There are several options for smart home security systems, including ADT, SimpliSafe, and Ring. However, one problem with some of the best home security systems is the cost to operate them. This is where Wyze comes in. The company offers an affordable option to access unlimited cameras compared to its competitors, named Cam Unlimited. Here’s everything you need to know about it.



Picture of two Wyze Plugs stacked on top of each other

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The specifics of a Cam Unlimited plan

Wyze is a relatively new competitor in smart home security monitoring. While the company introduced its products in 2017, its subscription plans are a recent addition. This includes Cam Unlimited, which Wyze introduced in 2024.

To understand what this plan offers, you need to know what the subscription plan below it, Cam Plus, has. Among its features, it lets you add three cameras to your account, saves recorded videos for 14 days, event video recording, smart detections, and access to live feeds. Each camera costs $2.99 a month for the first 30 days. Alternatively, the annual license for each camera under this plan is $35.88. This plan only allows you to add three cameras to your account.



The unlimited plan comes with all of the above, in addition to offering unlimited camera licenses in one plan, customizable self-monitoring, and a facial recognition library called Friendly Faces. The subscription plan costs $9.99 a month or $99.99 annually. One big draw to this plan is access to facial recognition services. This is the only plan that offers this service. Wyze included this service in a third subscription service called Cam Protect, but it isn’t available to new customers.

Wyze AI Video Search clips

Source: Wyze


How to subscribe to a Wyze Cam Unlimited Plan

You have several options for subscribing to the unlimited plan, including purchasing a subscription through Amazon.

Subscribe on the website if you have a Cam Plus subscription

  1. Log in to the Wyze Web Portal. It’s the same email and password associated with the app.
  2. You’ll see a chart comparing plans. Click Subscribe, which is located under the Cam Unlimited option.
  3. Click Upgrade to Cam Unlimited.
  4. Select the type of subscription you want: Annual or Monthly.
  5. Enter your payment information.
  6. Click Upgrade to Cam Unlimited.


Subscribe on the website if you’re a new user

  1. Log in to the Wyze Web Portal.
  2. Click Subscribe underneath the Cam Unlimited option on the comparison chart.
  3. Click Subscribe to Cam Unlimited.
  4. Select if you want an annual plan or a monthly plan.
  5. Enter payment details.
  6. Click Subscribe to Cam Unlimited.

Subscribe on the Wyze app

  1. Log in.
  2. Tap the Account tab.
  3. Click Services.
  4. Select Annual Plan.
  5. Adjust the number of cameras if needed.
  6. Click Review Changes.
  7. Confirm the purchase.

Subscribe through Amazon

Besides purchasing a Cam Unlimited subscription from the provider, you can purchase it through Amazon. This could be a good option if you want to use an Amazon gift card or credit card to apply for your purchase.

  1. Log in with your details.
  2. Purchase the subscription from Amazon.
  3. Click Your Account.
  4. Select Memberships and Subscriptions.
  5. Click Activate Subscription. You can create a new Wyze account or link to an existing one.
  6. When it’s linked, open the Wyze app. Your cameras are automatically added with a Cam Unlimited subscription.




How to set up your Cam Unlimited subscription

Now that you have your subscription, it’s time to set things up. You’ll pick which cameras to include in the multi-view feature.

  1. Log in to your account.
  2. Tap Configure Modes.
  3. Tap Next.
  4. Pick the cameras you want to assign to Home mode and select the notification types for each camera.
  5. Tap Next.
  6. Repeat the above steps for Away and Disarm modes.
  7. You’ll see a prompt to Allow Push Notifications if you haven’t done so.
  8. Wyze automatically selects four cameras for the multi-view feature. To adjust which cameras are included, tap the pencil icon to change the cameras.

Wyze offers four modes:

  • Home mode monitors the perimeter of your residence with sensors at points of entry.
  • Away mode monitors the outside and inside of your home.
  • Disarmed mode means there are no “on-duty” sensors. The alarm will not trigger even if you open a door or window with a sensor.
  • Test mode is similar to the disarmed mode. It lets you test the system without alerting the company’s monitoring center.


A black-and-white image take at midnight by a Wyze Outdoor camera


Everything you need to know about Wyze’s Friendly Faces

Friendly Faces is Wyze’s facial recognition tool. It uses AI to capture and store the faces of humans. When a recognizable face comes up, you get a notification of the person’s presence by their name. You can also view your past recordings by filtering for specific people.

Set up Friendly Faces

  1. Open the settings for your camera in Wyze.
  2. Select Event Recording.
  3. Move the toggle for Record Motion Events.
  4. Select the option next to Smart Detection Events.
  5. Tap Smart Detections.
  6. Move the toggle for Friendly Faces.
  7. Read the notice, tap Agree, and continue.

Add a name when a new face is detected

  1. When a person is detected, you’re notified with the name Someone. Tap the event video.
  2. Tap the picture with Someone written under it.
  3. Select Edit and add the name if you recognize the face.
  4. Select Save.



According to Wyze, the more names you add, the better you train your camera to recognize those faces in the future.

Wyze’s face recognition feature does not work on previously recorded events.


The limitations of Friendly Faces

If you paid for this feature, but it’s grayed out on your camera, double-check which camera you have. Friendly Faces isn’t compatible with the Wyze Cam v1.

There are also limitations on where you can access it. “Wyze is unable to provide Face Recognition service in some jurisdictions due to legal restrictions related to biometric data,” the company states on its website. These areas include California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, New York City, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and Washington State.

Notifications from the Wyze app.

Source: Wyze



What to do when Friendly Faces doesn’t work as expected

Technology can be fickle. If your face recognition service doesn’t work, there are a couple of things you can do to fix it.

Check to see if your app is up-to-date

  1. Open the Wyze app.
  2. Select the Account tab and open the About section. The current app version is under the logo.
  3. Compare this with the app version on Wyze’s Release Notes & Firmware page to ensure it’s up-to-date.
  4. If not, update the app on your device.

Check your camera’s firmware

  1. Open the Wyze app.
  2. Select the Account tab.
  3. Tap Firmware Update.
  4. Install the update if available.

Verify the camera is recording correctly

  1. Open your camera’s livestream.
  2. Tap Settings.
  3. Select Event Recording.
  4. Make sure motion detection is activated.
  5. Turn on the options for Person and Friendly Faces for smart detections.

Ensure your camera’s detection settings are correct

  1. Open the Wyze app and head to the settings for the camera in question.
  2. Tap Detection Settings.
  3. Move the motion detection sensitivity slider bar to high.
  4. Select Detection Zone. Make sure you toggle it off while testing.




Going beyond Wyze

Every product has its ups and downs, and Wyze isn’t excluded. Wyze has run into privacy issues since it came on the market, which is an issue for a system monitoring your home. If you’re concerned about the data your security camera collects, avoid exposing sensitive data with our security tips.