What is file protection?
Put simply, the term "file protection", or "protected file" refers to a Dash Cam recording being 'locked', which 'protects' it from being overwritten (deleted) when the SD card runs out of storage space.
How does a recording become protected?
There are 3 methods in which files can be protected:
- Automatically by the g sensor (the most common).
e.g. Hitting a bump in the road, or by parking mode getting triggered by movement while the Dash Cam is recording. - Pressing the protect button on the Dash Cam
e.g. Either pressing the protect button while the file is being recorded, or after the file has been created (using the Dash Cam playback mode). - Using a mobile device (Wi-Fi Dash Cams only).
e.g. Using My Nextbase Connect or Cam Viewer to protect a file after it has already been recorded.
Make sure to backup the files you need to keep.
If an incident occurs and a photo or video is important to you, BACK IT UP as soon as possible, to 'backup' a file means to create a copy of it and store it in a separate location for safe keeping. We recommend storing important files on a separate SD or hard drive.
Please note: We also recommend backing up unprotected files, although these will need to backed up sooner than protected files, before they are automatically overwritten.
What will happen if I don't backup an important video?
If you don't back up a crucial file, you could be in a position where something bad happens and you lose the video forever. Hopefully this won't happen, but creating a copy means that if something like this were to occur and your SD card fails, or your Dash Cam gets stolen from your car, you will still have access to the recording(s).
Will protected files stay on my SD card forever?
If a video file has been protected from being overwritten, this does not mean that the file will remain protected forever. In fact, many of our latest Dash Cam models will overwrite the oldest protected files, if the protected folder on the SD card begins taking up too much storage space (see below for details).
Should I still format my SD card?
Yes, formatting your SD card regularly is extremely important, as this helps to prolong the life of the SD card and ensures the best possible Dash Cam performance. Formatting the SD card deletes all saved files and allows your SD card to start from fresh.
Will my Dash Cam overwrite protected files?
The answer to this question depends on the model number of your Dash Cam, our top of the range cameras have a very sophisticated file management system which does overwrite protected files, if the correct conditions are met. The table shown below lists the file limit for each Dash Cam model.
Examples from the table:
- The 122 Dash Cam has no protected file limit, so is marked as "NA", this means protected files can fill up the SD card until formatting is required.
- The 622GW has a protected file limit of 33%, this means that when the protected folder begins taking up around 33% of the total storage capacity of the SD card, when a new protected file is created, the oldest protected recording will be automatically overwritten.