Local Storage refers to saving clips from your camera system to a USB drive inserted into a Sync Module 2. Local Storage needs an active Sync Module, click if you can't connect your Sync Module. Local Storage does not need a Blink Subscription to save your clips and show them in the Blink app.
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Blink Subscription
With an active Blink Subscription, your clips are saved to Cloud storage, and a once-daily Clip Backup is saved to the USB drive. Clip Backups are not viewable in the Blink app.
How to view Clip Backups on Your USB Drive
It is important that the USB drive is safely ejected from the Sync Module 2 before moving it to a computer or similar device for viewing Clip Backups.
Saving Live View sessions
Live View sessions are never saved to the USB drive. An active subscription allows you to save one, or all Live View sessions to cloud storage.
Older Cameras
The XT2, XT, and Indoor (gen 1) cameras are not eligible for Local Storage.
Stale Manifest
The "Stale Manifest" message may appear when an update was not completed. Jump to the Stale Manifest section to read more.
Click a tab below for troubleshooting tips.
For a Sync Module 2 with an inserted USB drive, and not attached to a Blink Subscription Plan, Motion clips are stored 'locally' from Blink Outdoor, Indoor (gen 2), and Mini cameras. The new Blink Video Doorbell can save clips to Local Storage when it is added to your Sync Module 2 system.
Local Storage clips are viewable in the Blink app Clip List.
Local Storage begins automatically when your Sync Module 2 has a recognized USB drive inserted and it is not connected to a subscription.
When you connect a single device to a Blink Basic Subscription Plan, all other cameras on that Sync Module 2, and all other Sync Module 2 on the account are automatically configured for Local Storage. Simply insert an appropriate USB drive to begin using Local Storage with the other systems.
When you want to view clips stored on USB, they must be uploaded from the Wi-Fi network at the location, to the Blink servers, and then to your device running the Blink app. When many users are active on a Wi-Fi network, the performance may slow down or pause. You must have a 2MB per second or greater upload speed for general use by the Blink systems, but many things can affect network speed at the camera location. Other users on your network can have an impact on Blink systems getting data through to our servers.
When a system is attached to a subscription plan, Motion Clips are stored in the Cloud, and Clip Backups are saved to the USB drive. Clip Backups do not appear in the Clip List. To view these clips, you must safely eject the USB drive and move it to a computer, or similar device.
When you set up a Blink Outdoor or Indoor (gen 2) camera, you are given a Free Trial subscription to the Blink Plus Plan where Motion Clips and Live View sessions are saved to Cloud storage. All Cloud based clips are shown together, and the Filter option is used to view clips from a certain system or camera. The Blink Plus Plan saves clips from all of your devices
When the Free Trial Subscription ends, or when a subscription expires, motion clips are automatically saved to the inserted USB drive as Local Storage. Local Storage Clips are shown in the Clip List by their special icon .
If you were using the Sync Module 2 with an inserted USB drive to store Motion Clips and then set up a new camera, you were given a free trial of the Blink Plus Plan. With a Blink Plus Plan, your clips are saved to Cloud Storage. Check under the Cloud icon in the Clip List for new clips.
When a USB drive has less than 375 MB of storage available, it is considered "Full". You are notified, and no more clips are stored until additional drive space is available.
To delete clips from the Clip List:
iOS: Swipe the selected clip to the left, and tap "Delete”.
Android: Tap the "Delete" button in the clip playback window.
To Delete clips from the USB drive:
1. In the Blink app, tap the Sync Module banner then tap "Local Storage".
2. On the Local Storage screen, tap the "Safely Eject" button.
3. You will be prompted when the drive is ready, and then you can move the USB drive to your computer or similar device, to access the files directly.
Sync Modules managing older XT2, XT, and Indoor (gen 1) cameras receive 7200 seconds of Cloud Storage. These systems do not receive free trials of the Blink Plus Plan when Blink Outdoor and Indoor (gen 2) are set up.
When the 7200 seconds are full, the oldest clips are deleted as new ones are stored. These clips are shown in the Clip List with a video thumbnail. If you have more than one type of storage, these clips are shown under the "Cloud" icon.
All clips are Deleted Automatically according to the setting in the Clip List screen, with the default being 60 days.
Accounts that were created and activated before April 16th 2020, your local time, are considered "Grandfathered" and permanently receive 7200 total seconds of Basic Cloud storage for each Sync Module. Basic Cloud storage saves Motion Clip and Live View Recordings. Other, newer features available with a Blink Subscription Plan will not be available to "Grandfathered" accounts.
Normally, once per day, the Clip Backup downloads all unsaved clips in cloud storage. If you do not have any new clips, none are available to be downloaded. If a download is interrupted or fails, any unsaved files wait until the next opportunity.
Clip Backups are not viewable in the Clip list. To view Clip Backup files, the USB drive must be safely ejected from the Sync Module 2 and moved to a computer or similar device.
If a backup (or save) does not complete, here are some of the most common causes.
In the Blink app, visit the Sync Module Settings screen to see the status of your USB drive. The drive icon should be green, showing that it has been recognized by the Sync Module 2.
If the drive is not showing with a green icon, tap "Safely Eject" and move the USB drive to your computer to reformat as ExFAT. When reformatting is complete, return the drive to your Sync Module 2.
Click to learn about Troubleshooting a USB drive, or insert an entirely new USB drive.
Clip Backup occurs once per day. It is possible that the clip you seek has not been included in a backup. Check the time and date of the last backup to know if your clip is included. The time and date each clip was created can be seen on the Media Screen.
When your USB drive has less than 375 MB of storage space, clips are no longer stored and Clip Backups stop.
If you do not have enough free space on your USB drive, clip saving cannot complete. Clip saving resumes when you delete clips to make room, or insert a USB storage drive with more space into the Sync Module 2.
The backup needs a reliable internet connection. If the Internet connection stops, or is interrupted over a period of time, some files may not store correctly. Ensure that your Internet connection is available for data going to the Blink system. If a Clip Backup is not completely downloaded, your system will attempt to download it again at the next opportunity. (Unsigevo
If the power to your Sync Module 2 is interrupted, or its connection to the 2.4 Ghz Wi-Fi is lost, then the backup cannot proceed. The Sync Module 2 performs all of the important work to save files on your USB memory device. Ensure that the Sync Module displays a solid blue and solid green light.
Log into your Blink app, and ensure that your storage preferences are correct. You must have a Blink Subscription Plan and an eligible camera to initiate a Clip Backup. Eligible cameras are Outdoor, Indoor (gen 2) and Mini cameras.
Reformatting the USB drive on your computer can help some issues. Use the ExFAT format type.
USB drives are known for being reliable and convenient. If your clips are not being saved on USB for a system that is working, it is possible the drive has become corrupted. The most common cause is internet dropouts during clip saving.
To troubleshoot your USB drive, the easiest action is to reformat the drive using exFAT, on your Mac or PC computer. However, it may be best to use a new drive, in case a manufacturing defect is the cause of drive failure.
It is very important to tap the "Safe Eject" button in the Blink app before you remove the USB drive from the Sync Module.
1. To reach the "Safe Eject USB" button in the Blink app, find the Sync Module banner, and tap it.
2. In the Sync Module screen, tap the "Local Storage" section.
3. On the "Local Storage" screen, tap the "Safe Eject" button.
4. Now, wait to receive the "USB Disconnected" message. When the USB icon changes to 'inactive' as shown below, you can remove the drive from your Sync Module 2.
When you re-insert the USB drive, the Sync Module 2 will attempt to reconnect.
Click a tab to learn how to format your USB drive to exFAT.
To format a drive to exFAT with Mac OS
To format a drive to exFAT on a PC
To format a drive to exFAT on Chromebook
Some Wi-Fi or other network equipment, may be configured to only allow certain network communication. Some network settings and firewalls can block ports and servers that Blink products rely on to communicate.
Blink products use Port 443, it should always be available for these devices.
To add Blink servers to your access list, the address is: *.immedia-semi.com
You may also receive a "Stale Manifest" notification when the Sync Module 2 was not able to check in with the main Blink servers.
*Upload speed is how fast you can send data from your location to the Blink servers. Most internet providers have a big difference between download speeds (that they advertise) and upload speed (which you often have to look for).
You may receive a "Stale Manifest" notification when the Sync Module 2 was not able to check in with the main Blink servers.
*Upload speed is how fast you can send data from your location to the Blink servers. Most internet providers have a big difference between download speeds (that they advertise) and upload speed (which you often have to look for).
1. To start, tap the "Sync Module" icon and you are sent to the Sync Module details screen.
2. Next tap Delete Sync Module.
You are then presented with a popup suggesting you contact Customer Service.
Dismiss the popup by tapping OK.
3. To delete a Sync Module, you are required to enter or scan its serial number. The number label can be found on the back of the Sync Module.
When entered, tap Continue.
4. You are presented with a final popup asking if you are sure.
Tap "DELETE".
5. As a final step, unplug the Sync Module to clear any old settings.
The Sync Module is deleted from your account. The System your Sync Module was attached to still exists, along with any associated cameras or other devices.