Do Security Cameras Record During a Power Outage?
What keeps recording during an outage depends on camera power, NVR power, network gear, batteries and local storage.
Most wired cameras stop immediately when their power source disappears. Whether the system continues recording depends on every device in the chain, not just the camera.
PoE system
A PoE camera receives power from the switch or NVR. Put the recorder, PoE switch and router on a UPS and the cameras can keep running until the UPS is exhausted. If the recorder survives but the PoE switch does not, the video path still fails.
Battery cameras
Battery cameras continue operating through a home power outage, but remote access may disappear if the router and modem lose power. Local recording can still preserve events if the camera supports it.
Cloud cameras
Cloud recording needs power at the camera and a functioning internet path. A battery camera plus battery-backed router can survive a short outage; otherwise the cloud connection fails even if the camera itself remains on.
Design the backup around runtime
Calculate the combined watts of the NVR, switch, router, modem and cameras. Then choose a UPS based on real runtime at that load, not only the VA number printed on the box.
Use our Security Camera UPS Runtime Calculator to estimate runtime.