Imou Camera SD Card Not Recording? Here’s How to Fix It

Step-by-step fix guide | Imou cameras and doorbells

Try this first — Take out the memory card, clean its gold contacts with a rubber (an eraser) and put it back. It’s the first fix in Imou’s UK FAQ for a card the camera doesn’t recognise.

This guide is for anyone whose Imou camera doesn’t recognise its memory card or isn’t recording to it. The steps follow Imou’s UK camera FAQ, in Imou’s order.

What This Problem Means

Imou’s UK camera FAQ covers a memory card the camera doesn’t recognise, and its answer for a camera that gives no alarm after you turn on motion detection ends with a memory card setting. Its fixes are the card’s contacts, formatting, a new card and the card’s read/write setting. Imou also explains that a full card overwrites the oldest recordings automatically, and that the memory card is the default storage mode.

Common Symptoms

  • The camera doesn’t recognise the memory card
  • Alarm events aren’t being recorded to the card
  • Older recordings have gone from a full card
  • You’re not sure whether clips go to the card or to cloud storage

Safe Checks You Can Try

1. Clean the card’s contacts

Imou’s first fix for a card that isn’t recognised is to “clean the golden finger with a rubber”. The golden finger is the card’s gold contacts; clean them with an eraser.

2. Format the card on a computer

Next, Imou says to format the memory card with a PC.

3. Replace the card

If the card still isn’t recognised, Imou says to replace the memory card. The largest card Imou lists for each model is in the table below.

4. Set the card to read/write

If alarm events aren’t being recorded, try the last fix in Imou’s answer for a camera that gives no alarm after motion detection is turned on: change the memory card property to “read/write”.

5. Know what happens when the card is full

Imou says that when the storage is full, old recordings are replaced by new ones in chronological order, automatically. Older clips disappearing from a full card is normal.

6. Check the storage mode

Imou says the memory card is the default storage mode. If you’ve turned on cloud storage, Imou says to enable both cloud storage and local storage, so both can record.

Memory Card Sizes by Model

Model Largest card Imou lists
Ranger 2C Up to 256GB
Ranger 2C Pro Up to 512GB
Ranger Dual Up to 256GB on Imou’s UK spec table (Imou’s 6MP datasheet says up to 512GB)
Cruiser Dual Up to 512GB on Imou’s UK spec table (Imou’s 8MP datasheet says up to 256GB)
Cell PT Up to 256GB
Doorbell 2S Kit Up to 512GB (the card goes in the kit’s chime, not the doorbell)

The Cell Go isn’t covered by this guide: Imou’s UK spec table lists 4GB of built-in storage (eMMC) as its local storage.

When To Contact Support

If none of these steps fix it, contact Imou through Imou’s UK support page.