Why Is UniFi Protect Failing to Send Motion Notifications?
- Motion notifications turned off
- Per-camera notifications disabled
- Notification schedule/conditions limiting it
Problem Description
UniFi Protect detects motion and records events but does not send push notifications to your phone. Per-camera notification toggles, phone notification permissions, DND schedules, NVR internet connectivity for cloud push delivery, or an expired app push token can all block notification delivery.
Why This Happens in Real Homes
When UniFi Protect records motion but doesn't send a notification, detection is working — the alert is being blocked by a notification setting. Often notifications are set to smart detections (people/vehicles) only, so plain motion records but doesn't notify, or a notification schedule limits when alerts go out.
Check the notification settings for that camera in Protect: make sure motion notifications are enabled (not restricted to smart detections), that any schedule or conditions aren't filtering them out, and that the app has phone-level notification permission. Exempt the app from Do Not Disturb and battery optimization. With motion notifications turned on and the app allowed to deliver, the alerts arrive alongside the recorded events.
Symptoms
- Records motion but no notification
- Motion events but no alert
- Motion notifications missing
- Detects but doesn't notify
- No motion push
- Alerts fail for motion
- Motion logged, not notified
- Silent motion events
Recognize these? Here's what usually causes it.
Common Causes
- Motion notifications turned off
- Per-camera notifications disabled
- Notification schedule/conditions limiting it
- Do Not Disturb / Focus
- OS battery optimization
- App notification permission off
- Smart-detection-only notifications set
- Connectivity issue for push
Most fixes happen in the first 3 steps.
Do not assume default notification policy covers newly added cameras.
Tools & Requirements
Step-by-Step Solution
Check per-camera notification settings
In the Protect mobile app: go to Devices > select the camera > Notifications. Each camera has independent notification toggles for Motion, Person, Vehicle, and other smart detection types. If the camera's notification is off: events are recorded but no push alert is sent. Enable the specific notification types you want. If you only want Person notifications (not all motion): enable Person and disable Motion to reduce notification noise.
Verify the app has push notification permissions
On iOS: Settings > Notifications > UniFi Protect > toggle on Allow Notifications, set Alert Style to Banners. On Android: Settings > Apps > UniFi Protect > Notifications > enable all channels. Also on Android: check that battery optimization is NOT enabled for Protect (Settings > Battery > Battery Optimization > Protect > Don't Optimize). Battery optimization kills background apps and blocks push notifications.
Check notification schedule and DND mode
Protect allows notification schedules and Do Not Disturb (DND) settings. In the app: Settings > Notifications > check for any schedule restrictions. If DND is active: all notifications are suppressed during that time window. Remove the schedule or adjust the quiet hours if notifications are being blocked during times you need them.
Verify the NVR has internet connectivity
Push notifications from Protect are sent through Ubiquiti's cloud relay. If the NVR has no internet access: events are recorded locally but push notifications cannot be delivered. Check: can you access the NVR remotely via the Protect app (from cellular data)? If remote access works: internet is fine. If not: check the NVR's network connection, DNS settings, and firewall rules. The NVR needs outbound HTTPS (port 443) to reach Ubiquiti's cloud servers.
Reinstall the Protect app to fix push token issues
If settings are correct and internet is working but notifications still do not arrive: the app's push notification token may be expired or corrupted. Delete the Protect app from your phone and reinstall from the App Store or Play Store. After reinstalling: log in and re-enable notification settings. The app registers a new push token with Ubiquiti's notification service. This resolves most persistent notification delivery failures.
Quick Solutions
Still having issues? This is usually the deeper cause below.
If the sensor still misses events after repositioning, check whether a scheduled 'home' or 'away' mode is overriding the sensitivity setting silently.
Alert reliability depends on both server policy and client permission state.
Notification delays over 2 minutes are almost never the device's fault — background app restrictions quietly re-enable themselves after every OS update.
- Motion notifications turned off
- Per-camera notifications disabled
- Notification schedule/conditions limiting it
- Do Not Disturb / Focus
- OS battery optimization
Before you go — try one of these (they fix most cases).
Official Manufacturer Manual
UniFi Protect provides official product documentation through their online manual rather than downloadable PDF. Access setup guides, troubleshooting steps, and product specifications for your UniFi Motion Notification Failures.
Source: help.ui.com
Need More Help? UniFi Protect Support
Note: The contact information below connects you directly to UniFi Protect's official customer support team, not Trunetto. They can help with warranty claims, device replacements, and advanced technical issues.
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