Outdoor Camera: Surprisingly Effective for Everyday Use

The Eufy Window Camera E10 is an indoor-mounted window security camera designed for renters and others who cannot or do not want to install an outdoor camera. This review covers its 2.5K video, local microSD storage, installation, app features, and limitations to help you decide whether it suits your window and security needs.

For an $80 camera, the E10 offers 2.5K video, onboard local storage via microSD, and fast, dual-band Wi-Fi. The camera attaches to the inside of a window without tools. However, pointing any camera outward from an apartment building raises concerns, and users should consider their circumstances and any relevant permissions. For a rental house, permission from the landlord may be needed; homeowners can also use it to avoid drilling into exterior trim. The camera has limitations that are important to understand before choosing it.

After an early hands-on test, the E10 stood out as a capable camera despite several clear shortcomings.

How easy is the Eufy Window Camera E10 to install?

The Eufy Window Camera E10 mounts indoors using an adhesive sticker and hook-and-loop attachment, with no drill or tools required. Its wired design still means you need a nearby power outlet.

The E10 installs on the inside of a window using a mounting sticker.

Installation involves cleaning the window, placing the mounting sticker on the glass, and attaching the camera to its hook-and-loop fastener. A second sticker is included in case you want to reposition the camera. In testing, the camera went onto a kitchen window overlooking a backyard, near an outlet on a countertop; cleaning and mounting took only a couple of minutes.

The compact camera is still noticeable on the glass, particularly with its cable hanging down. Anker includes adhesive cable clips to help route the wire, but the camera must remain within reach of an outlet.

Adding the camera in the Anker Eufy app was quick: select the device in the app and complete the Wi-Fi setup. If you already have a compatible Eufy HomeBase, you can connect the camera to it. A HomeBase adds local storage, but the E10 also supports a microSD card up to 256GB, which is an alternative for local recording.

The E10 supports Alexa and Google Assistant, with or without a Eufy hub, but it does not support Apple Home or HomeKit Secure Video. A HomeBase S380 adds facial recognition and costs $200. HomeKit Secure Video is available on certain other Eufy cameras, such as the EufyCam S3 Pro, but not on the Window Camera E10.

You can adjust the E10’s vertical angle by up to 25 degrees with a mechanical dial on its back. Its 125-degree field of view provided adequate coverage in testing when the camera was mounted about 10 feet above the ground.

The Anker Eufy app lets you change video quality, draw privacy zones that block parts of the image, and adjust motion-detection sensitivity. Separate controls enable notifications and recording for detected people, vehicles, pets, or general motion.

The E10 includes a rolling buffer and prerecording, which adds a few seconds of footage from before a detected event. In testing, that feature helped recordings capture what happened before the alert rather than starting partway through an event.

The app can send text-only push notifications, thumbnails with text, or text notifications followed separately by thumbnails. Text alerts arrived in about four seconds in testing and identify whether the camera detected a person, vehicle, animal, or general motion. The E10 performs this detection on-device.

The camera also supports 24/7 recording, although finding continuous footage in the app is not especially clear. You can open it from a small icon in the Eufy Security tab or select the camera, tap its name, and choose “Playback.”

For users who do not want local storage, Anker offers cloud plans starting at $3.33 per month for 30 days of video history on one camera, rising to $41.66 per month for 180 days and unlimited cameras. The reviewer preferred local recording, citing past software security issues affecting smart cameras, including Eufy products. Following reporting about unencrypted Eufy camera streams in 2022 and 2023, Anker made changes and published information about its privacy measures.

How good is the E10’s video through a window?

The Eufy Window Camera E10 produces clear daytime video, but glass reflections can interfere with the image and its night footage is blurry. Window position, indoor lighting, and available exterior light all affect how useful the camera’s view will be.

The E10 records clear daytime video, but reflections and limited night vision constrain its performance.

The E10’s body acts as a light shield between the camera sensor and the window. Most of the surrounding surface is matte, while the small dome around the camera is glossy. In testing, the picture stayed clear when sunlight was not hitting the window, but direct afternoon sun reflected a nearby bright green wall along the edge of the video. A window exposed to direct sunlight for long stretches may therefore be a poor placement choice.

Nighttime reflections were more pronounced: turning on the kitchen light created a partial halo along the bottom and sides of the image. The camera body blocked some of the light, but not enough to keep the outer edge of the video fully clear. Included matte-black light-blocking stickers widen the shield and reduce reflections, though they make the camera more noticeable. Closing blinds or curtains behind the camera is another way to limit indoor light reaching the glass.

When reflections were not a problem, the daytime video looked sharp, with little of the artifacting seen in some older or less expensive smart cameras. The E10’s image was not as sharp as a modern smartphone’s, but it looked crisper than the Tapo Doorbell Pro D260 and close to the Reolink Elite Floodlight WiFi in the reviewer’s comparisons.

At night, the image looked muddier. The E10 has no spotlight or infrared illumination, so its night view depends on available light; the reviewer would not rely on it to identify intruders without a bright exterior light in the monitored area.

Is the Eufy Window Camera E10 worth choosing?

The Eufy Window Camera E10 is a practical option for checking a porch or backyard when easy installation and local recording matter more than strong night vision or smart-home compatibility. Its daytime video and features are useful, but reflections, the power cable, and the lack of Apple Home support are meaningful trade-offs.

The E10 is best suited to daytime monitoring near an outlet, where window reflections are manageable.

The review found the E10 more capable than expected for an $80 wired camera. Its strengths include clear daytime video, stable fast Wi-Fi, local storage options, and quick detection of people, animals, and vehicles.

Left: Night shot without light-blocking stickers. Right: With the stickers, reflections are reduced. © Wes Davis / Gizmodo

The E10 lacks package detection and does not work with Apple Home, even when connected to a Eufy HomeBase. Its night vision is blurry without bright exterior lighting, and reflections can be especially troublesome on dual-pane windows. Although the camera has a speaker and microphone, sound may not carry clearly through a closed window. The included 10-foot USB-C-to-USB-A cable also limits placement to locations within reach of an outlet.

For someone who needs a simple way to check a porch for deliveries or look into a backyard, the Eufy Window Camera E10 offers useful monitoring without drilling. It is not a substitute for every outdoor security camera: its suitability depends on power access, window reflections, lighting, and the level of security monitoring required.

What storage does the Eufy Window Camera E10 support?

The E10 supports local recording to a microSD card up to 256GB and also offers optional cloud plans. A compatible Eufy HomeBase is another local storage option.

Does the Eufy Window Camera E10 work with Apple Home?

No. The Eufy Window Camera E10 does not support Apple Home or HomeKit Secure Video, even when connected to a Eufy HomeBase.

Can the Eufy Window Camera E10 record at night?

Yes, but the E10 has no spotlight or infrared illumination, so its nighttime image can be blurry without bright exterior lighting.

How does the Eufy Window Camera E10 attach to a window?

The camera attaches to the inside of the glass with an adhesive mounting sticker and a hook-and-loop fastener, so installation does not require drilling.