How to put a timer on the camera Xiaomi: 3 working methods + hidden settings

Why you need a timer on Xiaomi cameras and what problems it solves

Xiaomi cameras are some of the most popular smart home devices, but their constant operation can create several problems. First, continuous recording eats up space on a memory card or in the cloud. Second, some models (such as the Mi Home Security Camera 360° 2K or Xiaomi Smart Camera C400) overheat when working around the clock, which reduces the life of the camera. Third, if the camera is installed in a bedroom or nursery, constant display and fan noise can interfere with sleep.

The timer solves all these problems: it allows you to automatically turn off the camera at a given time (for example, at night) or turn it on only on a schedule (for example, when you are not at home), while you do not lose control - motion notifications will come only during active periods, and the recording will not fill up the memory with unnecessary files. In this article, we will analyze all the ways to configure the timer: from standard functions in Mi Home to hidden capabilities through Mi Home Automation and third-party firmware.

Method 1: Timer via the official Mi Home app (the easiest)

If you have a camera from Xiaomi’s ecosystem (e.g. Mi Home Security Camera Basic 1080p or Xiaomi Smart Camera C300), the easiest way to set up a timer is through the official app, which works on all models released after 2018 and does not require root rights or additional software.

Step instructions:

Open the Mi Home app and select your camera from the device list.
Go to Settings → Automation → Timer (on some firmware, the path may look like a Smart Home → Automation → Create → Scheduled).
Click Add Rule and select Schedule.
Specify the time of camera on and off (for example, from 8:00 to 23:00).
In the Action section, select Turn on the camera or Turn off the camera (depending on the task).
Keep the rule and check its work.

An important nuance: in some regions (for example, for servers Russia (RF) or Europe), the timer option may be hidden. To see it, switch to the server China (China) in the account settings.

📱 Go to the profile in Mi Home (the icon of the person in the upper right corner).
🌐 Click on the country at the top of the screen and select (China).
🔄 Restart the app – the timer option will appear in the camera menu.

📊 What Xiaomi Camera Are You Using?

Mi Home Security Camera 360°

Xiaomi Smart Camera C400

Mi Home Security Camera Basic

Another model

I don't know.

Method 2: Automation with Mi Home Automation (for advanced users)

If a standard timer isn’t enough (for example, you only need to turn on the camera when you’re not home or sync it with other devices), use the Automation section of Mi Home, which allows you to create complex scenarios with multiple conditions.

Example of settings:

Open Mi Home → Smart Home → Automation → Create → Custom script.
As a condition, select a Schedule and specify the time (for example, "Every day from 9:00 to 18:00").
Add the second condition, Geolocation (if you want the camera to work only when you are not home).
In the Action section, select your camera and the Enable command.
Save the script and test it out.

The advantage of this is flexibility, and you can set up, for example:

🕒 Daily shutdown of the camera at night (from 23:00 to 7:00).
🏠 Auto-onlyting when leaving home (by geolocation of the smartphone).
🔋 Shutdown at low battery charge (if the camera is wireless).
🌡️ Activation when the motion sensor is triggered (for example, from Xiaomi Motion Sensor).

Make sure the camera is connected to 2.4GHz Wi-Fi

Update the camera firmware to the latest version

Check that geolocation is enabled on your smartphone

Turn it off. VPN (It can block Xiaomi servers)-->

Limitation: Some models (e.g. Xiaomi Mi Home Security Camera 2) do not support geolocation in automation, in which case use virtual devices (e.g. Mi Home Virtual Switch) to bypass the restrictions.

⚠️ Note: If the camera does not respond to the schedule after setting up the automation, check the settings. → General. → Region in the application. For the correct operation of geolocation and timers, a region corresponding to your location should be selected (for example, Russia for Russia).

Method 3: Timer through third-party firmware (for power users)

If your Xiaomi camera is running on alternative firmware (e.g, RTSP-If you have firmware from AlexxIT or OpenIPC, then the standard timer setting methods may not work:

Cron-tasks (for firmware based on Linux).
Python scripts (via camera API)
Integration with Home Assistant (if the camera is connected to the smart home system)

Example of settings via cron (for firmware with SSH-access):

Turn off the camera at 23:00


0 23   * /usr/bin/curl -X POST http://192.168.1.100/cgi-bin/control.cgi?cmd=poweroff



Turn on the camera at 7:00.



0 7   * /usr/bin/curl -X POST http://192.168.1.100/cgi-bin/control.cgi?cmd=poweron

Where 192.168.1.100 — IP-Your camera address on the local network. To find out the exact address, use the command:

arp -a | grep "microcontroller"

For AlexxIT firmware, you can use the built-in web interface:

Open it in your browser. http://[IP_camera]/.
Go to the Schedule section (Schedule).
Add the on/off rule in time.

How to get root access to Xiaomi camera?

To obtain root-rights will require: 1. Disassemble the camera body and connect to the UART-Port (usually 4 contacts: GND, TX, RX, 3.3V). 2. Use a terminal program (e.g. PuTTY) to connect at 115200 bpm 3. Interrupt the firmware load and enter commands to mount the file system in write mode. ⚠️ This will void the warranty and may result in the device being “bricked!

Camera model	Support for a standard timer	Support for automation	Support for cron/scripts
Mi Home Security Camera 360° 1080p	✅ Yes.	✅ Yes.	❌ No (no firmware)
Xiaomi Smart Camera C400	✅ Yes.	✅ Yes.	⚠️ Partially (required) RTSP)
Mi Home Security Camera 2	❌ No.	⚠️ Just basic.	✅ Yes. SSH)
Xiaomi Mi Home Camera 360° 2K	✅ Yes.	✅ Yes.	⚠️ Only with AlexxIT firmware

Hidden timer settings: what will not be told in the instructions

Even experienced users are often unaware of the additional timer features on Xiaomi cameras. Here are a few life hacks:

🕐 Minute interval: In automation, you can set the timer to within minutes (for example, turn on at 8:15, not just at 8:00 or 8:30.
🔄 Cyclic timer: Set up several rules with different times so that the camera is turned on/off several times a day (for example, to record only during peak hours).
📡 Wi-Fi priority: If the camera loses connection, the timer may get lost. To avoid this, fix it. MAC-address of the camera in the router and turn off the energy saving for it IP.
🔋 Battery savings: On battery models (e.g. Xiaomi Mi Wireless Camera), the overnight shutdown timer extends the operation without recharging on the battery. 30-40%.

Another secret: if your camera supports activity zones (e.g., Mi Home Security Camera 360° 2K), you can combine the timer with motion detection settings.

From 22:00 to 6:00 – the camera is completely turned off.
From 6:00 to 8:00 – works only in the Door zone (ignores the movement in the rest of the frame).
From 8:00 to 22:00 – full recording in all zones.

💡

If the timer gets lost after a firmware update, reset the camera to factory settings (Settings → General → Reset) and reset it. This helps 90% of the time.

Frequent mistakes and how to fix them

Even if you set up the camera timer correctly, Xiaomi can malfunction. Here are the most common problems and solutions:

❌ Timer doesn't work: Check that the camera is power saving mode (in some firmware it blocks automation). Make sure the camera time is synchronized with the Internet (Settings) → System system → Date and time).
❌ The camera does not turn off on schedule: In some models (for example, Xiaomi Smart Camera) C300) You need to separate the Cloud Recording and Local Recording, check if geofence is interfering (if geolocation is used in automation).
❌ Timer gets lost after reboot: Update the camera firmware and Mi Home app to the latest version. If the problem persists, create a duplicate rule in Google Assistant or Alice (if the camera is integrated with them).

Pay special attention to cloud servers: if your camera is tied to an account on a server in China, and you are in Russia, there may be delays in the operation of the timer up to 5-10 minutes.

Re-register the camera on your region’s server.
Or use local scripts (via Home Assistant or Node-RED).

⚠️ Note: On firmware cameras older than 2020 (e.g. Mi Home Security Camera) 1S) The timer may not work properly due to outdated software. In this case, update the firmware manually through Mi Home → Settings of the device → Update the software or reflash the device to the custom version.

Alternative ways to manage camera operating time

If Xiaomi’s built-in features don’t suit you, consider alternative methods:

🤖 Home Assistant integration: Add a camera through a component xiaomi_miio. Use automation to create flexible rules.
⚡ Smart sockets: Connect the camera through a timer socket (such as Xiaomi Mi Smart Plug.
🌐 IFTTT (if the camera is supported: Create an applet with a time trigger. as an action, choose Turn off Xiaomi Camera.

Example of code for Home Assistant (to turn on the camera on schedule):

automation:


“Enable Xiaomi camera at 8:00 AM”




trigger:




platform: time




at:"08:00:00"




action:




service: camera.turn_on




entity_id: camera.xiaomi_camera_living_room

Use the switch to shut down. camera.turn_off. A full list of supported teams can be found in the Home Assistant documentation.

💡

If the camera is connected via Home Assistant, the timer will work even without the internet (unlike Xiaomi’s cloud solutions).

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions

Can I set up a timer on Xiaomi’s camera without the Mi Home app?

Yes, but only if the camera is running on alternative firmware (e.g. OpenIPC or RTSP from AlexxIT), in which case the timer is configured via: Web-based firmware interface (Schedule section). Cron tasks (for Linux firmware) commands via SSH (e.g. poweroff and poweron).

Why does the timer work inaccurately (turns on the camera sooner or later)?

Reasons for inaccuracy: Unsynchronized time: Check the time settings on the camera and in the Mi Home app. Cloud server delays: If the camera is tied to a Chinese server and you are in Russia, the delay can be as high as 5-10 minutes. The solution is to change the region or use local scenarios. Energy saving: On some models (for example, Xiaomi Smart Camera C200), the energy saving mode delays execution of commands. To fix the problem, update the camera firmware and application, and check the stability of the Internet connection.

How do I keep my camera on when I’m not home?

To do this, set up automation with two conditions: In Mi Home, create the Automation Rule → Custom Script. Add the Geolocation condition (your smartphone leaves the area of the house). Add the second condition - Schedule (for example, from 9:00 to 18:00). In action, select Turn on the camera. To turn off the camera when you return home, create a separate rule with the Geolocation condition (you enter the area of the house) and the action Disconnect the camera.

Can I set the timer to record instead of turning the camera on/off?

Yes, but not on all models. Features: Mi Home Security Camera 360° 2K and later: In the recording settings (Settings → Storage → Recording Schedule), you can specify periods when the camera should record video. Xiaomi Smart Camera C400: Supports a schedule for recording to the cloud (but not to a local memory card). Old models (until 2019): Record timer is not available - only completely shutting down the camera. If your model does not support the recording schedule, use a workaround: set the timer to turn off the camera during off hours.

How to reset all timer settings if they conflict?

To completely clear all the rules of the timer and automation: Open Mi Home → Smart Home → Automation. Delete all the rules associated with the camera (click on the rule → Delete). Go to the camera settings (Settings → Timer) and delete all the schedules. If problems persist, reset the camera to factory settings (Settings → General → Reset). After reset, all the timer settings will be deleted and you will have to reset them.