How do you disable the cloud recordings or opt out of standard cloud service?

Community Support
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#1

How do you disable the free six second cloud recording or opt out of the free standard cloud service? I am seeing no way to do either in the latest iOS YI Home app… even tried a camera reset, but it appears to be a “forced” / default feature now.

I’ve been a long time 720p YI camera / iOS YI Home app user (several years) and have always solely used local storage (SD card). I can still access the recordings on my local storage, but forcing long time local storage users to now have a free six second cloud video clip rather than a pointer to the local video is unacceptable and frankly, just shameful practice for a company.

The iOS YI Home app used to have a setting to disable cloud video recordings. Most local storage users absolutely DO NOT want cloud recordings, so why was this implemented without notifying users, enabling it by default and worst of all, not providing a disable setting or an opt out?

I’ve sent feedback through the app and provided an App Store review a few times over the last couple months, but no one has responded from the support / dev team.

#2

The six seconds alert is a product feature for Yi/Kami owners. If you choose to use a SD card like you have done you can view the alert then view the complete clip via the app.

I like many hundreds of other iOS users do that and do this every day. And in my example multiple iOS devices.

Rather than come on here with your strong negative words maybe try describing what the issue is you are having - the forum may have a solution for you.

I’m interested in your research relating to your statement Most local storage users absolutely DO NOT want cloud recordings you are the first I have read who has anything negative to state about having a free six second cloud storage. Yes some would like longer storage but for free it is generous.

#3

To clarify what I described, @YorkshireUser - prior to one of the recent updates, rather than a six second video stored on the cloud, the clip was a pointer to the location on the SD card - after you tapped on the thumbnail, you would be taken to the full video on the SD card. Additionally, there used to be a setting to disable the short cloud video clips. It behaved this way for at least four to five years / since I’ve owned my cameras.

Regarding what I stated about SD card / local storage users - I read several negative reviews on the Apple App Store regarding this issue and similar frustrations (just sort the reviews by Most Critical to view them.) I also know a few people personally who solely use SD / local storage. Some of us are also concerned about security / privacy and having our security footage stored on someone else’s server, i.e., “the cloud”.

And the reason for what you refer to as “strong negative words” - the frustration is not directed to the forum / community members, nor did I mean any disrespect, but towards the YI Home app product & dev teams responsible for these undocumented / unwanted changes and the lack of support from the company. The hope is that they read this or the info is forwarded to them so that they may restore the aforementioned feature and/or provide a way to disable the standard cloud storage.

#4

Which iOS device are you using. There is an issue with some that won’t allow complete clip playback from the camera view menu. I have this same issue.

Take a look at this thread for a workaround. But you can continue using an sd card to view full footage.

I accept what you say about security concerns for some but most ip cameras now work this way whether they offer a cloud service or not. They all do some processing. I do have one person I set up who had such concern so he paid many hundreds more for a local device which records to an hard drive installed in his attic space.

#5

iPhone 11 Pro / iOS 14.4.2 and the latest YI Home app. I don’t have an issue playing the full video from the camera view (by manually navigating the timeline) and the instructions in the link you provided works for me. Thank you, @YorkshireUser.

I understand how the various cameras work, which was why the YI Home cameras and mobile app (before this change) were so appealing. The software change didn’t make sense for people who want to solely use / rely on SD cards / local storage since the pointer to the SD card / local storage worked perfectly and as expected. I can only guess this is a bug because of how it was rolled out. If they could just restore the feature to disable cloud storage all would be good in the (my) world. :grin:

#6

I think it is a bug uniquely you some iOS customers. I have android devices and do not have this issue. At least you can now view the complete clip after the alert generation.

1 Like
#7

Hey @whoislight thanks for the feedback. I have heard others with iOS report this as well but it never has really been something that affect functionality of the SD card.

Let me check in with the team on this one and let you know. It may just be an iOS default setting but I will find out more.

Thanks for your patience.

#8

I have the same problem that @whoislight is experiencing. I have been using Yi Camera for years now on my iOS device, and there used to be an option to turn on/off Video alert/notifications. If this is turned off, then anytime I get an alert, I don’t get any 6 second clip but instead, when I click on the timestamp it brings me to the recording on my SD card.
On one of my iOS devices (where I haven’t updated to the latest Yi Home app), there is still an option to turn on/off the Video alert, but even after I turn it off, the 6 second clip always appears. Then later when I go back into the Settings page, it will show that setting turned ON again.
On my other device where I have the latest Yi Home app, the setting to turn OFF the video alert has disappeared altogether.

Please add this feature back on, because I do not want any 6 second clip on my alert. I want it to simply bring me to my recording on my SD card.

#9

Hey @tiongtiong welcome to the community!

You can still turn off all alert/notifications via your app by selecting the camera you want to turn off alerts for, hit settings, then hit settings once again under Smart Detection.

Turn off all your alerts and you will not receive notifications.

#10

I want to disable the 6 second video clip on the alert, not the alert itself. I want to be alerted and upon clicking the alert, I want to be taken to my SD card recording.

1 Like
#11

Hey @tiongtiong Check out these help articles in regards to playback issues with your SD card.

or

https://help.yitechnology.com/hc/en-us/articles/360035243474-How-can-I-playback-the-footage-on-my-SD-card-YI-Home-camera-

Let us know how it goes!

#12

Is it what @Steven_Kami has sent the knowledge base document about. Or is it when you tap on the play complete clip it doesn’t play?

Or is it more simply that you just do not want the six seconds free cloud?

#13

@Steven_Kami, @YorkshireUser
I simply do not want the six seconds free cloud. There used to be a setting to disable this, but it’s no longer there.

1 Like
#14

My understanding is that the six second option is default now. With fuller recording either from the Kami cloud or internal SD card storage.

#15

Hello,

I am seeing the 6 seconds video but my cameras are no more recording to the SD card. They were recording until several weeks backs . Please i need help to record the videos when motion is detected to my SD card.

I have formatted SD card, updated app and firmware. Still no luck . Please help.

#16

Could you try a different SD card please?

Is the SD card accessible in another device?

What is the make, model and class of the SD card and approx how old?

How many cameras is this impacting? It’s very strange for multiple devices to all go like this.

1 Like
#17

Thanks for the awesome help @YorkshireUser

Is this affecting all your cameras or just 1 device?
We strongly recommend trying a different SD card to see if the problem resolves.

Keep us posted

1 Like
#18

How about No Cloud at all. Where you been under a rock, in hibernation or something saying this is the first you heard about this. There are those of us that wants to use our SD Cards instead of having all our personal stuff stored in your spy servers. I wish I’d known before I purchased the camera’s. It says we have a choice when we purchased the cameras. Then we buy the camera and get gangstered into buying Cloud. I hope more people find out about this strong arming crap before they waste their money. No getting thru this guy because he must likely work for Cloud Storage. Otherwise why would he be so defensive about it.

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