Cameras are helpful tools that we often take for granted. Whether it’s for safety or you’re monitoring others’ actions in your vehicle, hiding a camera in your car isn’t easy. Most people might not even think it’s possible given the small space you have to work with, but it is and we have some tips to help you get it done:
- Make sure the camera is small
- Buy a portable camera
- Consider feed options
- Disguise the camera
- Put the camera in a vent
- Carve out a part of the backseat
- Hide it in the back window
- Ensure it won’t move while driving
- Test it out
- Check the camera regularly
There are many different ways you can hide a camera in your car. So, let’s talk about each of these tips in a little more depth and help you feel a little safer when getting in your car.
1. Make Sure the Camera Is Small
One of the most challenging parts of hiding a camera in a car is that there isn’t much room to work with. Whether you’re dealing with a two-door sedan or an SUV, There aren’t many convenient places to hide a camera in your car.
The first rule to follow when looking for the right camera is to make sure it’s small. It can be tough to strike a balance between a small camera that’s good quality and reasonably priced, but the effort will be worth it.
A small camera has a lot more options for placement in your car. We’ll get into some of those options a little later on, but you’re a lot more likely to successfully hide a small camera than a larger camera. Small cameras are more difficult to spot. So, if you’re looking to keep your camera hidden, make sure it’s small enough to hide.
2. Buy a Portable Camera
Another important factor when considering a camera for hiding in your car is to make sure it’s portable. You don’t want to have to worry about keeping the camera plugged in because that’ll give away the location. So, you want a portable camera that can work without the need to plug it in.
Most portable cameras work off of battery power, or they may need to be changed from time to time. Charging your car camera may not be reasonable for people who want to keep a camera in their car long-term. So, make sure you have a camera that can last on battery power for an extended period of time to get the most out of it.
If you choose a camera that needs to be plugged into a power source, then it’ll be easy to track if someone’s looking for it. All they have to do is follow the cord. So, keeping the camera hidden well means that it needs to be battery-operated.
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3. Consider Feed Options
There are plenty of options to consider for how you want to access your camera feed, but it’s an important decision to make before you buy the camera. Different cameras are designed to capture and get the feed to you differently.
For example, if you want to access a live feed of your car, then you need to make sure the camera can do that. These cameras usually require a WiFi connection to enable a live feed. Hot spots are available for on-the-go WiFi needs, but overall it may not be possible for you to have that access.
Most likely, you’ll need to have a camera with an SD card to save the video and store it for later. The saved video can be viewed later by connecting to the camera or removing the SD card for review. So, you’ll need to review the footage in the camera or make sure you purchase a camera that is capable of producing a live feed without a WiFi connection.
4. Disguise the Camera
Once you have the camera picked out, you have to figure out how to properly hide it in your car. There are a few ways to go about this. First, you can consider disguising the camera as something else. This is a great way to hide the camera in plain sight.
This can be done intricately or very simply, depending on how well you want to hide the camera. Something as simple as cutting a hole in a tissue box can disguise a camera. But if you want something that’ll blend in a little more, then consider something more likely to be found in a car.
If you want to hide the camera well, then it may be best to use something commonly found in a car. For example, having a cleaner in the backseat of your car is standard. So, empty the bottle and cut a hole for the camera.
You can also hide the camera under everyday things. For example, it’s pretty common to have sweaters or jackets in the back of our cars. So, consider hiding the camera in clothing that you keep in the backseat. Not many people would be suspicious of a jacket in the backseat of your car. So, use that to your advantage.
5. Put the Camera in a Vent
Vents are in every car, and most people don’t bother inspecting them when entering a vehicle. So, it makes them a great place to hide a camera. The camera will be out of sight, but it may affect the air quality in your car. So, be aware that there may be changes in airflow.
First, you need to make sure that the camera is small enough to fit in the vent. Then, you’ll need to detach the vent cover and place the camera inside. Remember that the vent cover may obstruct some of the camera views. So make sure you check the feed to determine if the blockage is too much.
Also, consider that the person in your car may close their vent. If they do, this could completely obstruct the camera view. So, make sure that you watch that vent carefully to ensure nothing obstructs the view.
Depending on the car’s temperature, you may be dealing with very hot or cold air moving through the vents and hitting the camera. For the most part, this probably won’t affect your camera, but it’s important to read up on the temperatures that the camera can be exposed to safely.
Overall, a vent is a safe and well-hidden place for a camera. Not many people will think to look behind every vent to find a camera, and the view can normally capture most of the front seats depending on the angle it is placed.
6. Carve Out a Part of the Backseat
This may not be a popular choice for new, expensive cars, but it can certainly get the job done. Consider carving out part of your backseat to hide the camera. This gives you a great view, and it allows you to almost entirely hide the camera even from the most keen eyes.
This isn’t going to be ideal for new cars as we don’t want to make cosmetic changes to the interior of a new car, but it can be very helpful for older cars. It would be done by cutting a hole in the seat. First, make sure where you’re cutting the whole has a good view of the car as you don’t want to have to cut multiple places.
After cutting the whole place, the camera inside, if the camera is still visible, then you can place a piece of see-through cloth over the camera that matches the seat color. This will help hide the camera lens. A seat or headrest isn’t commonplace to put on a camera. So, if you need to have the camera well-hidden, this is a sneaky option.
7. Hide It in the Back Window
If you don’t want to cut into your seat or remove an air vent, then consider your back window. If you have a ledge back there, as many cars do, then it may be the perfect place to hide a camera.
The camera can either be small enough for no one to notice, or you can disguise the camera as we discussed above. Most of us forget to clean our back window ledge, let alone check it for cameras. So, it’s a great hiding place.
Try placing the camera back there and covering it with a coat or a sweater. You could even use a blanket or a towel, so it looks like you’re just prepared for a chilly day. If you happen to have stuffed animals in the back of your car, then you already have a great disguise. Put the camera in the back window and hide it with your stuffed animals.
8. Ensure It Won’t Move While Driving
One of the more common issues with hiding a camera in a car is making sure that it doesn’t move around while you drive. This is especially a risk for those who want to hide the camera in their back window or somewhere it’s not securely placed.
Nothing gives away the location of a hidden camera, quite like the sound of it moving around your car. Also, even if it isn’t noticeable, it can mess up the view that you wanted or even damage the camera if it’s thrown hard enough. So what can you do to prevent this?
If you don’t want to place the camera in a more secure area like the seat or an air vent, then you can tape the camera down to whatever surface in your car that you choose. Consider double-sided tape for easy application, or just tape it down with ordinary tape if that’s what you have.
If the tape doesn’t quite do the job, you can try other adhesive options like sticky strips or even velcro if you want to be able to move the camera around when you want. Whatever you choose, it is best to ensure that your camera doesn’t move when driving. Of course, this may take a few test runs.
9. Test It Out
One of the most important parts of this process is to test out the camera. First, you want to test that it’ll stay put while you’re driving. This is especially important if you didn’t attach the camera to the car somehow, as we discussed above.
So, take your car for a drive and see where your camera ends up afterward. If it doesn’t move, you’re in the clear. Just keep in mind that more sudden movements like slamming on brakes to prevent an accident or even a collision could change the camera’s location. So, it’s best to ensure that it’s securely in place.
Next, you’ll want to test the actual camera feed. Whether you do a live feed or plug it in to watch later, you need to make sure the camera works, and the view is clear. Make sure to test it out before it’s needed. Otherwise, you may not get the results that you want.
10. Check the Camera Regularly
Once you have the camera in place and it’s fully tested, you’ll want to regularly check the camera. This is for many reasons, but let’s start with the most basic. Keep an eye on the camera to ensure it doesn’t move around too much. Over time the camera may move around if it’s held by an adhesive that starts to wear out or melt.
Don’t just check that the camera is where it’s supposed to be. Make sure you regularly check the feed to make sure it’s working properly. As we all know, technology is great but imperfect. So, check up on the camera every now and then for any issues so you can ensure it’ll work when it’s needed.
Take the time to also check the battery life of the camera. Cameras won’t usually notify you when the battery has run low. Especially a hidden camera that you won’t constantly be checking. So, take the time to check on the battery power of the camera regularly and avoid letting it die completely. Sometimes cameras have apps to help with this.
Finally, check the camera app regularly for any updates that it may need. Sometimes we forget that many technologies require updates that keep them running smoothly. So, get ahead of it by checking the app regularly to ensure no updates are needed.
Hiding a Camera in Your Car: Final Thoughts
Overall, putting a camera in your car isn’t very complicated, but it can be challenging to hide it fully out of sight. So, consider these tips to help you install that camera and hide it well enough so that no one else finds it.
Remember, always test out the camera before you get done, and don’t forget to check the battery level from time to time.
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- By Car Roar