Can you retrieve deleted blink videos？

​Blink security cameras, which are part of Amazon’s range of smart home products, offer users peace of mind with their motion detection, remote monitoring, and cloud storage capabilities. These cameras can record important moments and save them as videos in the cloud. However, like many digital platforms, Blink’s video storage system is not immune to accidental deletion, loss of data, or other technical failures.

Blink Video Storage

Cloud Storage: Blink videos are typically stored in the cloud via Blink’s cloud subscription service. This means your videos are uploaded to Blink’s servers, making them accessible from any device linked to your account.

Local Storage: Blink also offers local storage through Sync Modules with a USB drive attached. This means videos can be stored on a physical device in your home, but this setup is more limited compared to the cloud service.

Video Retention: Depending on your subscription plan (Free or Blink Subscription Plan), the length of time videos are retained in the cloud may vary. The free plan generally stores videos for 7 days, while the Blink Subscription Plan allows up to 60 days of cloud storage. Videos stored on a local USB drive are typically only available until the drive is full or videos are manually deleted.

With this understanding, the recovery of deleted Blink videos hinges on whether they were backed up or stored in the cloud or on local storage. Now let’s explore the steps you can take to retrieve those deleted videos.

Step 1: Check the Blink App’s Trash Bin (Cloud Storage Recovery)

For users who subscribe to Blink’s cloud storage plan, the first and easiest step in video recovery is to check Blink’s trash bin feature in the mobile app. Blink automatically moves deleted videos into a “Trash” folder, where they may stay for a limited period (usually 7 days) before being permanently erased.

How to Check the Trash Bin:

Open the Blink app: Launch the Blink app on your smartphone or tablet.

Access the Video Library: Tap on the “Video Library” or “Events” section in the app.

Navigate to the Trash Bin: Look for an option labeled “Trash” or “Deleted Items.” This is where Blink temporarily stores deleted videos.

Restore the Video: If your video is present in the trash bin, tap on it to view it. You’ll typically have the option to restore it to the main library.

If the deleted video is within the retention period of the trash folder, restoring it is a simple task. However, if the video has already been purged from the trash, you’ll need to move to other recovery methods.

Step 2: Review Blink Subscription Plan Settings

If you are subscribed to a Blink Subscription Plan, your videos are stored for a longer period compared to free plan users. In this case, it’s worth checking whether you have any active backups or whether the video might be retrievable from the cloud, even if it was deleted recently.

How to Check Cloud Backup Settings:

Log into Your Blink Account: Go to the Blink website or open the app and log into your account.

Review Storage Options: Check your current subscription and storage settings. If you’ve subscribed to the Blink Subscription Plan, your video retention may be longer, increasing the chance of recovery.

Contact Blink Support: If you cannot find the video in your app’s trash bin and it’s beyond the 7-day retention window, reach out to Blink support to inquire if they can retrieve older videos or perform a deeper restoration.

Step 3: Recover from Local USB Storage (Sync Module)

If you’ve configured your Blink system to store videos on a local USB drive, you may have a better chance of recovering deleted footage. In this case, recovery will depend on whether the video has been overwritten or if it’s still present on the drive.

Steps to Recover from Local Storage:

Check the USB Drive: If your Blink system is connected to a Sync Module with a USB drive, disconnect the drive from the module and connect it directly to your computer.

Look for Deleted Files: When you connect the USB drive to your computer, you can use file recovery software to search for deleted Blink videos.

Use Data Recovery Software: Tools like Recuva (for Windows) or Disk Drill (for Mac) can scan the USB drive for deleted files that have not yet been overwritten. Follow the on-screen instructions in the software to recover lost files.

If the videos have already been overwritten, recovery may not be possible, so it’s crucial to attempt this process as soon as possible after the video is deleted.

Step 4: Use Third-Party Video Recovery Tools

Panda Assistant is a data recovery tool designed to help users retrieve deleted files from various devices, including Blink video footage. If you have accidentally deleted Blink videos, Panda Assistant may offer a solution, especially if the videos were stored locally on a USB drive or SD card connected to your Blink system.

To retrieve deleted Blink videos, you can use Panda Assistant in the following way:

Connect the Device: If the videos were stored locally, connect the USB drive or SD card to your computer.

Scan for Deleted Files: Launch Panda Assistant and select the drive you want to scan for deleted videos.

Preview and Recover: After the scan, preview the recovered files. If the deleted Blink videos are found, you can restore them to your computer or another storage device.

While Panda Assistant is effective for recovering locally stored data, it may not work for videos that were deleted from Blink’s cloud storage, as cloud backups usually don’t allow recovery after a certain retention period. For cloud-based video recovery, you would need to check Blink’s trash bin or contact Blink support directly.

Step 5: Preventing Future Video Deletions

Now that you’ve learned how to recover deleted Blink videos, it’s important to take preventative measures to ensure that you don’t lose valuable footage in the future. Here are some tips to safeguard your Blink videos:

Set Up Cloud Backups: Make sure you’re subscribed to Blink’s cloud storage plan to retain videos for longer periods. Regularly back up your important footage by downloading it to your device.

Enable Local Storage: Use Blink’s local storage feature to save videos on an attached USB drive. This way, even if something goes wrong with your cloud storage, you’ll have a backup available.

Create a Video Archiving System: Consider archiving important videos to an external hard drive or cloud service of your choice for long-term storage.

Use a Video Management App: Many third-party apps can help manage and backup your Blink videos automatically. Consider using a tool like IFTTT (If This Then That) to automatically save Blink videos to another cloud storage service, such as Google Drive or Dropbox.

Step 6: Contact Blink Support for Further Assistance

If you’ve tried all the steps outlined above and are still unable to recover your Blink videos, your last option is to contact Blink’s customer support team. While they may not be able to restore permanently deleted footage, they can provide further troubleshooting, confirm whether there are any server-side backups, and help guide you through advanced recovery options.

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