HomeKit Motion Notifications Every 5 Minutes

I have had no issues with my EufyCam 2’s paired with Apple HomeKit up until the recent firmware updates that were pushed to the HomeBase 2 and to the EufyCam 2 on 8/13/20. The firmware updates in question for the HomeBase 2 is firmware update (2.1.1.9h), and for the EufyCam 2 it is firmware update (2.6.6). Since the these firmware updates were installed, I have been having motion notification issues within the Apple Home App ever since. What will happen is that all of my EufyCam’s now set to “Stream” in HomeKit, NOT set to “Stream & Record” (HKSV) will now trigger the cameras on board Motion Sensor every five minutes.

I have reached out to Eufy Support and the Eufy Beta Admin in charge of the Apple HomeKit Beta Testing Google Group I was part of for the HKSV Beta Testing. I have only heard back from Eufy Support, and they pushed a new firmware update to my HomeBase 2 (fw 2.1.2.2h) and to my EufyCam’s (fw 2.6.7) on 8/23/20. This firmware has done nothing and I am still receiving false motion triggered notifications every five minutes. I have removed the EufyCam’s, reset them, reset the HomeBase 2, reset all motion zones, set motion zones, set motion sensitivity to one, set motion sensitivity to detect “Only Human Motion,”nothing works.

Here are also two reddit threads indicating other users are having the same issues as well:

1.) https://amp.reddit.com/r/HomeKit/comments/ibsrlk/eufycam_homekit_notifications_every_5_minutes/

2.)

Please address these issues Eufy, as it does not appear I am the only one having this issue now.

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UPDATE:

EUfy Support Sent an email to me on Wednesday 8/26/20. Here is what they said for those interested:

Thank you very much for your informaiton.

We’ve already forwarded this issue to our engineer team and they are seriously looking into it. Our engineers will resolve this issue in the next firmware upgrade as soon as possible.

Again, sincerely apologize for all inconvenience caused and I’ll also try my best to continue forwarding this issue to the engineering team and hope they can accelerate the progress.

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Got the same message off them also as so annoying.

“ Thank you so much for the information.

I have forwarded your issue to our engineering team. And the good news is that our engineers have replicated the issue and now working on fixing the bugs with Apple engineers. We will release a new firmware update soon in 1-2 weeks, in order to resolve this issue.

Sincerely apologized for any inconvenience, and we really appreciate you bringing this issue to our attention. ”

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@AnkerSupport is there an update to this issue? @MillseyUK had received an update from your Support Team on or around 9/1/20 and stated a firmware update would be out within 1-2 weeks to address the issue. It has been 1-2 weeks and I’d like to use my EufyCam 2’s with Apple HomeKit again.

Please let us know.

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I got the update after emailing them but it totally broke the inbuilt notifications, so now I don’t get any eufy notifications which I wanted. They need to test more before they release software

@MillseyUK so you were able to contact Eufy Support to have them push you a new Firmware Update for the HomeKit notification issue? But now your not getting any notifications in either the Home App or Eufy App?

Issue 1:

I have the exact same issue with my system. Specifically bought the Eufy cameras for HomeKit integration and everything worked well until the August firmware update, now my system gets caught in this false notification every 5 minutes loop repeatedly.

I have four EufyCam 2s. Two came with the starter system and two were purchased separately. Not that it should matter but only two specific cameras get stuck in this false notification loop and they just happen to be the two add-on cameras.

This false notification loop seems to happen randomly but two specific actions have triggered it more than once. Several times when I have left my house and the HomeKit garage door closes, this every 5 minute notification loop starts and always on the two cameras mentioned above. The second action is simply opening the Homekit app when away from home. Not even to view the cameras, just opening the app at all. The cameras are on my Home page as “Favorite Cameras” so I assume HomeKit pings the cameras when the app is opened.

I can turn off the cameras for 10 minutes or so and then turn them back on. This seems to reset things until it randomly starts again.

Issue 2:

I use the motion sensors in several cameras for triggers in HomeKit automations. Basically detect motion after dark then turn on lights kind of thing. I have several automations that utilize the motion detection in different cameras. Again these all worked flawlessly until the last firmware. Now, they just trigger randomly and sometimes continuously. I had to turn them all off for now, they are simply unusable.

@AnkerSupport please understand that the ONLY reason I purchased Eufy instead of competing brands is for the HomeKit integration. I know I’m not alone. It is very disappointing and even more frustrating to have things that once worked now broken, and have been for 6 weeks. Please encourage your engineering team to fix these problems ASAP.

Please advise when we should expect a solution. Thank you.

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@AnkerSupport where is the firmware update to correct these issues? It’s going on a month now since this was due to be out to correct the HomeKit Notification issues every five minutes.

We are waiting.

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Wish I had seen this thread before purchasing a homebase 2 and pair of 2C cameras last weekend!

I’m seeing exactly the same problem in that I’m getting masses of false motion detection events from HomeKit but only genuine ones from the eufy app.

Changing the sensitivity in eufy seems to make no difference.

I was hoping to use the motion detection in HomeKit to trigger simple lights on automations but with motion being triggered constantly this is useless.

If only motion was triggered in HomeKit when it was triggered in eufy then it would be perfect. Is this how it used to work a few months ago?

Any word on a solution for this yet?

@AnkerSupport

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Confirm I’m seeing the same thing on a new install of the 2 pack 2C camera. Only ONE camera is having the issue.

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I thought I was the only one. I’ve been having the exact same issue. The automations are disabled currently.

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Very annoying…

Even I have the same problem after setting up my new eufy 2 security system. It’s really annoying and @AnkerSupport must do something quick before we start returning

Any updates? Just purchased 2 cameras yesterday but I’m not going to use them unless this issue is solved

For HomeKit I have it set to notify only when a clip is recorded and to only record when human is detected. I have not gotten any false violations. Works with latest firmware on indoor cam 2k 2.0.8.9.

@Mriksman @Jeet4u0311

Can you please post screenshots from the Eufy security app and Apple Homekit settings area so we can better assist.

thank you!

The camera in HomeKit has two parts. The Camera and the Motion Sensor.

The Motion Sensor part is what is triggering falsely. So when it is set to this


You get a lot of alerts.
And you can’t use the Motion Sensor for automation, because it is constantly triggering.
However the Camera records correctly. It only records when there is ACTUAL motion.

If I set it to “A Clip is Recorded”, I don’t receive these annoying notifications. However, in the Home app, you can still see the Motion Sensor turning on/off.

Oddly, it is only affecting ONE of the cameras…

** UPDATE **

Firmware 2.1.3.3h issued within the week of 10/28/20 to my HomeBase 2 has corrected all HomeKit false notification issues with my EufyCams in including HKSV and Streaming only settings.

Thank you Eufy Support, and everyone who stuck with this issue and continued reporting this issue to Eufy since late July/August 2020.

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@dj3w3ll1

Just curious if you do you not mind. Do you use your Eufy cams with HKSV only or the Eufy app as well? How is battery life with using just HKSV (if that is what you do)?

I really wanted to use just HKSV myself but I was getting motion alerts, even though I selected persons only, etc.

Thanks!

I want to add that 2.1.3.3h did change the way EufyCam’s work in HomeKit in regards to battery and motion detection.

Eufycams will no default to Optimal Battery Life and Only Human Detection when the cameras are placed into HomeKit.

If you are using HKSV, they will default to All Motion and Optimal Surveillance.

Unfortunately, I wish we could do All Motion and Optimal Surveillance without HKSV and just standard HomeKit, since the Human Detection isn’t accurate enough, but this is no longer possible.