6 Places You Should Never Put a Home Security Camera

Arlo cam installation is simple enough, but angle and placement are key. Arlo

Home security cameras keep getting better: A single cam or video doorbell with an excellent lens can grab a broad view of a yard, driveway or front of a home. Indoors, a pan/tilt cam or wide field of view can capture even large open floor plans. But placement is still key.

If you accidentally install a security cam in the wrong spot, it can quickly become ineffective, miss key details or even land you in legal trouble. Even the most affordable cams aren’t worth that pain.

So, on your mission to deter burglars and keep an eye on your belongings, make sure your cameras are installed in the best spots — and avoid danger zones like these.

Spot 1: Places with the expectation of privacy

While you want your security camera to protect your home, the last thing that you want it to do is infringe upon the safety of others. Don’t risk breaking the law (and potential lawsuits) by placing a cam where people have a reasonable expectation of privacy.

In practice, don’t place a security camera in a bathroom, bedroom or similar area with a very strong expectation of privacy. If you do have to place a cam in these areas (such as monitoring your bedroom in a multi-rental situation), make sure the camera is visible and everyone in the house knows about it. For outside cameras, cams are generally allowed to capture public spaces like the sidewalk or street that runs past your home, as there is a low expectation of privacy in these areas.

Remember, your camera is there to provide a sense of security and serve as a tool to keep you and your home safe. Make sure that your cameras aren’t located in places that will render them ineffective, or worse, actually undermine someone’s security and safety.

The Ring night vision option works well for keeping an eye on your own yard, but don’t try peeking over neighboring fences. Tyler Lacoma/CNET

Spot 2: Looking directly at a neighbor’s property

In addition to protecting all the private places on your property, be careful about positioning security cams so that part of their view captures a neighbor’s windows or backyard. Legally, those are spots where your neighbors also have a right to their own privacy, and lawsuits have resulted from much less.

This is also why you should try to avoid even the appearance of cameras that are pointing toward a neighbor’s yard or peeking into their windows. Many modern security cams come with the ability to create “privacy zones” that block out certain areas in the camera’s live view or recording. If a neighbor complains, you may be able to show them your privacy zones to prove that no part of their home is being recorded.

Best Home Security Cameras of 2024: See at CNET

Spot 3: Difficult-to-see locations 

You might be tempted to point cameras at the spots around your home that are difficult to see. There is an intuitive reason for this: If you can’t see a location from your windows or doors, it feels possible that someone might be lurking there. You might think these hidden areas are a burglar’s preferred place to break and enter.

But the fact is, most burglars enter a home through the most obvious paths. According to data collected by security company ADT, 34% of burglars enter through the front door and 22% use a first-floor window. You might imagine that these are spaces where your eyes or your neighbors can spot any malicious activity, but they are also the most used-routes for break-ins. Pointing a camera at these spaces can deter a break-in and can help identify anyone who attempts to get in.

Placing a security camera in a side alley or the back of your home might seem like it will catch someone sneaking around, but it’s more likely to miss the action that you intend to catch on camera.

Lorex offers free object detection with its cams, so make sure they have a good view. Lorex/Amazon

Spot 4: Behind obstructions

This might sound like a no-brainer, but camera obstructions aren’t always so obvious. Outdoors, this might mean allowing space for tree branches to swing in the wind. Be careful of quick-growing plants that will require you to move your camera every year or two.

Consider your camera’s range of view inside too. Will your camera see everything you want it to when interior doors are opened and closed? You’ll also want to avoid placing the camera in a spot where a pet might interact with it. If you place it on a shelf, will your cat knock it off? Will an energetic dog barreling through the house send it tumbling or adjust its angle? Find a spot that has good views of the space you want to watch and is also unlikely to be bumped by you, a guest or your four-legged friend.

Spot 5: Through a window

We know it’s tempting to pay less for an indoor-only cam and think about putting it by a window so that it can get a good look outside. There are two big problems with trying this.

First, windows have a glare problem, even when the cam is pressed close against the glass, so the cam view often doesn’t work when the sun is at a certain angle or when it’s dark outside. Over time, dust causes similar issues.

Second, the angles and area you can view through home windows is very limited. Cams are unlikely to get a good view of key access points or a broad view of a yard or driveway.

The Blink Outdoor 4 has an adjustable mount that’s sturdy enough to stay at the right angle. Tyler Lacoma/CNET

Spot 6: Facing the sky

We don’t mean intentionally angling a cam up so it captures only the great blue beyond — we’re talking about cams with wide fields of view that include a significant portion of sky. This can create problems when the sun passes overhead and blinds the cam with glare or blocks out details with brightness. Also, frequent and direct sunlight creates a higher risk of wear over time.

To prevent these problems, work to angle your cam away from the sky and focus on views below the roof/tree/hill line. Also, try to place cams in an area where they are at least partially protected by shade.

Best Outdoor Home Security Cameras: See at Cnet

Bonus tip: There’s no right or wrong height for most security cameras, although there are many recommendations. A higher vantage point will give a better view of driveway or large yard, but we find that a broad field of view works just as well, if not better. A rechargeable cam should usually be placed in a spot that’s easy to reach when the battery needs attention. And video doorbells are usually installed around four feet from the bottom of the doorframe.

For more, read up on other home security mistakes you can make. Learn how to stop porch pirates, reduce the risk of car break ins and what you should keep in a safe.