Anyone here mastered this? I am struggling to get the right level of notifications. Seems to be never or always. I have set to notify when recording as setting to people or packages detected seems to result in no notifications.
What settings in HomeKit vs aqara? I have notifications set up for both and should surely in need to be notified in HomeKit .
Where does HomeKit recording take place and how is this different from recording on the sd card?
Face recognition barely works even though switched in (but probably because everyone is seen in profile as doorbell is on the wall).
Lots of competing settings!! Thanks in advance for any tips!
Chris
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@chrisnewbold It sounds like you’re navigating through quite a few settings to get your Aqara G4 doorbell notifications just right! Let’s break it down:
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Notification Settings: It seems you’re juggling between Aqara Home and HomeKit for notifications. In HomeKit, notifications can sometimes be less responsive if the detection settings aren’t finely tuned. Adjusting the sensitivity in Aqara Home app might help, especially if you’re set to “People” or “Packages” detection. Ensure both apps have the latest updates as this can affect performance.
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Recording Differences: HomeKit recording typically happens in the Apple ecosystem, relying on iCloud storage, while SD card recordings are local. With an SD card in your G4, you can choose between Continuous Recording (with external power), Activity Detection Recording, or Stop Recording. This allows for more flexibility if you prefer not to rely solely on cloud storage.
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Face Recognition: If face recognition is proving unreliable, you might want to check the sensitivity settings. The G4’s face recognition can be affected by lighting conditions and the angle of view. Since your doorbell is positioned on the wall, this could indeed impact its effectiveness. Increasing the sensitivity or adjusting the positioning slightly could help.
Balancing these settings does take some trial and error, but hopefully, these tips can serve as a useful starting point. Feel free to share any further insights or questions—you’re not alone in this!
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@chrisnewbold Let’s break down your questions and share some tips based on available info:
Notifications: HomeKit vs Aqara App
For consistent notifications, first check if your G4 is in HomeKit’s “Detect Activity” mode—this can limit streaming/recording, so switch to “stream & allow recording” in HomeKit’s recording options if needed . Also, ensure notifications are enabled both in the Aqara Home app (check “Settings - Push Notification Settings” to confirm the specific alert types are turned on) and in HomeKit (verify notification permissions for the doorbell in your Apple device settings). If you still see “never or always” issues, restart your Apple Home Hub, router, and the doorbell to refresh connections—this can help with syncing .
Face Recognition
Since it’s enabled but struggling, try these:
- Adjust sensitivity to “high” (default is medium) in the Aqara app under Device Settings > More Settings > Detection > Face Recognition .
- Check lighting conditions—backlight or dim environments can reduce accuracy .
- Profile views (since the doorbell is wall-mounted) might indeed be a factor, as face recognition often performs best with front-facing angles (this isn’t explicitly covered in our docs, but it’s a common consideration).
HomeKit vs SD Card Recording
Our reference info doesn’t specify where HomeKit recording is stored, but typically, SD card recording is local to the device, while HomeKit recording may rely on iCloud (if enabled) or the Home Hub. For clarity, you might want to check Apple’s HomeKit documentation or ask the community—others may have hands-on experience!
Hope these tips help! If you’re still stuck, feel free to share more details (like specific settings you’ve tried) and the community can chime in. 
@chrisnewbold Hi Chris, let’s break down your questions and share some tips based on common troubleshooting info!
For notifications in HomeKit vs Aqara: In HomeKit, if your doorbell is in “Detect Activity” mode, it might not stream or record properly, which could lead to inconsistent notifications. Try switching to “stream & allow recording” in the camera’s recording options—this often helps with notification reliability . In the Aqara app, check motion detection settings: the PIR sensor is on by default, and frequent triggers (even without recording) can drain battery and cause over-notifications. Enabling Power Saving Mode turns off PIR, which might reduce false alerts, or adjust the detection period to balance sensitivity .
For recording storage: HomeKit recording typically relies on iCloud (you’ll need to enable iCloud storage in settings), while SD card recording is local to the doorbell. The reference info notes that HomeKit recording requires “stream & allow recording” to be enabled, and family members need proper permissions from the HomeKit owner to access recordings .
For face recognition: It’s off by default, so double-check it’s enabled in Aqara app > Device settings > More Settings > Detection > Face Recognition . If it’s on but still spotty, try increasing sensitivity (it’s medium by default) and ensure the area has good lighting—backlight or dim conditions can reduce accuracy. Profile views might make it harder, but adjusting sensitivity could help.
Hope these tips help! If you’re still having issues, feel free to share more details—community members might have additional tricks. For specific feature feedback, you can submit it via the Aqara Home App (Profile>Help&Feedback>Customer Service).
Cheers,
[Your Name] (but as per rules, no signature, so just the content)
Wait, actually, the output shouldn’t have a signature. Let me adjust:
Hi Chris, let’s break down your questions and share some tips based on common troubleshooting info!
For notifications in HomeKit vs Aqara: In HomeKit, if your doorbell is in “Detect Activity” mode, it might not stream or record properly, leading to inconsistent notifications. Switch to “stream & allow recording” in the camera’s recording options to improve reliability . In the Aqara app, check motion detection settings: the PIR sensor is on by default, and frequent triggers (even without recording) can cause over-notifications. Enabling Power Saving Mode turns off PIR to reduce false alerts, or adjust the detection period to balance sensitivity .
For recording storage: HomeKit recording typically uses iCloud (enable iCloud storage in settings), while SD card recording is local. HomeKit requires “stream & allow recording” to be enabled, and family members need permission from the HomeKit owner to access recordings .
For face recognition: It’s off by default—enable it in Aqara app > Device settings > More Settings > Detection > Face Recognition . If spotty, increase sensitivity (medium by default) and ensure good lighting (backlight/dim conditions reduce accuracy). Profile views might be trickier, but adjusting sensitivity could help.
Hope these help! If issues persist, share more details—community members might have extra tips. For feature feedback, submit via Aqara Home App (Profile>Help&Feedback>Customer Service).
That works. It references the content_ids, addresses each question, and keeps the tone warm and helpful.Hi Chris, let’s break down your questions and share some tips based on common troubleshooting info!
For notifications in HomeKit vs Aqara: In HomeKit, if your doorbell is in “Detect Activity” mode, it might not stream or record properly, leading to inconsistent notifications. Switch to “stream & allow recording” in the camera’s recording options to improve reliability . In the Aqara app, check motion detection settings: the PIR sensor is on by default, and frequent triggers (even without recording) can cause over-notifications. Enabling Power Saving Mode turns off PIR to reduce false alerts, or adjust the detection period to balance sensitivity .
For recording storage: HomeKit recording typically relies on iCloud (you’ll need to enable iCloud storage in settings), while SD card recording is local to the doorbell. Note that HomeKit requires “stream & allow recording” to be enabled, and family members need permission from the HomeKit owner to access recordings .
For face recognition: It’s off by default—enable it in Aqara app > Device settings > More Settings > Detection > Face Recognition . If it’s still spotty, try increasing sensitivity (it’s medium by default) and ensure the area has good lighting (backlight or dim conditions can reduce accuracy). Profile views might make detection harder, but adjusting sensitivity could help.
Hope these tips help! If you’re still having issues, feel free to share more details—community members might have additional tricks. For specific feature feedback, submit it via the Aqara Home App (Profile>Help&Feedback>Customer Service).