UniFi Protect Night Vision: Lighting Strategies for Clear Faces & Plates (2026 Guide)

Quick summary

Infrared-only footage is flat and reflective, which hides faces and plates. Targeted, low-glare lighting keeps cameras balanced while respecting neighbors, local ordinances, and energy budgets.

This guide covers auditing scenes, layering ambient lighting, targeting critical views, tuning UniFi Protect settings (Color Night Vision, frame-rate priority, HDR), and measuring results so footage holds up in court or during insurance reviews.

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FAQs

How bright should security lighting be?

Aim for even, modest illumination—enough for cameras to expose faces and plates without glare. Full‑cutoff fixtures at 2700–3000K suit most homes; 3500–4000K improves contrast where security clarity is the priority.

Do I need motion lights?

Use motion to briefly boost light at doors and aprons, but keep a low ambient level overnight so cameras don’t constantly re‑expose.

Audit existing night scenes

Capture screenshots from UniFi Protect at dusk, midnight, and dawn. Note hotspots from garage lights, deep shadows, and reflective surfaces such as vehicles or siding that can blind sensors.

Walk the property with a lux meter or a smartphone app to record existing light levels. Document these findings before adding fixtures so you can show improvements later.

Optimizing UniFi Protect settings for external lighting

After adding lighting, revisit each camera in UniFi Protect so the exposure pipeline matches the new scene. Names can vary by model and firmware, but these toggles deliver the biggest gains.

• Night Vision / IR Mode: set to Auto, or Off when ambient light is steady, and lower IR LED power to prevent reflective glare. This keeps footage in Color Night Vision for identifiable clothing and vehicles.
• Low‑Light Priority: switch from Low‑Light to Frame Rate once you add light to reduce motion blur on people and plates.
• HDR: test both On and Off. In uneven night scenes HDR can introduce ghosting; with even lighting, HDR Off often looks sharper.
• Shutter/Exposure: keep shutter fast enough to avoid blur but not so fast that faces underexpose; aim for consistency across similar cameras.

Add layered ambient lighting

Use warm, indirect fixtures to raise baseline illumination around entries and driveways. Smart floodlights tied to schedules keep cameras ready without causing light trespass or disturbing neighbors.

Layer accent lighting—step lights, low-voltage path lights, soffit lighting—to eliminate pockets of darkness without overpowering the scene. The goal is even coverage, not stadium brightness.

Premium smart options like the Philips Hue Discover Outdoor Floodlight are excellent for scene-based control, but budget accordingly.

Fixture selection and placement

• Use full‑cutoff fixtures to control spill and glare
• 2700–3000K keeps residential scenes natural; 3500–4000K boosts contrast when security clarity matters most
• Aim spots ~30° off axis to avoid lens flare
• Place lights near choke points: doors, gates, apron

Color temperature and camera balance

Warm color temperatures (2700–3000K) keep skin tones accurate and reduce harsh reflections on siding. Neutral white (3500–4000K) improves sensor contrast and definition, but can feel harsher if not carefully aimed.

Avoid 5000K+ daylight floods that create a prison‑yard look and increase the risk of glare or complaints.

If you mix lighting types, keep them consistent across a single camera view so exposure does not shift as people move through the scene.

Lighting zones by property type

For residential homes, prioritize front door, driveway apron, and side gates. Keep ambient lighting low and use brief boosts for motion events.

For small offices, focus on entrances, parking areas, and delivery doors. These zones benefit from longer retention and more consistent lighting overnight.

Automation and schedules

Tie dusk/dawn schedules to a lux threshold, not just a clock. Use motion to boost brightness briefly at doors and driveways while keeping a low ambient level overnight.

Integrate with camera events sparingly to avoid rapid cycling or hysteresis loops. The goal is consistent scenes that cameras expose well, not constant changes.

Color footage and smart detection accuracy

Ambient light allows UniFi Protect to stay in color mode instead of high-noise IR. Color footage is far more useful for identifying clothing, vehicles, and intent.

Smart Detections (person/vehicle) also perform better with clean, low-noise color frames, reducing missed events and false positives.

Driveway and entry examples

Driveways benefit from soft, wide coverage rather than narrow spot beams. Use two lower-output fixtures at angles so you avoid a single hotspot.

Entry doors work best with a warm sconce and a small step light. That combination lights faces without overexposing the doorbell camera.

Neighbors and compliance

Aim fixtures onto your property and avoid shining into neighboring windows or streets. Many municipalities have guidance on light trespass; follow full‑cutoff best practices and keep lumens reasonable.

Glare and reflection fixes

• Angle lights 20–30 degrees away from the camera axis
• Avoid shiny soffits, glossy paint, and reflective trim
• Move lights lower or further away to reduce IR bloom

The 5-Step Night Clarity Protocol

• Capture day/night screenshots before changes
• Add full‑cutoff ambient + gentle accents
• Aim spots off camera axis; confirm no flare
• Set dusk/dawn + motion overlays; re‑test
• Save example screenshots with settings

Target critical views

Place low-voltage spotlights near gates, mailboxes, and walkways at roughly a 30-degree angle to avoid lens flare. Coordinate beam spreads with the camera’s field of view so faces and license plates stay bright without overexposure.

Avoid pointing lights directly at windows or reflective garage doors. Adjust fixtures a few degrees at a time until you see even illumination in Protect.

Integrate with automation

Tie lighting scenes to UniFi Protect Smart Detections or third-party automation. Motion events can boost brightness for recorded clips, while schedules reduce intensity overnight to preserve ambiance and conserve power.

Integrate with voice assistants and alarm systems so a single command or alarm state can open gates, raise lighting levels, and bookmark the corresponding footage.

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Measure and iterate

Re-test each camera after lighting changes, adjust exposure in Protect, and document before/after screenshots. Seasonal foliage shifts and holiday décor warrant quick rechecks.

Schedule follow-up reviews every six months to confirm fixtures, schedules, and automations still align with real-world use.

• Schedule a lighting tune-up

Power planning and maintenance

Group exterior lights on a dedicated circuit when possible and use surge protection for smart controllers. Label switches and keep a small inventory of spare bulbs or drivers so a failure does not leave a camera blind.

Check fixtures for water intrusion annually and clean lenses when you replace bulbs. A small maintenance routine protects night clarity.

Energy efficiency and dark‑sky habits

Use lower‑watt fixtures and longer runtimes instead of very bright floods that only trigger on motion. This keeps cameras stable while minimizing light pollution.

If your town has dark‑sky guidelines, full‑cutoff fixtures and warm temperatures help you stay compliant while still improving footage.

Timers and dimmers often save more energy than motion-only lighting.

Document your lighting plan

Save a one‑page lighting map with fixture locations, bulb types, and automation rules. It makes replacements and seasonal changes much easier.

Include before/after screenshots so you can prove improvements when you update insurance policies or file claims.

Keep a short list of fixture model numbers so replacements match the original color temperature.

Maintenance and seasonal changes

Clean lenses and fixtures twice a year, especially after pollen season. A dirty lens significantly degrades contrast and can cause IR blooming.

If you add holiday lights, re-check exposure so cameras do not blow out faces. Remove temporary fixtures that cause flares once the season ends.

A quick winter check after the first snowfall often reveals new glare points.