Why Is UniFi Protect Timeline Missing Events?
- Recording mode didn't capture the period
- Storage full / overwritten
- Retention expired for that period
Problem Description
The UniFi Protect timeline is missing events — expected motion or smart detection events do not appear in the timeline view. Timeline filters may be hiding events, motion detection may be disabled, the recording mode may suppress event creation, storage pressure may have purged old events, or the timeline index may need rebuilding.
Why This Happens in Real Homes
Missing events in the UniFi Protect timeline usually mean the footage was never recorded, was already overwritten, or is filtered out of view. If the recording mode wasn't capturing that period, the camera was offline, or storage filled and overwrote it, there's simply nothing there — and a detection filter on the timeline can hide events that do exist.
Confirm the recording mode was capturing during the period in question, that retention hasn't expired and storage wasn't overwritten, and that the camera was online then. Clear any detection/type filter on the timeline view so all events show. Check disk health and that time-sync is correct (wrong time places events on the wrong part of the timeline). Recording mode, storage, and filters cover nearly all "missing timeline" cases.
Symptoms
- Timeline missing events
- Events absent from the timeline
- Gaps in the timeline
- Recorded events not shown
- Missing footage in the timeline
- Timeline incomplete
- Events dropped from timeline
- No events in a period
Recognize these? Here's what usually causes it.
Common Causes
- Recording mode didn't capture the period
- Storage full / overwritten
- Retention expired for that period
- Camera offline during the events
- Detection filter hiding events
- Indexing/sync delay
- Disk/storage issue
- Timezone/time-sync mismatch
Most fixes happen in the first 3 steps.
Do not tune retention aggressively without checking drive throughput impact.
Tools & Requirements
Step-by-Step Solution
Check the timeline filter settings
The Protect timeline has filters that can hide events. At the top of the timeline: check the filter buttons for Motion, Person, Vehicle, Smart Detections. If only 'Person' is selected: plain motion events (without smart detection) are hidden from the timeline. Click 'All' or enable all event types to see everything. Also check the camera filter: if a specific camera is selected, events from other cameras are hidden. Reset all filters to 'All Cameras' and 'All Types' to see the complete event history.
Verify motion detection is enabled on the camera
If a camera's motion detection is disabled: no events are generated and nothing appears on the timeline. In Protect: Devices > select camera > Settings > Motion Detection > verify enabled. Also check motion sensitivity — very low sensitivity may miss events. Check motion zones: if zones are defined but too small, motion outside the zones is not recorded. For a camera that should catch everything: remove all zones (full-frame detection) and set sensitivity to 60-70%.
Check the recording mode
If the recording mode is 'Never' or 'Disabled': no recordings or events are created. In Protect: Devices > camera > Recording Mode. Set to 'Always' (continuous recording with events) or 'Detections Only' (records only when motion triggers). Both modes generate timeline events. Only 'Never' suppresses all recording and event generation. If switched to 'Detections Only': the timeline only shows clips around detected motion, not continuous footage.
Verify storage has not purged the events
If the NVR storage is full or nearly full: old events are automatically deleted to make room. If retention is set to 7 days but storage only supports 3 days at current bitrate: events older than 3 days are gone. Check storage: Settings > Storage. If near 100%: reduce retention, lower bitrate, or add storage. Events deleted due to storage pressure cannot be recovered.
Restart Protect to fix timeline indexing issues
If events were recorded (you can see them in the Events page) but do not appear on the timeline: the timeline index may be corrupted. Restart Protect: UniFi OS > Applications > Protect > Restart. After restart: the timeline rebuilds its index from the recording database. This can take several minutes for systems with many cameras and long retention. If events still do not appear after restart: restart the entire UniFi OS for a full database reindex.
Quick Solutions
Still having issues? This is usually the deeper cause below.
If this comes back after following these steps, check whether a recent app or firmware update reset a default setting — the fix works, but the setting gets reverted silently.
Use controlled motion tests after policy changes to validate timeline integrity.
This issue almost always looks more complex than it is — the majority of cases trace back to a single setting, a stale credential, or a default that shipped wrong.
- Recording mode didn't capture the period
- Storage full / overwritten
- Retention expired for that period
- Camera offline during the events
- Detection filter hiding events
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 Timeline Gaps.
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.