Quick Takeaways

• Always = complete coverage and context, highest storage usage.
• Motion = records on movement; saves storage but may miss brief events.
• Smart Detections = AI‑classified objects (people/vehicles/packages) where supported.
• Pre‑roll and post‑roll padding matter to capture the whole incident.

What Recording Modes Do

Always

• Continuous footage for high‑risk zones and investigations.

Motion

• Triggers on movement inside detection zones—storage‑friendly but can false‑trigger.

Smart Detections

• Triggers on AI‑recognized objects; fewer false alerts but may miss unclassified events.

How to change Recording Modes Settings

Open the UniFi Protect web app.
Go to Cameras → click the camera you want to adjust.
Click Settings → Recording.
Under Recording Mode, choose one of:
Always – continuous recording.
Motion Events – record only when motion is detected in your detection zones.
Smart Detections – record only when AI detects people, vehicles, or packages (camera-dependent).
(Optional) Enable Pre-record / Post-record buffer if available, to capture before/after motion.
Save / Apply.

Choosing Modes by Location

• Critical entrances / asset areas: Always, with higher quality and longer retention.
• Residential driveways/porches: Motion or Smart Detections with tuned zones and padding.
• Perimeter fences/yards: Motion, lower FPS, more compression.

Key Pairings

• Pre‑roll/post‑roll (if available) to catch before/after action.
• Sensitivity and object‑size thresholds to reduce noise.
• Accurate zones to avoid roads/trees.

Cheat Sheet

• Front door: Smart Detections (person/package), 10–20 s post‑roll.
• Driveway: Motion + person/vehicle detection, strong zones, 10–15 s padding.
• High‑value room: Always, higher quality, longer retention.

Final Tips

Validate by reviewing a week of alerts; tune until false positives drop. Use different modes per camera; one size rarely fits all. Watch storage forecasts when changing modes.

More Settings: Head to the Ultimate Guide to UniFi Protect Video Settings

Related Posts: Don’t miss Privacy & Detection Zones, FPS, and Compression.