Blink cameras are becoming expandingly popular. They are a great security camera that primarily relies on their cloud service for video playback. Blink’s cloud-based video storage requires a Blink subscription unless you were grandfathered into the old plan. What about local storage on an SD card or a USB drive?
Blink Cameras themselves do not use SD Cards, USB drives, or any other type of removable storage. The Blink Sync Module 2 is the only Blink device that has a port for a USB Drive, allowing users to save video locally instead of in the cloud.
Blink does sell a Blink branded USB drive for those who are interested. It’s 64 GB, which is a quarter of the max supported size of 256 GB.
Whether you choose to use Blink’s cloud-based service or store your videos locally, you will be able to view your videos through the Blink app. If you store your videos on the USB drive, you can also view your videos on other devices by inserting the USB drive.
If you are interested in storing the video locally instead of paying for a cloud-based service, I’ll discuss your options in this article.
If you have any questions about what the storage options Blink subscription offers versus local storage, you can find the most up-to-date information on the Blink support site located here.
Related Content: What Is The USB Port On The Blink Sync Module 2 For? How To Save Blink Clips To A USB Drive
Do Blink Cameras Use SD Cards?
First, let’s clear up the air about what an SD Card is versus a USB drive. SD Cards are flat memory cards that are designed to be inserted into a slot. These days, the most common form is the micro SD card, which is often used in cell phones for additional memory for photos and videos.
USB drives, sometimes called thumb drives or flash drives, are designed to be inserted into a USB port. Their purpose is basically the same as an SD Card. The main difference is what kind of port they are inserted into.
So, do Blink Cameras Use SD Cards or USB drives? Blink Cameras do not use SD Cards or USB drives but are designed to send any video or pictures to the cloud or a Sync Module. The Blink Sync Module 2 has a USB port that can be used to store video locally on a USB Drive.
Okay, so Blink cameras don’t have a way to store video at all. They transmit it directly to the cloud over WiFi or send it to a Sync Module. Let’s learn a little bit more about these Sync Modules.
Does Blink Camera Have Local Storage?
There are no slots for an SD card or USB ports on a Blink Camera. If you don’t want to pay for a Blink Subscription plan, you will need to somehow store your videos and photos. Otherwise, you will get a notification of activity and be sent to Live View mode. No Moton Clip will be saved.
Blink Cameras do not have local storage. However, the Blink Sync Module 2 can be wirelessly connected to a Blink Camera and locally stored on an attached USB Drive. Live View can only be saved with a Blink Subscription. Motion Clips can be saved regardless of subscription.
There was a lot of information packed into that paragraph that I want to make sure you understood.
First, only the newer Sync Module 2 is capable of local storage. The original Sync Module does not have a USB port designed for a USB drive and cannot store any video. The original Sync Module sends all clips to the cloud.
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Does Blink Mini Have An SD Card?
Blink Indoor and Outdoor cameras have to be connected to a Sync Module. They will work with either version of the module. The Blink Mini camera connects to WiFi and does not require a Sync Module to send video to the cloud. However, the Sync Module 2 is still needed if you want to store video locally.
Does the Blink Mini use an SD Card or USB Drive? The Blink Mini does not have local storage. It does not use an SD memory card or USB Drive. The Blink Mini can connect to the Sync Module 2 for local storage of video clips, even though it is not required for the cloud-based subscription service.
What USB Drive Is Compatible With Blink?
Hopefully, I’ve driven the point home that you will need the Blink Sync Module 2 if you want to store videos on a USB drive. Now you’re wondering which USB drives will work with the Blink Sync Module 2.
The Blink Sync Module supports USB drives between 1 GB and 256 GB in memory size and is designed to be inserted into a USB Type-A port. The Sync Module uses USB 2.0 protocol, so either USB 2.0 or USB 3.0 drives can be used.
USB Type-A ports are the big rectangle-shaped ones.
USB protocol is backward compatible, so that is why a USB 3.0 drive will work. That said, you will only get USB 2.0 speeds.
The USB drive may need to be formatted before you can use it. The Sync Module will prompt you if that is necessary. Typically, USB drives are formatted before being sold, but not always.
Caution: Back up any data you have on the USB drive before formatting it. Formatting the USB Drive will permanently erase any data!
For more information on questions, I didn’t answer, check out the Blink support page for the Sync Module 2 located here.
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Commonly Asked Questions
Sorry if these are redundant; I see these questions asked a lot about specific Blink camera models. The information I already discussed applies to all newer models, including Blink Outdoor, Blink Indoor (2nd gen & up), and Blink Mini.
Older Blink Cameras are not compatible with the Blink Sync Module 2, and therefore cannot store video locally. The upside is that these older cameras are grandfathered in and do not require a subscription for cloud-based video storage.
Read Also: How Many Blink Cameras Can You Have on One Module? Revealed!
Does The Blink Outdoor Camera Use An SD Card?
Blink Outdoor cameras do not use SD Cards or any other type of external storage. Blink Outdoor cameras can be connected to a Blink Sync Module 2, which has a port for a USB Drive designed to save video locally instead of in the cloud.
Does Blink XT2 Have Local Storage?
The Blink XT2 does not have local storage and is not compatible with local storage on the Blink Sync Module 2. However, Blink XT2 cameras are allowed 2 Hours (7200 seconds) of cloud storage per Sync Module.