--- title: "How Many Days Does CCTV Record? Hard Disk Size Chart | Qyvea" url: https://qyvea.co.ke/cctv-recording-duration-hard-drives-kenya description: "Work out how many days your DVR or NVR keeps footage by hard disk size and number of cameras. Simple formula, worked examples and ways to keep footage longer." updated: 2026-10-19 --- > Markdown copy of https://qyvea.co.ke/cctv-recording-duration-hard-drives-kenya for AI assistants. Prices and stock change; check the live page. 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Recording Days & Hard Drives How to work out how many days your recorder keeps, why surveillance-rated drives matter, and when motion recording makes sense. Imagine something goes wrong at your gate tonight. Could you show exactly who, when and how? Read on: it takes a few minutes and could save you a lot more than that. **In this guide you will see:** - Footage is overwritten in a loop: oldest first. - Storage per day ≈ bitrate (Mbps) × 86,400 ÷ 8 ÷ 1,000 GB. - Use surveillance-rated drives designed for 24/7 writing. Quick answer CCTV keeps footage until the hard drives fill up, then overwrites the oldest recordings. The number of days depends on drive size and how much data the cameras produce. As a guide, a camera streaming at 4 Mbps produces about 43 GB per day, so the maths is simple once you know each camera's bitrate. [Photo: Alan J. Hendry / Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/photos/KNt4zd8HPb0) Why this matters now ## Every night without proper recording is a night you cannot prove anything. ### If you wait - A theft or a dispute becomes your word against theirs - You hear about it hours later, if at all - Police and insurers ask what you can show them ### What you get - Every entrance recorded day and night - Playback on your phone within minutes - A visible camera changes how people behave [Hikvision DS-2CD1023G0E-I 2MP Bullet](/products/hikvision-ds-2cd1023g0e-i-2mp-bullet-network-camera-132 "Hikvision DS-2CD1023G0E-I 2MP Bullet Network Camera")[Dahua HDCVI 2MP Dome](/products/dahua-hdcvi-2mp-dome-camera-14357 "Dahua HDCVI 2MP Dome Camera")[Hikvision DS-7616NI-Q2 16CH 4K](/products/hikvision-ds-7616ni-q2-16ch-4k-nvr-189 "Hikvision DS-7616NI-Q2 16CH 4K NVR") [Get my free quote on WhatsApp](https://wa.me/254113301244?text=Hi%20Qyvea%2C%20I%20read%20your%20guide%3A%20How%20Long%20Does%20CCTV%20Keep%20Footage%3F%20Recording%20Days%20%26%20Hard%20Drives.%20I%20want%20CCTV%20sorted.%20Can%20you%20help%3F)Reply usually within 30 minutes. Free site survey in Nairobi and nearby counties. Real products, live prices, in stock now ## Key takeaways - Footage is overwritten in a loop: oldest first. - Storage per day ≈ bitrate (Mbps) × 86,400 ÷ 8 ÷ 1,000 GB. - Use surveillance-rated drives designed for 24/7 writing. - Decide how many days you need before choosing drives: many businesses choose 14–30 days. ## The calculation 1. **Find each camera's bitrate**: In the recorder settings, e.g. 4 Mbps 2. **Convert to GB per day**: 4 Mbps × 86,400 s ÷ 8 = 43,200 MB ≈ 43 GB/day 3. **Multiply by cameras**: 8 cameras × 43 GB ≈ 346 GB/day 4. **Multiply by days**: 14 days × 346 GB ≈ 4.8 TB 5. **Add headroom**: Choose drives with some margin: here, 6 TB The full method, with a working calculator, is in the [CCTV storage calculator guide](https://qyvea.co.ke/cctv-storage-calculator-guide-kenya). ## Continuous vs motion recording #### Continuous Records 24/7 Nothing is missed Uses the most storage #### Motion / event Records when something happens Many more days on the same drives Can miss events if detection is poorly set **Tip**: A common compromise: continuous recording on key cameras (gate, till), event recording elsewhere, with AI detection to avoid missing real events. ## Choosing hard drives - Surveillance-rated drives (such as WD Purple or Seagate SkyHawk ranges) are designed for constant writing - Desktop drives wear out faster under 24/7 recording - Check the recorder's maximum drive size and number of bays - Recorders need good ventilation: heat shortens drive life - Plan to check drive health during maintenance **Warning**: A failing drive often shows no obvious symptom until you try to play back footage. Recording checks should be part of every maintenance visit. ## Frequently asked questions How long does CCTV keep recordings? Until the drives are full, then the oldest footage is overwritten. Typical systems keep 7 to 30 days depending on drives and settings. Can I keep footage longer? Add or upgrade drives, lower bitrate, use H.265, or use event recording on less important cameras. How do I save footage of an incident? Export the clip from the recorder or app promptly, before it's overwritten. ## Why customers choose Qyvea **Genuine brands**: Manufacturer warranty on what we sell, so you are not gambling on the box. **One team, start to finish**: The people who advise you also install and support it. **Fast answers**: WhatsApp replies usually within 30 minutes, and delivery within 24 hours in Nairobi. **Easy to buy**: Pay by M-Pesa, bank transfer or card. Free delivery in Nairobi on orders over KES 5,000. **Risk taken off you**: 7-day returns and exchanges on products, and a workmanship warranty on installations. **Customers say so**: Rated 4.6/5 from 57 Google reviews. **Your next step takes one minute:** send us a photo of the place on WhatsApp and we will tell you what it needs. ## Related articles [CCTV · Guide How CCTV Storage Works (with Calculator) The formula behind CCTV storage and a calculator to size your recorder's hard drives. 3 min read**READ FULL ARTICLE →**](https://qyvea.co.ke/cctv-storage-calculator-guide-kenya)[CCTV · Comparison H.264 vs H.265 vs H.265+: CCTV Compression Explained Compression decides how much storage and bandwidth your cameras eat. What H.265 saves over H.264, and what the '+' versions add. 2 min read**READ FULL ARTICLE →**](https://qyvea.co.ke/h264-vs-h265-cctv-compression-kenya)[CCTV · Troubleshooting CCTV Camera Not Recording Live view works but there's no footage: the usual causes, from hard drives to recording schedules. 2 min read**READ FULL ARTICLE →**](https://qyvea.co.ke/cctv-camera-not-recording-fix-kenya) ### Related services [CCTV Installation](https://qyvea.co.ke/cctv)[CCTV Repair](https://qyvea.co.ke/cctv-repair-kenya)[Maintenance & Repair](https://qyvea.co.ke/maintenance) ### Related products [CCTV cameras in the shop](https://qyvea.co.ke/cctv-cameras-kenya) ### Related projects [Real Qyvea case studies](https://qyvea.co.ke/projects#case-studies) [← Previous**How Does CCTV for a Mall or Shopping Centre Work?**](https://qyvea.co.ke/cctv-for-malls-kenya)[Next →**: How Long Should I Keep CCTV Footage in Kenya?**](https://qyvea.co.ke/how-long-should-cctv-footage-be-kept-kenya) ## Need this system installed? Talk to Qyvea. We design, install and maintain it. Chat with us — 30 min response --- **Qyvea Limited** · Westlands, Nairobi, Kenya (delivery only, no walk-in pickup) · serving all 47 counties Phone/WhatsApp: [+254 113 301 244](https://wa.me/254113301244) · Email: info@qyvea.co.ke · Shop: [qyvea.co.ke/products](https://qyvea.co.ke/products) · Facts: [qyvea.co.ke/qyvea-facts](https://qyvea.co.ke/qyvea-facts)