When the SimpliSafe Wireless Outdoor Camera shows clips at the wrong time or reports a status that does not match what you see, the cause is usually the time zone or the way the system keeps time, and not a fault in the camera. The camera does not carry a clock that you set by hand. It takes its time from SimpliSafe's service and from your system's settings, so a time that is an hour or several hours off points to a time zone or daylight saving setting.
The checks in more detail
Open the SimpliSafe app, go to the system settings and look for the time zone or location of the system, and check that it matches where the camera is. A system registered at an old address, or a phone with a different time zone in a traveling month, can be the source. Correct it and see whether new clips take the right time. The timeline in the app shows clips in your phone's time, and the clip's own time stamp comes from the service, so a mismatch can also be a phone that has its own wrong time or a manual time zone.
Set the phone to automatic date and time. After a daylight saving change, clips may show an hour off for a short time until the settings update; restart the app or the camera. If the camera status is wrong, for example it says offline when you can see it working, or it shows a low battery that is not true, check the app is current, since the status comes from the cloud and may lag after a Wi-Fi blip. Battery status can mislead. The battery reading updates when the camera wakes and reports, so a reading that looks old may need a fresh report;
wake the camera by walking in front of it or opening the live view. A camera with a weak Wi-Fi link reports late, which looks like a wrong status. Improve the signal and check the reading again. Make sure that the camera's firmware is up to date, which happens automatically when it is connected and charged. If the time stays wrong for every camera and after the time zone is correct, or if status stays wrong, contact SimpliSafe support with the system details. Record some examples with times to help them.
Differential
Likely causes of “SimpliSafe Wireless Outdoor Security Camera shows the wrong time, state or sensor reading”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
The system's time zone is wrong
What separates it Clips are hours off
How to confirm Correct the time zone in the system settings
- 2
The phone has its own wrong time
What separates it The timeline looks off
How to confirm Set automatic date and time
- 3
A daylight saving change
What separates it Clips are an hour off briefly
How to confirm Restart the app and camera
- 4
A late status report
What separates it The battery or online state is wrong
How to confirm Wake the camera and refresh
- 5
A weak Wi-Fi link
What separates it Late reports
How to confirm Improve the signal
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- How far off the time is
- The system's time zone
- The phone's time setting
- The camera's battery and signal
Try in this order
0 of 6 completedCheck the system time zone
ReversibleIn the app.
Set the phone to automatic time
ReversibleIn its settings.
Restart the app and camera
ReversibleAfter a time change.
Wake the camera
ReversibleFor a fresh status.
Improve the Wi-Fi
ReversibleIf reports lag.
Contact SimpliSafe
ReversibleWith examples.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- Time source
- From SimpliSafe's service and the system settings.
- Status
- It can lag after a Wi-Fi blip.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !If the time stays wrong after the time zone is correct, contact SimpliSafe with examples
- !Keep the app updated
- !Improve Wi-Fi if reports are late
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Exact questions
Common questions
Why are my clips an hour off?+
A time zone or daylight saving setting.
Does the camera have its own clock?+
It takes time from the service.
Why is the battery reading old?+
It updates when the camera wakes.
Does Wi-Fi matter?+
A weak link makes reports late.