Being able to see who is at your door or whenever motion is detected close by is certainly an advantageous option for your own security, as well as that of your home. You just installed a Blink Doorbell, but now you’re wondering if you can access a live view of the camera.

All Blink Doorbell models give users the option to access Live View. You can do this by tapping on a Blink notification on your smartphone when someone is at the doorbell, opening the app, or asking Alexa to open the live view.

While installing the Blink Doorbell and connecting it to the WiFi, you will need to take a few steps to access the live view from your app and your Alexa device. Keep reading to find out what you need for a stable connection to Live View.

You are installing your Blink Doorbell and trying to connect it to your WiFi network. You are also wondering if there is a way to access the live view from the camera. The answer is yes, and there are a few ways you can do this:

  • Using the Blink appTapping on the motion detection notification on your phoneAsking an Alexa screen device to show you the live view

Below, we will take a look at how to set how to access your Blink Doorbell’s Live View feature using the methods mentioned above, step-by-step.

How to Access Live View from Your Smartphone

To access Live View, keep in mind that you will need to maintain a stable WiFi connection between your phone and the Blink Doorbell. Ideally, your internet speed will be at least 2 Mbps. Poor or unstable WiFi connectivity will prevent you from using Live View.

The first step is to connect the camera to your phone. Download and install the Blink App, then  follow these steps:

  • Open the Blink App.Click the “+” sign in the upper right corner of the screen to add a new device.Choose “Blink Video Doorbell” or whatever other device you’re trying to connect. Scan the QR code on the back of your Blink Doorbell.Add it to your existing system, or create a new one if this is your first Blink device.Put the batteries in the Blink Doorbell and wait for the red LED to start blinking.Click “Continue” on the app.

Now, your Blink Doorbell is connected to your smartphone. When you’re ready to access Live View, just open the app, find the camera preview, and tap on the video camera icon. If the video ends before you are done watching, tap this icon again.

When something moves in front of the camera and the motion sensor is activated, you will get an alert on your smartphone. While you will not be able to see a preview of the camera view from the notification panel, you can tap on this notification to open the app and watch Live View. 

If someone is at the door, you can also use Blink’s two-way voice communication feature to speak to them. Tap once on the microphone icon, then begin speaking. If your phone does not have echo cancellation, you will need to press and hold the microphone button to talk and release it to hear the person on the other end.

How to Access Live View Using Alexa

If you have an Alexa device that has a built-in screen, such as the Echo Show 8, you can use your device to ask Alexa to show the camera’s Live View. To do this, you will first need to do the following:

  • Open the Alexa App on your smartphone.Tap the menu icon.Select “Skills and games.”Type Blink and select “Blink Skills.”

If you have an existing Blink device connected to Alexa, a notification will pop up during the connection process. This is an Alexa notification that will appear while the Blink Doorbell LED is blinking red. Tap on the notification to automatically connect the camera to the system.

This will allow Alexa to connect to all your Blink devices. Now, when someone triggers the Blink Doorbell, either by pushing the button or activating the motion sensor, Alexa will notify you. However, Live View will not begin automatically. To open it, you can say, “Alexa, show Blink Doorbell,” and the Live View will start. To end the Live View, say, “Alexa, stop.”

Just like your smartphone, Alexa allows you to use the two-way talk feature. This time, however, you will see a speaker icon rather than a microphone icon.

Wrapping Up

It is possible to access a live view of your Blink Doorbell’s camera. This can be done through the Blink app, by tapping on the notification on your phone you get when the doorbell is triggered, or simply by asking Alexa to show you the live view.