CCTV Night Vision Not Working?

A camera that looks fine during the day but shows nothing useful at night usually has a specific, fixable cause -- not necessarily a faulty camera.

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Night Vision Fails for Different Reasons Than Daytime Faults

Daytime image quality and night vision performance are affected by different things -- a camera can be perfect in daylight and nearly unusable at night for reasons that have nothing to do with the camera failing.

Likely Causes

Why This Happens

The most common causes we find when diagnosing this fault.

Dirty Lens or IR Window

Dust or grime scatters IR light back into the lens.

IR Reflection Off Glass

A dome camera behind glass reflecting its own IR light back.

IR LEDs Failing

One or more infrared LEDs burnt out, reducing range.

Day/Night Switch Stuck

Camera not properly switching between colour and IR mode.

Camera Facing a Light Source

A nearby light causing glare or backlighting at night.

Insufficient Range for the Area

Camera's IR range too short for the distance it needs to cover.

How It Works

Diagnose First, Then Fix

1

Tell Us What's Wrong

Describe the issue — photos or video help.

2

Diagnose

Remote diagnosis where possible, a site visit where it isn't.

3

Recommend

Repair, reconfigure, upgrade or replace — based on findings.

4

Repair & Test

Approved work carried out, then tested.

Or describe your problem on our troubleshooting page →

Related

Related Qyvea Services

Hikvision ColorVu Camera

Full-colour night recording instead of IR-only.

CCTV Camera Repair

Broader camera fault diagnosis and repair.

CCTV Buying Guide

What night-vision spec actually means in practice.
FAQ

Common Questions

Why is my camera fine in the day but useless at night?

Daytime and night vision depend on different things -- a dirty lens, failing IR LEDs, or a nearby light source can hurt night performance without affecting the daytime image.

Can cleaning the lens really fix this?

Often yes, especially for outdoor cameras that have been up for a while -- it's one of the first things worth checking.

Is upgrading to a ColorVu-style camera worth it?

For entrances and areas where identifying colour or detail at night matters, yes -- see our ColorVu camera page for what it actually does differently.

Can this be diagnosed without a site visit?

A rough diagnosis can sometimes be made from footage you send us, but confirming the exact cause usually needs an on-site check at night.

Fix Your Camera's Night Vision

Send us a photo or video of what you're seeing at night and we'll diagnose it properly.

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