SimpliSafe's firmware article says cameras and video doorbells update automatically, provided the Base Station is running the latest firmware, and that if motion or an alarm occurs during a camera update the update pauses so you are never without protection. So keep the Base Station current: on firmware below 2.15 update manually via the app or Keypad, and above that updates install after you disarm, with an amber light circling the Base Station during updates.
The checks in more detail
The Wireless Outdoor Camera error article's Update Software message says the camera needs a Gen 3 Base Station with the latest updates and to update the Base Station via the Keypad before setup. Cameras must have battery and wifi to update, so charge the outdoor camera and check its connection. If a camera seems out of date, disarm at home, keep the Base Station on wifi and wait; camera updates follow the Base Station's.
If a camera misbehaves after an update, charge it, restart the router, check the Connection Check Tool and re-check motion settings. If it will not update, contact support with the firmware version. SimpliSafe publishes Device and System Firmware Updates listing changes. Note the Base Station firmware number after each update. An update that fails once often succeeds after a router restart. Give updates a quiet moment.
If a camera behaves oddly right after an update, charge it, restart the router and re-check the motion settings before you assume the update broke it. If motion or an alarm occurs during an update the update pauses, which is by design, so an update that seems slow on a busy day is not necessarily stuck. SimpliSafe's update page for devices lists changes by version, so if a camera feature seemed to change after an update, look up that version before assuming a fault.
Differential
Likely causes of “SimpliSafe cameras and video doorbell firmware update is stuck or failed”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
An old Base Station version
What separates it The camera cannot update because the Base Station is running old software
How to confirm Update the Base Station first, since the cameras get their updates after the Base Station does
- 2
A flat battery
What separates it The update waits because the camera battery is too low to run it
How to confirm Charge the camera fully, then leave it to receive the update
- 3
Weak wifi
What separates it The update fails because the wifi signal at the camera is weak
How to confirm Improve the signal at the camera, so the update can download without dropping the connection
- 4
Not disarmed
What separates it The update is held back because the system is armed
How to confirm Disarm the system while you are at home, since updates run when the system is not armed
- 5
An alarm during update
What separates it The update paused because an alarm or motion event took place while it was running
How to confirm Wait for the update to resume once the alarm has been dealt with, without unplugging anything
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- The firmware version on the Base Station
- The battery level of the camera
- Whether the camera has a working wifi connection
- The update message shown in the app
Try in this order
0 of 7 completedUpdate the Base Station first
ReversibleUpdate the Base Station first, using the Keypad or the app, because cameras follow its version.
Charge the camera
ReversibleCharge the camera battery fully before you wait, because a low battery can hold the update back.
Check wifi
ReversibleCheck the wifi is working on the 2.4 GHz band, since the camera downloads its update over wifi.
Disarm at home
ReversibleDisarm the system when at home, so that the update is not held back by the armed state.
Watch the amber light
ReversibleWatch the amber light on the Base Station, which shows that an update is running.
Re-check motion settings
ReversibleCheck your motion settings after an update, in case any of them went back to their defaults.
Contact SimpliSafe
ReversibleContact SimpliSafe if the camera never updates, and tell them the firmware version and the message.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- Cameras
- Update once the Base Station is current.
- Pause
- Updates pause during motion or alarm.
- Other models this page answers
- These steps also fit the Outdoor Security Camera Series 2, Video Doorbell Pro, Wireless Outdoor Security Camera.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !If a camera never updates, contact SimpliSafe support
- !If features vanish after an update, check your settings and turn them back on
- !If the Base Station is old, update it first
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Update paths by firmware version.
Connection errors and fixes.
Recording, streaming and motion.
Camera Disconnected steps.
The company and its products.
Exact questions
Common questions
Do cameras update themselves?+
Yes, cameras update by themselves through the Base Station, so you do not start them by hand.
What if an alarm happens?+
If an alarm or motion event happens, the update pauses, and it carries on afterwards.
Do I update the Base Station first?+
Yes, update the Base Station first, because the cameras cannot update on an out of date system.
Does the outdoor camera need a Gen 3 Base Station?+
Yes, the outdoor camera needs a Gen 3 Base Station, so an older one cannot support it.
Should I check settings after?+
Yes, check your settings after an update, in case any of them changed.
Does it need battery?+
Yes, the camera needs battery power to update, so charge it if it is low.