Support
Export Evidence from Milestone XProtect
Evidence Export
Summary
Follow the four stages below to diagnose video evidence must be exported from XProtect for police, insurance or investigation without losing evidence, configuration or device ownership.
Applies to
- Milestone XProtect Smart Client
- Police, insurance and internal evidence requests
Difficulty and time
Difficulty: Advanced
Estimated time: 20 to 90 minutes
What you will need
- The exact model and current firmware or app version
- Administrator access where authorised
- A photo or screenshot of the current status
- One controlled test case and its exact time
What this guide covers
- Preserve and reproduce the fault
- Open the correct diagnostic screen
- Correct the proven cause
- Verify and document the result
Use this page when video evidence must be exported from XProtect for police, insurance or investigation. It includes the menu or screen to look for, the status that matters and a repeatable proof test.
Exact labels can differ between recorder, controller, app and firmware versions. If the named screen is not present, do not guess at destructive options; note the model and current version for support.
Before you start
Protect the current system and record a baseline before changing anything.
- Write down the exact symptom: the required incident is located but needs a complete, playable and traceable export.
- Photograph the current status, error text, wiring or timeline as applicable.
- Record the last known working time and anything changed immediately before the fault.
- Protect the original recording and record any system time offset before export.
Never hand over an unverified export
A progress-complete message does not prove every camera and timestamp is playable. Verify from the copied destination before releasing evidence.
If the required option is missing or the result does not match this guide, stop and identify the exact model before continuing.
What usually causes this
- Wrong time or camera selected
- Export range lacks context
- Recipient lacks the required player/codec
- Copy was incomplete or never verified
Step 1: Preserve the current state and reproduce the fault
Begin with a repeatable baseline so you know whether a later change genuinely helped.
- Reproduce the problem once and record: the required incident is located but needs a complete, playable and traceable export.
- Note whether every device or user is affected, or only one.
- Compare one working path with the failing path if a comparison exists.
- Protect the original recording and record any system time offset before export.
Step 2: Open the correct screen and inspect the evidence
The primary diagnostic location is XProtect Smart Client > Playback > set time interval/mark start and end > Export. Do not change anything until the displayed state is recorded.
- Open XProtect Smart Client > Playback > set time interval/mark start and end > Export. Menu wording can vary by model and firmware; use the nearest equivalent label.
- Confirm recorder time offset and identify every relevant camera.
- Play through the incident and include context before and after the visible event.
- Record case/reference, operator, camera names and displayed time range.
Step 3: Correct only the cause you proved
Use the matching correction below. Make one change, save it, then repeat the same test.
- Add all relevant cameras and the verified start/end range to the export list.
- Choose XProtect format with Smart Client Player for evidential review, or supported media format for accessibility as required.
- Enable encryption/password and digital signature options where policy requires.
- Export to a clean destination and save the export log/readme with the case record.
Step 4: Verify, monitor and document the handover
A saved setting is not proof. Test the real outcome locally first, then test any app, cloud or client path separately.
- Open the completed export from the destination, not the live system.
- Play beginning, incident and end for every camera.
- Confirm timestamps, camera names, audio and signatures/passwords behave as expected.
- Create a second controlled copy and record custody/transfer details.
Controlled support test
Situation: The reported symptom was: the required incident is located but needs a complete, playable and traceable export.
Solution used: The current state was recorded in XProtect Smart Client > Playback > set time interval/mark start and end > Export, one matching correction was made, and the same test was repeated.
Why this was chosen: This separated the proven cause from unrelated settings.
Installation notes: The final screenshot and test time were saved with the handover record.
Official reference used for this guide
Menu names differ between releases. Confirm model-specific behaviour in Milestone Exporting Evidence Documentation before firmware, reset, storage or security-sensitive work.
Common mistakes
- Changing several settings before repeating the original test.
- Using a factory reset, initialise or format option as an early troubleshooting step.
- Treating an app symptom as proof that the local hardware or recording has failed.
- Failing to record the model, version, exact error and test time before escalation.
- Assuming similar-looking models use identical menus or features.
Troubleshooting table
| Symptom | What to check | What to do next |
|---|---|---|
| the required incident is located but needs a complete, playable and traceable export | wrong camera/time selection, short context window, incompatible format/player, incomplete copy or missing custody record | Open the named diagnostic screen, record the displayed state and use the matching correction above. |
| The named menu is not visible | Different firmware, permissions or model capability | Do not substitute a destructive menu. Capture the model and version and use its official manual. |
| The change saves but the fault remains | The selected cause was not the root cause | Undo the change if appropriate, return to the baseline and compare the failing path with a working one. |
| Local test works but app or client test fails | Account, permission, cloud or remote-network path | Keep the proven local configuration and diagnose the remote path separately. |
| Problem returns later | Intermittent power, cable, storage, network or schedule condition | Record the new failure time and status; correlate it with logs, events and the last known working interval. |
When to contact support
Contact SecurityWholesalers support when the incident plays in Smart Client but export fails, signature verification fails or required footage spans unavailable recording servers.
Send the order number if available, exact model, firmware or app version, screenshot of XProtect Smart Client > Playback > set time interval/mark start and end > Export, the failure time, and the result of the local proof test.
Related support guides
- Milestone XProtect Support Guides - Browse every guide in this support area.
- All Technical Support Guides - Return to the complete support library.
Related buying guides
- CCTV Buying Guide - CCTV system-planning guide.
Relevant product categories
- Milestone Products - Milestone licences and products.
Still stuck?
Need help choosing or setting up a system? Contact SecurityWholesalers support with your order number, product model and a clear description of the issue.
Frequently asked questions
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Where should I click first for export Milestone XProtect footage?
Start at XProtect Smart Client > Playback > set time interval/mark start and end > Export. Record the existing state before changing it because labels and available options can vary by model and firmware.
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What should I look for on that screen?
Look for selected camera list, exact start/end, export format, player inclusion, encryption/signature and destination free space.
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What must I avoid changing during the first check?
A progress-complete message does not prove every camera and timestamp is playable. Verify from the copied destination before releasing evidence.
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How do I prove the correction worked?
Play the exported beginning, incident and end on a separate workstation and confirm every intended camera and timestamp.
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Why might my menu names look different?
Recorder, controller, camera, app and firmware releases can use different labels. Use the closest equivalent only when its function is clear; otherwise record the model and version for support.
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Should I factory-reset the device?
Not as an early step. A reset may erase users, network settings, recording configuration, licences or cloud ownership. Back up the configuration and confirm the recovery plan first.
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What should I send technical support?
Send the exact model and version, screenshot of XProtect Smart Client > Playback > set time interval/mark start and end > Export, exact error text, failure time, what changed before the fault and the result of the controlled local test.
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Can configuration changes recover data or events that were never recorded?
No. A correction can restore future operation, but it cannot recreate footage, alarm events or access transactions that were never stored.