You just bought a Blink camera. Or maybe yours just went offline after a year of service. You open the back, see two AA batteries, and think, "I'll just grab those alkalines from the kitchen drawer."
Stop. Seriously.
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If you put standard alkaline batteries in a Blink camera, you are setting yourself up for a headache. They might work for a week. Maybe a month if you’re lucky. But then your camera will start dropping the Wi-Fi. The night vision will get grainy. Eventually, it’ll just die while the app still says the battery is "OK."
So, what batteries does blink camera use for real? To keep things simple: you need 1.5V Lithium non-rechargeable batteries. Specifically, Blink—and pretty much every experienced user on Reddit—recommends the Energizer Ultimate Lithium AA.
Why Alkaline Batteries are a Disaster for Blink
It’s tempting to go cheap. We’ve all been there. But Blink cameras aren't like a TV remote. A remote sends a tiny infrared signal once every few minutes. A Blink camera is a high-drain device. It has to maintain a constant Wi-Fi heartbeat, power an infrared sensor for motion, and then fire up a high-definition lens and an IR illuminator for night recording.
Alkaline batteries have a sloping discharge curve. As they lose juice, their voltage drops. A "fresh" alkaline is 1.5V, but it quickly dips to 1.3V or 1.2V.
Blink cameras are incredibly picky about voltage. Once that battery hits a certain threshold—usually around 1.3V—the camera's internal components can't get the "kick" they need to record. This is why you’ll see people complaining that their camera "stopped recording but still shows as online." The battery has enough power to ping the router, but not enough to actually film anything.
The Temperature Factor
If your camera is outside, alkaline is even worse. Have you ever noticed your car struggling to start on a freezing January morning? Batteries hate the cold.
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Alkaline batteries rely on a water-based chemistry. When the temperature drops below freezing, that chemical reaction slows to a crawl. In some cases, an alkaline battery can lose 50% of its capacity the moment the frost hits.
Lithium batteries (the ones Blink actually uses) are a different beast. They use a dry chemistry that can handle temperatures from -40°C to 60°C (-40°F to 140°F). Whether you’re in a Minnesota blizzard or an Arizona heatwave, lithium doesn't care. It just works.
Can You Use Rechargeable Batteries in a Blink Camera?
This is the million-dollar question. The official answer from Amazon/Blink is a hard no.
But "no" usually means "we don't want to support it."
Technically, standard NiMH (Nickel-Metal Hydride) rechargeables—like the green Eneloops you might have for your Xbox controller—are a bad idea. These batteries are natively 1.2V. Remember how I said Blink cameras are picky about voltage? Because NiMH starts at 1.2V, your Blink app will likely show a "Low Battery" warning the second you put them in.
The 2026 Workaround: 1.5V Rechargeable Lithiums
There is a loophole. In the last year or two, a new type of battery has become popular: 1.5V Constant Voltage Rechargeable Lithium AAs.
Brands like Voniko, Deleepow, and Hixon make these. They aren't like old-school rechargeables. They have a tiny circuit board inside that steps the voltage up to a constant 1.5V until the cell is completely empty.
- The Good: They work. The camera stays happy because the voltage never drops.
- The Bad: The battery indicator in the app becomes useless. Since the battery stays at 1.5V until it dies, the app will say "OK" right up until the second the camera goes dark.
- The Risk: Some of these batteries are slightly larger than standard AAs and can be a tight squeeze in the Blink Outdoor 4 or Doorbell housing.
Honestly? Stick to the disposables unless you really enjoy climbing a ladder every three months to swap cells. The Energizer Ultimate Lithium can truly last two years if your settings are right.
Real-World Battery Life: What to Actually Expect
Blink loves to market "2-year battery life."
Let’s be real. That estimate is based on roughly 70 seconds of recording per day. If your camera is pointed at a busy sidewalk or a tree that blows in the wind, you won't get two years. You'll get six months.
If you find your what batteries does blink camera use search was prompted by a camera dying too fast, check these three things before buying new ones:
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- Wi-Fi Strength: This is the silent killer. If your camera has a "poor" connection to the Sync Module or the router, it has to turn up its radio power to stay connected. This drains the battery faster than the actual video recording does.
- Clip Length: If you have it set to record 60-second clips for every stray cat, those batteries are toast. Try 10-15 seconds.
- Retrigger Interval: Set this to at least 30 seconds. This prevents the camera from "looping"—recording, stopping for a second, then immediately recording again.
How to Change the Batteries Properly
It sounds simple, but people break the back covers all the time.
Blink Outdoor & Indoor (3rd Gen / Outdoor 4)
These models have a screw on the back. You don’t need a specialized tool; a flat-head screwdriver or even a quarter works.
- Unscrew it until it spins freely.
- Use the little plastic "key" that came in the box (or a coin) to pry the cover off.
- Pop out the old ones.
- Pro Tip: Look for any corrosion. Even though Lithium batteries rarely leak, if moisture got inside the seal, you might see some white crust. Wipe it off with a dry cloth before putting the new ones in.
Blink Video Doorbell
This one is trickier. You need the "opening tool" (a thin piece of metal). If you lost it, a small paperclip can work.
- Insert the tool into the hole at the bottom.
- Push up and pull the bottom of the doorbell away from the wall mount.
- The battery compartment is right there on the back.
Actionable Steps for Better Security
Stop buying the 24-pack of "Super Duty" batteries at the dollar store. They are Zinc-Carbon, and they are essentially useless for smart home tech.
If you want your Blink system to be "set it and forget it," do this:
- Buy a 12-pack of Energizer Ultimate Lithium AA. It’s cheaper per unit than buying the 2-packs.
- Check your "Connection to Sync Module" in the Blink app settings. If it's 2 bars or less, move the Sync Module closer. It will save you $20 a year in battery costs.
- If a camera is in a truly high-traffic area (like a front door), consider the Blink Solar Panel Mount. It uses the sun to keep the batteries charged so you never have to climb that ladder again.
The bottom line is that your security is only as good as the power source. Stick to the 1.5V Lithium non-rechargeables, and you'll actually get the peace of mind you paid for.