How to Hide a Security Camera

How to hide cameras outside

If you’re wondering how to hide a security camera outside of your home, consider these camera disguise ideas and hidden camera techniques.

1. Inside of plant pots

Plant pots are one of the most effective objects for hiding security or spy cameras. Most people pay attention to the beautiful flowers or stately plants inside the pot rather than looking for a hidden camera. And if you don’t have a green thumb, don’t worry: artificial plants can conceal a camera just as effectively as real ones.

There are a few ways to hide a camera in a plant pot. You can tuck the camera between the plants in the pot’s base, ensuring the lens isn’t obstructed. Or, you can drill a small hole in the side of the pot that’s just big enough for the camera lens to peek through while ensuring the rest of the camera is hidden. Miniature cameras may be best suited for this type of camouflage, but you can also use a larger camera with a mounting bracket for better camera positioning. If you’re wondering how to hide a mini camera, this method works particularly well.

2. Under fake rocks

Fake rocks come in all shapes, sizes, and colors, making it easy to find one that will hold your security camera and blend into the exterior of your home. To make it look less conspicuous, add other rocks to your landscaping or choose one that blends with the rocks you already have. You can also hide a camera inside a bowl, basket, or glass container filled with decorative rocks and placed by your front door.

3. In a birdhouse

A birdhouse is the perfect place for camera concealment: it’s small, you can hang it just about anywhere, and it already has a hole for the camera lens.

To put together a birdhouse camera, look for one with an open roof or side for easy camera placement, or choose a design that is easy to modify. If you have carpentry skills, you can also make a simple birdhouse camera with a few tools and scrap wood.

4. In a piece of lawn decor

You may already have perfect camera hiding spots around your home. Almost any lawn decoration can hold a camera for covert surveillance, whether it’s a fountain, statue, pink flamingo, or garden gnome. Whether you tuck the camera around the base of the decor or modify it to hold a camera inside, look around at what you already have and consider how to use it for hiding a camera.

5. In a decorative lantern

Lanterns are ideal for camera camouflage. Most are designed with enough space to hold one and a door for easy access. Simply open up the glass panes, remove the light source, and place the camera inside. As long as the glass isn’t hit by direct sunlight, this security camera disguise should still allow it to capture a clear image, helping you keep your home safe.

6. Under eaves, soffits, or other architectural features of your home

If your home has eaves, soffits, or other interesting architectural features, they can be an easy place to hide security cameras. Mounting cameras high gives them a wide field of vision, and because they are somewhat sheltered, they are protected from the elements and difficult to see. To help security cameras blend even more, wrap them in weatherproof camouflage skin that matches the color of your home.

7. In everyday objects

There are some objects people just expect to see outside of someone’s home: a watering can, lawn furniture, a mailbox, a bucket, and maybe some gardening tools. All of them can be used as objects to hide cameras in. These commonplace items blend into the background and can be excellent places to hide a security camera. The key is to choose something that doesn’t look out of place or draw attention to itself. In fact, the more mundane, the better.

The pros and cons of hiding a security camera

There are pros and cons to hidden security cameras to consider before using the camera concealment methods listed above.

The pros of hidden security cameras

When you disguise security cameras, an obvious pro is catching evidence of a home invasion or other crime. If the thief can’t see the camera, they can’t steal or cover it, meaning it can gather ample evidence.

Hidden cameras are also less likely to be vandalized than visible cameras. If someone is planning a break-in, taking out a security camera may be a part of their plan, but they can’t vandalize a camera they don’t know is there.

The cons of hiding outdoor security cameras

Security camera visibility is an important consideration. When your camera is out of sight, no one will know it’s there. However, seeing the camera may deter someone from entering your property.

In one survey of 500 convicted burglars, 37% said that a video camera outside the home would deter them from attempting to break in.

In other words, camera detection is not always a bad thing. In some cases, conspicuous camera positioning can deter criminals from targeting your home.

Hiding your cameras can also impact their visibility, limiting the area they can view and the quality of the captured footage. Plus, from a practical standpoint, hidden cameras are harder to troubleshoot and maintain. Some of these camera concealment tips are more applicable to wireless cameras. Security camera wires may be a little more difficult to hide and require more precise camera placement strategies.

Should you hide your home security camera?

Both hidden security cameras and more obvious camera placement can be beneficial.

Having both visible and hidden cameras can be an effective solution. A visible camera can alert potential burglars or porch pirates that they are being watched, which may deter them from trying to break in or steal your property. In the event of a burglary or other crime, hidden cameras can capture additional evidence that can be useful to police.

Are there any legal implications to hiding a security camera outside?

In most cases, installing security cameras around your home is legal unless they violate a person’s right to privacy. In other words, having a camera facing the street in front of your home or looking at your front door is fine in most cases, but you cannot put a camera outside your home and aim it at your neighbor’s window. These general rules apply whether the camera is hidden or in plain sight.

If you are wondering about how to hide a security camera indoors for discreet monitoring, the same general rules apply. There are plenty of camera concealment methods, but you must keep privacy laws in mind when thinking about the best ways to hide a camera in your home. If you have questions about hidden camera legality, check your local hidden camera laws.