Quick Answer:
Most home security cameras keep footage for 7 to 30 days, depending on storage type, recording mode, and resolution. For Australian homes, event-based recording stores footage significantly longer than continuous 24/7 recording.
Once storage is full, most systems automatically overwrite the oldest footage first. Cloud storage retention depends on your subscription plan, typically 7 to 30 days.
Security cameras do not store footage forever. Whether you are setting up a home security camera system for the first time or reviewing an existing setup in your Australian home, knowing how long your recordings last before they are overwritten helps you avoid losing footage when you actually need it.
How Long Do Security Cameras Typically Keep Footage?
Retention time varies by setup, but these are the typical ranges for home use:
| Setup | Typical Retention |
|---|---|
| microSD card (32GB), event recording | Around 2 to 3 days of event footage |
| microSD card (128GB), event recording | Several weeks |
| microSD card (128GB), continuous 2K/4K | Around 5 to 6 days |
| HomeBase with 16GB internal storage | 1 to 3 months (event recording, 1 to 2 cameras) |
| HomeBase 3 with expanded HDD/SSD (up to 16TB) | Several months to years |
| Cloud storage (subscription) | 7 to 30 days, rolling |
| NVR with 2TB hard drive, multiple cameras | 20 to 30 days continuous |
These figures assume typical home use. Actual retention depends on recording mode, resolution, and how often motion is detected. Always check your specific camera's storage settings for accurate estimates.
What Determines How Long Your Footage Is Kept?
Several factors work together to determine how long footage lasts before it gets overwritten.
Recording Mode Has the Biggest Impact
Recording mode is the single biggest factor in how long footage lasts. From longest to shortest retention on the same storage:
- Event-based recording (AI-filtered): Only records when AI detects a specific trigger such as a person or vehicle. Fewest recordings, longest retention. Most eufy cameras default to this mode.
- Event-based recording (motion-triggered): Records whenever any motion is detected. Longer retention than continuous, but busy environments generate more clips than AI-filtered mode.
- Continuous 24/7 recording: Records non-stop regardless of activity. Fills storage fastest. A 128GB card in continuous 2K/4K mode lasts around 5 to 6 days before looping.
Switching from continuous to event-based recording is the fastest way to extend how long your footage lasts without changing any hardware.
Higher Resolution and Frame Rate Shorten Retention
Higher resolution produces larger files. A 4K camera uses roughly four times the storage of a 1080p camera recording the same scene. Frame rate works the same way: 30 frames per second uses twice the storage of 15 fps. Pairing high resolution with continuous recording depletes storage quickly.
More Storage Capacity Means Longer Retention
More storage means longer retention, all else being equal. A 32GB microSD card holds less than a quarter of what a 128GB card holds. Systems with expandable storage, such as a base station connected to an external hard drive, can extend retention to months or years.
Better Compression Stretches the Same Storage Further
Modern cameras use compression standards like H.264 or H.265 to reduce file sizes without significantly reducing image quality. H.265 stores the same quality footage in roughly half the space of H.264, effectively doubling retention time on the same storage.
Each Extra Camera Divides Your Total Retention
Each additional camera adds another stream of footage competing for the same storage. Four cameras recording simultaneously use roughly four times the storage of one camera, which reduces the retention window proportionally.
High Motion Frequency Fills Storage Faster
In event mode, a camera monitoring a busy driveway generates far more footage than one pointed at a quiet back fence. Higher motion frequency fills storage faster, even with event-based recording.
What Is the Difference Between Continuous and Event-Based Recording?
| Feature | Continuous Recording | Event-Based Recording |
|---|---|---|
| What it records | Everything, non-stop | Only when motion is detected |
| Storage usage | High | Low to moderate |
| Typical retention on 128GB | 5 to 6 days (2K/4K) | Several weeks |
| Best for | Complete audit trail needed | Most home setups |
| Risk | Storage fills fast | Short events may be missed |
Event-based recording is the default mode on most home security cameras and the better choice for extending retention time. Continuous recording suits situations where an uninterrupted record is required, such as monitoring a cash register or a key access point, but it demands significantly more storage to maintain the same retention window.
How Long Do Local Storage and Cloud Storage Keep Footage?
Local storage keeps footage until the storage is physically full, then overwrites the oldest footage. Cloud storage keeps footage for a fixed number of days set by your subscription plan, then deletes it automatically.
| Feature | Local Storage | Cloud Storage |
|---|---|---|
| Retention limit | Physical capacity only | Plan limit (7, 14, or 30 days) |
| Cost | One-time hardware cost | Ongoing monthly subscription |
| Access | On-device or via app when online | Anywhere with internet |
| Off-site backup | No | Yes |
| Best for | Long-term retention, no ongoing cost | Off-site backup, device loss protection |
For most Australian households, local storage offers longer retention at lower cost. Cloud storage works best as a supplement for critical footage rather than a primary storage method.
How Do You Work Out How Long Your Footage Will Last?
Open your camera app and check the storage or recording settings. Most apps show current storage usage and an estimated number of days remaining based on current recording activity.
If your app does not show an estimate, you can work it out manually. Check your storage capacity and recording mode, then compare against the typical figures in the table above. For example, a 128GB card on a 2K camera in event mode typically lasts several weeks under normal home conditions. The same card in continuous 4K mode lasts around five to six days.
The key variables are storage size, recording mode, resolution, and how frequently your camera triggers. Changing any one of these changes your retention window.
What Happens When Your Camera Storage Gets Full?
Most security cameras use loop recording: when storage reaches capacity, the oldest footage is automatically overwritten by new recordings. This keeps the system running continuously without any manual maintenance.
A few things worth knowing:
- You cannot recover footage that has already been overwritten. Once it is gone, it is gone.
- Some systems let you mark or favourite specific clips to protect them from being overwritten.
- Australian Standard AS 4806.1 recommends a minimum retention period of 31 days for CCTV systems, which is a useful benchmark if footage may be needed as evidence.
- If you need footage for a police report or insurance claim, export the relevant clips as soon as possible and do not assume they will still be there in a week.
What Can You Do If Your Storage Fills Up Too Fast?
Switch to Event-Based Recording
The fastest fix, no new hardware needed. Open your camera app and switch from continuous to event-based recording. Adding AI filtering for people or vehicles cuts down recordings further, extending the same storage from days to weeks.
Upgrade Your Storage Card
Moving from 32GB to 128GB roughly quadruples your retention window. Most cameras support cards up to 128GB. Check your camera's maximum capacity before purchasing.
Add a Base Station with Expandable Storage
The most practical long-term solution for homes that need more than 30 days. eufy's HomeBase 3 (S380) supports expansion up to 16TB via external HDD or SSD, keeping event footage from one to two cameras for several months to years with no monthly fee.
Enable Cloud Backup for Critical Clips
Keep a copy off-site in case your device is lost or stolen. eufy's optional Cloud Backup retains event footage for 30 days on a rolling basis, working alongside local storage rather than replacing it.
Export Important Clips Manually
The only guaranteed way to keep specific footage indefinitely. If an incident occurs, back up the relevant clips to a computer or USB drive before the loop reaches them.
Keep the Footage That Matters with eufy
Most home incidents come to light within a few days. A 7 to 30 day retention window covers the vast majority of real-world scenarios. If you need longer retention, expanding local storage is the most cost-effective path. eufy's range of cameras and base stations is built around local storage and no subscription fees, so you control how long footage is kept without an ongoing cost attached to it.
FAQs
Q1: How do I find out how many days my security camera keeps footage?
Open your camera app and check the storage or recording settings. Most apps display current storage usage and an estimated number of days remaining based on current recording activity. You can also compare your storage capacity and recording mode against typical figures: a 128GB card in event mode typically lasts several weeks, while continuous 4K recording on the same card lasts around five to six days.
Q2: If I need footage for a police report or insurance claim, how long do I have?
Act as quickly as possible. Most home cameras overwrite old footage within 7 to 30 days, and once footage is overwritten, it cannot be recovered. Export or back up the relevant clips to a separate device the moment you become aware of an incident. For insurance claims in particular, having footage saved separately, rather than relying on your camera's loop, is strongly recommended.
Q3: Why is my security camera only keeping a few days of footage?
The most common reasons are continuous recording mode, high resolution, a small storage card, or high motion frequency. A 4K camera recording continuously can fill a 128GB card in around five days. Switching to event-based recording, lowering resolution slightly, or upgrading to a larger storage card will all extend retention significantly. Check your recording mode in the camera app first, as this is usually the quickest fix.
Q4: Is there a minimum footage retention period required in Australia?
For residential properties, there is no legally mandated minimum retention period under Australian federal law. Australian Standard AS 4806.1 recommends a minimum of 31 days for CCTV systems, and this is commonly applied to commercial premises. Some industries, such as banking and gaming, have specific regulatory requirements for longer retention. For home use, 7 to 30 days is the widely accepted practical standard.
Q5: Can I recover overwritten security camera footage?
In most cases, no. Once footage has been overwritten through loop recording, it cannot be recovered from the camera or storage device. Some cloud-based systems retain a brief window for recovery from a trash folder, but local storage on microSD cards or hard drives offers no recovery once the data is gone. The only reliable protection is to export important clips before they are overwritten, or to use a cloud backup that keeps footage on a separate server.
