Are you looking for an easy way to share access to your Blink camera? With just a few simple steps, you can grant others access to view live streams and recordings.
Sharing Blink camera access is useful for keeping an eye on your home while you’re away or allowing family members to check in on pets or children. Plus, it’s quick and easy to do through the Blink app.
“When it comes to securing your property, having eyes everywhere gives peace of mind.”
In this article, we’ll guide you through the process of sharing access to your Blink camera with family, friends, or housemates. We’ll cover everything from sending invitations to removing visitors from your camera’s list of authorized users.
You don’t need to be a tech expert to follow our step-by-step guide – it’s straightforward and user-friendly. Whether you’re using iOS or Android devices, we’ve got you covered.
So why wait? Let’s get started and ensure that everyone who needs to keep tabs on your Blink camera has access. Follow our easy steps and gain peace of mind today!
Table of Contents
Understanding Blink Camera Sharing
Blink cameras are one of the most popular home security devices. They offer an array of features that ensure optimum security for your home or office, including motion alerts, live view, and two-way communication. But did you know that you can share access to your camera with others? This feature is especially beneficial when you need someone else to monitor your property while you’re away or give temporary access to a visitor.
The Benefits of Sharing Your Blink Camera
The ability to share your blink camera access has several benefits:
- Increase Security: When you share access with trusted individuals, it offers added protection for your property. For example, if you want to keep an eye on your house when you’re out of town, you can authorize a family member or friend to watch over your place using their smartphone.
- Convenience: If you have regular visitors like nannies, pet sitters, or maintenance personnel, giving them access to your Blink camera makes things a lot easier for everyone involved. Guests won’t need to bother you every time they need to enter since they can easily check on the phone before entering your premises.
- Cut Down Cost: Instead of purchasing multiple cameras for different areas in your home, sharing your blink camera access will help save money by providing coverage for all needs without additional expense.
The Risks of Sharing Your Blink Camera
Like everything else in life, sharing your blink camera access with others does come with risks. You must consider these potential issues before extending your camera’s viewing abilities to other people:
- Privacy Concerns: Sharing your blink camera access means others will have the same viewing privilege as you do. Thus those working in their fields or sensitive nature could become problematic once presented publicly.
- Security Risks: Whenever sharing your Blink cameras’ footage, it is essential to ensure that very few outsiders have access to the feed; unauthorized individuals who get hold of this data can compromise your homeโs security without consent while posing serious threats to your safety and privacy.
- Inappropriate Use: If the person you share with becomes careless with your blink camera’s data share, then chances are they will end up disturbing an area of privacy – It only takes one slip-up for the content to be shared more widely than expected. Proper instruction and supervision must convey to anyone using the device.
How to Share Your Blink Camera with Others
The process of sharing your blink camera with other people starts by adding them as users to your account. There are two ways of doing this:
- Option 1: Invite Users Via Email
- Option 2: Invite Users Using Their Blink Username
“Open the Blink app > Tap on More > Manage Account Users > Add User (enter the recipient’s email address)”
This method requires a user’s e-mail address which grants access to a family member’s or friend’s phone used for monitoring the premises. You need to check where you should start if there are any issues that come up after registration.
“Open the Blink app > Tap on More > Manage Account Users > Add User (enter invitee’s username).”
If already someone has registered on Blink previously and familiar with the app, you can directly enter their username.
You need to take extra care while sharing your Blink camera access. Only share it with people you explicitly trust and those who genuinely require added monitoring in a particular time frame. Reviewing your authorized list regularly is also important to ensure the integrity of security surrounding your home or office premises.
Adding Family Members to Blink Account
If you want to share access of your Blink camera with members of your family, the process is quite simple. You will need to create a family group on your Blink account and invite each member individually.
Creating a Family Group on Blink
To create a family group on your Blink account:
- Open the Blink app on your mobile device
- Navigate to the โSettingsโ menu
- Select โAccount Settingsโ
- Choose โFamily Accountsโ
- Click on โCreate Family Groupโ
- Add a name for the family group
- Select the cameras that you want to add to the group
- Click on โCreateโ
Once you have created a family group, you can proceed to invite members of your family to join it.
Inviting Family Members to Join Your Blink Account
To invite family members to join your Blink account:
- Navigate to the โFamily Accountsโ menu in your Blink appโs settings
- Tap on the family group that you created in the previous step
- Click โInvite Memberโ
- Add the email address or phone number of the person that you want to invite
- Select the relevant camera(s) that you want them to have access to
- Choose their level of access (guest or admin)
- Click โSend Invitationโ
The invited user will receive an email or text message with a link to download the Blink app. They will need to create their own account, if they donโt already have one, and follow the instructions in the invitation to join your family group.
โSharing is caring. You share with your family.โ -Unknown
You can invite as many members of your family as you want and assign them different levels of access depending on how much control you would like them to have over your cameras. โAdminโ users will be able to arm/disarm the system, view live feeds, and receive motion alerts. โGuestโ users are limited to viewing cameras only.
Itโs important to note that each member of your family will need to have their own device (smartphone or tablet) and install the Blink app in order to access your cameras. Additionally, each user will need to log into the same account using your existing login credentials to gain access to the shared cameras.
Sharing camera access on Blink is easy and straightforward. Just create a family group, invite members of your family individually, and decide what level of access they should have. All it takes is a few taps on your smartphone or tablet!
Inviting Friends to View Blink Camera Footage
Blink is a popular brand of home security camera systems designed for alerting you whenever there’s unwanted activity on your property. If you want to share access with your friends, then follow the following steps.
Creating a Guest Account for Your Friends
You can invite someone to view footage from your Blink cameras by creating a guest account for them. This account provides temporary access that lasts for a certain amount of time. Hereโs how to create a guest account:
- Select โSettingsโ from the Blink appโs main menu screen and choose the โAccount Managementโ option.
- Tap the โInvite Friendsโ button.
- Enter the email address and name of the person youโd like to grant access to, assign an expiration date that suits you, and click โSend Invite.โ
โThe process of giving guest access in the blink application is very straightforward, so even if you are not tech-savvy, you will be able to do it comfortably.โ -SmartHomePerfected.com
Granting Access to Blink Camera Footage
Once youโve created the guest account and sent the invitation, your friends or family members are free to access live streams and recorded clips from your Blink cameras via their accounts. They must also install the Blink mobile app on their devices. Follow these steps to allow access:
- Your invited friend/partner should receive an email invitation shortly after setting up the account. The email containing instructions guiding him/her to download the Blink App and log in using the credentials provided
- After opening the Blink app once logged in to details given earlier. Press the icon on the top left corner, and add an account.
- The app will then prompt the individual to enter your Blink’s shared email address and password (shared email is that sent earlier by blink).
- Once they have logged in using their own details, he/she can view your footage from wherever they are at any time.
“You can grant access to as many guests as you want, and you can keep track of all the users with guest accounts.” -AlarmSystemReviews.com
Controlling What Your Friends Can See on Blink
You may not necessarily want your friends or family members accessing every single video clip recorded by your Blink cameras. Fortunately, Blink has settings for controlling a personโs access levels while still maintaining security. Hereโs how to do it:
- Select “Settings,” then open โAccount Managementโ and select โInvite Friends.โ
- Choose the invitation you want to edit and enable or disable viewing permissions for each camera system.
- You can also use this section to extend or shorten the expiry date for guest invitations youโve already delivered.
โYou donโt have to give guests full control over your Blink devices. By managing access rights intelligently, you can strike a balance between accessibility and data privacyโ -SecurityNerd.com
Revoking Access to Blink Camera Footage
If youโd like to withdraw someoneโs access to your Blink cameras, itโs easy to do so via the mobile app. All you need to do is follow these steps:
- Navigate to โSettings,โ tap on โAccount Management,โ then select โManage Guests/Shared Users.โ
- The next screen will display all the accounts tied to your Blink cameras, including those with guest access. Tap on the account you want to revoke and select โRemove Guest/Shared User.โ
- To disable guest access for a particular date range, choose Options from the main menu titled “Guest Accounts / Shared Users section” and chose an appointment range during which the person should be blocked from accessing data.
โRevoking someoneโs entry is as simple as clicking a few buttons within the app’s administrative features, so you donโt need to worry about complicated proceedings when things go awryโ -HomeSecurityPress.com
Revoking Blink Camera Access from Shared Users
If you have shared access to your Blink cameras with others and need to revoke their access, it’s important to follow the steps carefully. Here are some tips on how to effectively remove camera access:
Removing Family Members from Your Blink Account
To remove a family member’s access to your Blink cameras, navigate to the ‘Manage Account’ option in your Blink app. From there, select the name of the user whose permissions you want to modify. Click the ‘Remove User’ button to revoke all access. You can also delete invited users by selecting the ‘Delete Invite’ button next to their name.
When removing someone from your account, make sure to inform them of the change so that they don’t continue to receive notifications or attempt to access your cameras. It’s also wise to reset your password if anyone with access has left your household.
Revoking Access from Guest Accounts
If you’ve granted guest access to someone outside of your household, such as a pet sitter or contractor, it’s easy to deactivate their account. Simply navigate to the ‘Guests’ tab within the Blink app, select the relevant username, and click the ‘Revoke’ button. This will ensure that they cannot log into your account again without your permission. It may be worth mentioning that revoked users will no longer be able to see past videos recorded by Blink devices. Therefore, if you wish for someone to retain certain footage but not ongoing access to live streams or notification settings, consider downloading these clips before taking any revocation action.
Changing Permissions for Shared Users
You may choose to keep a family member or friend connected to your Blink cameras but limit what they can see or do within the app. To adjust shared user permissions, click the dropdown arrow next to their name from within your account’s ‘Manage Users’ section. From there, you can choose whether they are allowed to view live streams or receive notifications for each individual camera.
If you’ve granted someone admin access but then wish to remove them, make sure to assign this role to another account before revoking privileges entirely. This ensures that you’ll still have backup options in case of an emergency or other issues.
Notifying Users About Access Changes
“The most important thing when removing shared access is communication with all parties – transparency and clarity mitigates any misunderstandings.” -Kristofer Valestrand, Senior Security Advisor
As we mentioned earlier, it’s essential to keep everyone informed when making changes to Blink camera access. Not only does this help avoid confusion, but it also provides an opportunity to discuss security protocols and concerns around camera use. Remember that sharing camera access should be a collaborative process where each user understands their role and responsibilities. Consider drafting a simple contract or agreement detailing what expectations you have regarding alerts, activity monitoring, and data storage. This will not only make things easier if something goes wrong but it helps prevent unwanted video footage being mistakenly kept by others.
- In summary:
- To revoke Blink camera access for family members, navigate to ‘Manage Account’
- To deactivate guest accounts, go to the ‘Guests’ tab in the app
- You can adjust individual camera settings for shared users
- Make sure to let everyone know about changes made and consider defining expectations collaboratively
Tips for Secure Blink Camera Sharing
Sharing your Blink camera access with other users is a great feature that allows you to grant someone else temporary or permanent access to your Blink cameras. However, sharing your Blink camera access without proper security measures can expose your home and private life to unauthorized access. Here are some tips on how to safely share your Blink camera access.
Setting Up Two-Factor Authentication
Two-factor authentication (2FA) adds an extra layer of security to your account by requiring a second factor in addition to your password to gain access. The second factor is often a code sent to your phone via text message or generated by an authenticator app. By enabling 2FA, even if your password is compromised, the attacker wouldn’t be able to log in without this additional code.
To set up 2FA on Blink, go to the “Account” tab in the Blink app, select “Security,” and enable two-step verification. You’ll have the option to choose between receiving a text message or using an authenticator app.
โAttackers continue to use weak and stolen credentials to breach company systems, while easily navigable ransomware tutorials allow novice attackers to commit criminal acts with ease. Implementing two-factor authentication whenever possible will help make it significantly more difficult for attackers to succeed.โ -Chris Hinkley, Senior Security Engineer at Armor Defense Inc.
Creating Strong Passwords
A strong password makes it harder for hackers to break into your account. Using unique, complex passwords for each of your accounts can prevent cybercriminals from accessing all of your accounts if one password is compromised. A strong password consists of a combination of upper and lower case letters, numbers, and symbols. Avoid using dictionary words and personal information such as birthdays and names.
To create a strong password for your Blink account, use a combination of upper and lower case letters, numbers, and symbols. Avoid using dictionary words, personal information such as birthdays and names, or consecutive keyboard keys (1234).
โWeak passwords are one of the easiest ways for hackers to gain access to your sensitive online accounts, so making sure youโre choosing unique passphrases that are hard to guess is key to protecting your digital identity.โ -Alex Lloyd, Security Expert at Digital Assurance
Limiting Access to Sensitive Areas
Blink allows you to share camera access with other users on a per-camera basis. This means you can grant temporary or permanent access to certain cameras and restrict access to others. If there are any areas of your home that you don’t want to be monitored by other users, make sure those cameras aren’t shared with them.
To limit access to sensitive areas, go to the “Cameras” tab in the Blink app, select the camera you wish to edit, scroll down to “Share access,” and choose which user(s) you want to grant access to. You can also revoke access at any time.
โSharing access to your security camera system without proper precautions puts yourself and your family at risk. Always review what each user can see and do before granting access to specific cameras.” -Jon Clay, Director Global Threat Communications, Trend Micro
Regularly Reviewing Camera Footage and User Access
Cybercrime doesn’t always come from external sources. Sometimes internal actors like employees, housekeepers, contractors, and even friends and family members may abuse their authorized camera access. Regularly reviewing camera footage and user access allows you to monitor who has logged into your account, whether they have watched recorded videos, and when they logged out. It can also help you identify any potential unauthorized access attempts.
To review your camera footage and user access, go to the “Timeline” tab of the Blink app and select the camera you wish to monitor. You’ll be able to see a list of events, including who has logged in and seen recorded videos.
โRegularly reviewing video footage from your security cameras ensures that nothing out of the ordinary (or even illegal) is happening at your property without your knowledge. In addition, it helps to confirm that everyone with authorized access is keeping up their end of the bargain.โ -Matthew Wilson, Founder of Security Baron
Sharing Blink camera access doesn’t have to put your privacy and security at risk. Enabling two-factor authentication, creating strong passwords, limiting access to sensitive areas, and regularly reviewing camera footage and user access can all contribute to a more secure home surveillance system.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I share access to my Blink camera with family members?
To share access to your Blink camera with family members, you can add them to your account as users. This can be done through the Blink app or website. Once added, they will be able to access the camera and receive alerts. You can also set different levels of access for each user, such as limiting their ability to view or edit camera settings.
Can I limit the access of the person I am sharing my Blink camera with?
Yes, you can limit the access of the person you are sharing your Blink camera with. When adding them as a user, you can choose their level of access, such as allowing them to view the camera only or giving them full control over camera settings. You can also revoke their access at any time if needed.
What are some tips for sharing Blink camera access securely?
When sharing Blink camera access, it is important to choose strong passwords and enable two-factor authentication. You should also only share access with trusted individuals and regularly monitor who has access to your camera. Additionally, avoid sharing your account login information and consider creating separate accounts for each user to limit their access to specific cameras.