Date and timestamp is an essential feature of the Nest camera that allows you to know when the video clip was recorded and capture the date and time of special moments. However, Nest cam footage does not show timestamps automatically like traditional camcorders. You will have to enable the date and time yourself on the Nest cam footage. 

In order to enable the date/time stamps on your Nest cam footage, follow these steps:

  • Download the video clip to your computer. You need a Nest Aware subscription to download video clips. Open the video on a media player that supports subtitles. Pause the video and turn on the subtitles from the media player’s settings. This will enable the timestamp to show at the bottom of the Nest Cam footage.

You’re probably still wondering how you can get the time and date stamp on your recorded video. Don’t worry. We’ve got all the answers below. Keep reading below to learn how to get the time and date stamp on your recorded video.

How Long Do Nest Cameras Keep Footage?

How long Nest cameras keep footage depends on the subscription plan and the model of the camera.

Take a look at this list to find out the amount of time Nest cameras keep footage: 

  • If you are on the free plan, the Nest cameras will keep the footage for 3 hours. If you have the Nest Aware subscription for 30 days, your nest camera will keep the motion-based video footage for 30 days. On the other hand, if you have the Nest Aware Plus subscription, your Nest camera will store the motion-based video footage for 60 days and 24/7 continuous video footage for ten days.

Now, let’s take a look at whether there is a time stamp on videos.

Is There a Time Stamp On Videos?

Nest cam footage does not have automatic timestamps enabled by default like other security-focused cameras do. However, you can enable the time stamp to show on the videos from your computer.

How Can I Get a Time and Date Stamp On My Recorded Video?

You need to be subscribed to Nest Aware to watch the recorded videos. There are two simple plans. One is Nest Aware, which gives you access to 30 days of video history. Another plan is Nest Aware Plus, which gives you access to 60 days of video history. 

It’s important to remember that no matter which plans you subscribe to, you’ll always have access to 30 days of event video history, including the first 30-days free Nest Aware trial. 

You can get the time and date stamp on your recorded video simply by opening the video on a media player that allows subtitles. Open the video on a media player (note that Windows default media player does not allow subtitles) such as VLC and turn on the subtitles from the media player’s settings. Doing so will show the timestamps of the Nest Cam Footage at the bottom of the video.

If you would like to learn more about Next cameras, take a look at our article, “Are Nest Cameras Always Recording?”

What Happens to Nest Videos After 30 Days?

Your Google Nest camera automatically stores video securely to the cloud. This video history lets you access it anytime. After you are subscribed to Nest Aware, you can watch your video history from the Nest App or the Google Home app. However, without a Nest Aware subscription, you can only view live capture for only 3 hours. 

With the Nest Aware Plus plan, you get premium features not available with the basic plan. For example, you get access to 60 days of motion-based video recordings and ten days of 24/7 video recordings. On the other hand, you get access to only 30 days of motion-based video recordings with the basic Nest Aware plan. If you purchase a Nest cam, you get access to a 30-days free Nest Aware trial. 

You may be wondering what happens to nest videos after 30 days when the free trial ends. Your recorded nest video history will expire when the 30-day trial period ends, but you can only watch the saved videos from the cloud by purchasing a Nest Aware subscription. 

We suggest saving the important video clips either on your computer or on the cloud before the 30-day trial period ends so that you can get the videos even after the trial period ends.

Conclusion

Now you know how to enable the date and time stamps on your Nest camera.