

Suggested Search Inputs

Currently, Reolink AI Video Search does not support searching by abstract or time-related concepts such as “yesterday,” “this week,” “morning,” or “afternoon.”
Please use clear, affirmative sentences describing visible elements. In general, we recommend searching using noun phrases formed with a subject + its attributes. Avoid using abstract terms, questions, or negations. Here are some useful examples to get you started:

• A person wearing white clothes
• A deliveryman
• A person riding a motorcycle
• A black pickup truck
• A yellow dog
• A person carrying an umbrella
• A person using a phone
• A deer in the yard

Compatible Devices

Note: This feature requires Reolink App version 4.55 or higher.

Currently, supported models include:

How to Use AI Video Search on Reolink Software

Step 1: Access AI Video Search

Log in to your camera via the Reolink App and enter the live view page. Tap the "Playback" button at the bottom to enter the playback page. Then tap the magnifying glass icon in the upper-right corner to access AI Video Search.

For Reolink NVR users, you can also access the AI Video Search interface through the following methods:

1. Go to the NVR settings page and tap AI Video Search directly.

2. Or enter the Event History page and tap the magnifying glass icon in the upper-right corner.

Step 2: Select Object Type

Tap the category button to select the object type you want to filter, such as Person, Vehicle, Animal, etc. (The available types may differ slightly depending on your device.)

Step 3: Set Search Timeframe

Tap the calendar icon on the right to enter the time range selection page. Tap the start date, then the end date to define your search timeframe.

Step 4: Filter by Channel (For Reolink NVR Users Only)

Swipe left on the timeline to reveal the Channel tab, where you can filter and select the specific camera you want to search recordings from.

Step 5: Enter Search Keywords

Enter a specific description (e.g., woman with white clothing) in the search bar, then tap the magnifying glass icon to initiate the search.

Step 6: Sort Search Results

You can adjust the search results sorting method as needed. Search results can be sorted by relevance or recording time, with relevance as the default.

• Sort by Relevance: Videos are ranked by relevance, with the most relevant ones shown first.
• Sort by time: Videos are ranked by recording time, with the most recent ones shown first.

Step 7: Preview and Download Videos

Tap a video to preview it. Tap the download icon in the top-right corner to save the video to your device (it will appear in your device’s photo gallery).

Reolink’s AI Video Search allows you to search through recordings using natural language. This feature greatly ensures you find what matters faster and smarter. Should you have any inquiries or require further assistance, please click on "Submit a Request" below to contact the Reolink Support team.