Home Security Camera Placement: Where Cameras Actually Help

The right camera in the wrong spot is wasted money. Placement decides whether you get a clear face at your door or a blurry shape in the dark. Here's where to put cameras — and where not to.

The high-value exterior spots

1. Front door. Roughly half of break-ins involve the front entrance, and it's where packages arrive. Mount at about head height to one story up, angled to capture faces, not just the tops of heads. 2. Back and side doors. Less visible to the street, so more tempting to intruders. Cover every ground-floor exterior door. 3. Driveway and garage. Catches vehicles, plates, and anyone approaching the house. 4. First-floor windows that are hidden from the street. 5. Main pathway leading to the home.

Height and angle

• Mount 8–10 feet up: high enough to be out of easy reach, low enough to capture faces rather than looking straight down at hats.
• Angle slightly downward across the area you want to cover.
• Point cameras away from direct sun to avoid glare and washed-out footage at sunrise/sunset.

Indoor placement

• Main entry and hallways — everyone moving through the house passes these.
• Common areas like the living room, especially covering the path from entry points.
• Corners give the widest view of a room.

Avoid bedrooms and bathrooms. Beyond the privacy concern for your own household, it's a legal red line if anyone else uses those spaces (guests, tenants, caregivers). See our Legal Use Policy.

Respect the neighbors' privacy

Aim cameras at your property. Try to keep a neighbor's windows, yard, or a shared space out of frame, or use your camera's privacy-zone feature to black out areas you shouldn't record. Some areas have rules about recording audio or filming beyond your property line — a quick check saves a dispute later.

Avoid these common mistakes

• Pointing through glass at night — indoor IR night vision reflects off the window and blinds the camera. Use an outdoor-rated camera outside.
• Backlighting — a camera facing a bright doorway or window turns people into silhouettes. Position so light falls *on* faces.
• Too high — a rooftop camera sees a lot of area but can't identify anyone.
• One camera for everything — overlap coverage so there are no blind spots between cameras.

Power and connectivity

Plan for power (outlet, hardwire, solar, or battery) and a strong Wi-Fi signal at each spot before you mount. A camera two bars short of reliable Wi-Fi will drop clips exactly when you need them.

Quick checklist

• [ ] All ground-floor exterior doors covered
• [ ] Driveway/approach covered, plates readable
• [ ] Cameras at ~8–10 ft, angled down, faces lit
• [ ] Bedrooms/bathrooms excluded
• [ ] Neighbor privacy respected (privacy zones on)
• [ ] Wi-Fi and power confirmed at each location

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