After updating the Aqara app to version 6.0 (most recent update) detailed explanations can now be found in the new “Services” section as well as the greatly expanded on Help and Feedback Q&A section accessible at the bottom the Profile page. I gotta say, I’m very impressed with the effort that was put into creating these new, easy to access resources with the information and explanations that were previously lacking.
After the last Aqara app update, I noticed the addition of “AI video search” and “AI Detection” options at the bottom of the main screen for both E1 and G100 Cameras. “AI Detection” brings you to screen where you can either pick from “AI Video One-Liner” or “AI Video Summary”. “AI Video Search”, “AI Video One-Liner” and “AI Video Summary” all end up at a screen where it shows the features greyed out and says “Subscribe to Home Guardian service to unlock more advanced features” with a icon tab that says “Unlock”. I’m alright subscribed to Home Guardian so when I tap on the “Unlock” icon, I’m brought to the Home Guardian subscription purchase page where it shows that I’m currently subscribed. I aske Aqara’s AI assistant to which it said it didn’t know and recommended creating a ticket. So I did. A few days later I received an email from Aqara’s that said I need to be subscribed to Home Guardian for those services to work. Which I had already explained in the first place that I’ve been subscribed to Home Guardian for a few months now. So I genuinely don’t understand that explanation. I mean, it’s not like these are hidden options, available to be enabled. They’re now permanently incorporated into the UI options of both of my E1 and G100 Cameras main screens. Am I missing something here? I’ve searched for answers everywhere only to come up empty handed. I’m really starting to wonder why and/or how this could be. What’s with the lack of information or explanations regarding this and frankly many other options, features, functions and settings of/for Aqara devices, Aqara’s app, Aqara’s services and the way in which they all interact with one another. To be honest, the lack of availability information is beginning to feel more like a feature instead of a bug.
Anybody else have similar experiences with these new AI search features? Any information or suggestions about how to navigate the issue I’m experiencing would be of tremendous help and greatly appreciated.
@Quasi-Pseudonym Thank you for sharing such a detailed description of your experience with the new “AI video search” and “AI Detection” features in the Aqara app. It’s understandable how frustrating it can be to see these options presented so prominently, only to find them inaccessible despite an active Home Guardian subscription.
Based on the available reference information, the advanced AI detection capabilities—such as face, vehicle, pet, and package recognition—do indeed require an active Home Guardian plan subscription for activation, especially on cameras like the G100. However, there is currently no specific reference information detailing the situation where subscribed users are still unable to unlock these features, nor is there documentation about potential regional, firmware, or account limitations that might cause this UI lockout.
Given that you’re already subscribed and the features remain greyed out, this could indicate a possible account synchronization issue, a firmware mismatch, or perhaps a regional/server limitation. While there’s no precise troubleshooting guideline for your exact scenario in the reference materials, here are a few steps you could try:
Ensure both your Aqara app and camera firmware are updated to the latest versions.
Try logging out and back into your Aqara account, or reinstall the app to force a refresh of your subscription status.
Double-check that your subscription is linked to the correct account and region as registered in the app.
Consider resetting one of the affected cameras and re-adding it to your account to see if the features become available.
It’s clear that more transparent documentation would be helpful for users navigating these new, evolving features. If these steps do not resolve the issue, I recommend submitting your feedback manually to Aqara’s customer service, as direct support may be able to review your account and provide more tailored guidance.
If anyone else in the community has encountered and solved this issue, please feel free to share your experience! Your input could be invaluable for others facing similar challenges.
If you have further suggestions for app improvements or feature clarity, please submit your feedback through the customer service channel in the Aqara Home app or via their support site.
I’m facing the same problem as a Home Guardian Single Cam Annual Subscriber. So the reply from Aqara AI Bot is just bullshit PR reply. Beginning to feel Aqara is not a very reliable brand. I was planning to purchase Aqara Smart Door Lock System. But with this in mind, I think I will shift my focus on other more reliable brands.
Ya, I totally understand where you’re coming from. I share the same concern as of late. What’s with the total lack of available information explaining how this stuff works. I’ve used multiple different AI models (Chat GPT, Google Gemini & X’s Grok) to scour the internet for relevant or even related resources that offer some insight into these topics. The only information they were able to find came from the Aqara own website which I’ve already seen. I’ve checked every single one of the social media platforms with Aqara accounts including here on Aqara forums and read through the last year of posts and there comments. I’ve read every instruction manual, FAQ section and watched every installation video for all of the Aqara products I own, read through the entire Home Guardian Service Description, read through all the FAQ information in the Help & Feedback section found at the bottom of the profile page, asked Aqara chat bot, created tickets and started leaving posts on Aqara’s social media pages as a last resort hoping that someone from these groups would respond like you have here. You are actually the first any only response I’ve gotten from any of my posts. What’s strange is how all the other posts on these platforms have anywhere from a couple responses up to like 20 responses. I’ve gone over and above with my own due diligence to actively seek out any available resource for information on what the deal is with these features only to come up completely empty handed. Hell, even Aqara’s own AI response bot here on Aqara’s forums stated the following in it’s response to this post.
“there is currently no specific reference information detailing the situation where subscribed users are still unable to unlock these features, nor is there documentation”
“It’s clear that more transparent documentation would be helpful for users navigating these new, evolving features.”
Seriously! So essentially, what it’s saying is that information doesn’t exist on what these features are, how they are supposed to work or what Aqara product owners and Aqara Home Guardian subscribers need to do to use them.
I’m sorry but that’s bizarre. How is that even possible. There needs to be a way for customers can contact Aqara directly. I’ve invested nearly $1000 into Aqara products over the past few months. I also pay Aqara almost $20 every month to access the services that Home Guardian is supposed to provide. But when these Home Guardian services I’m paying for every month are not functioning as they are supposed to. There’s absolutely no information or resources available to help figure out what’s going on.
I’m going to say once again that more and more as time goes on that this is seeming to be a feature, not a bug. Or in other words, the lack of information, resources or help seems to me to be by design.