Dark Watch is an overnight mode in the Xfinity app. It is designed for the hours when your home should be quiet and detects unusual overnight activity.
Dark Watch is available with Xfinity WiFi Shield and Shield Select from Xfinity Home. Depending on your service tier, settings, and equipment, Dark Watch can work with WiFi Motion, CyberSecure, Family Settings, device activity, and compatible Shield Select devices and features.
Note: Dark Watch is not a professionally monitored home security service. Xfinity is not monitoring motion within your home or the notifications sent to you.
What you'll need
- Eligible Xfinity WiFi service and an eligible leased Xfinity Gateway for supported WiFi Shield features
- The Xfinity app
- Shield Select if you want to use compatible cameras, sensors, locks, lights, or Urgent Response features with Dark Watch
- WiFi Motion turned-on or an active Xfinity Camera on the account
How Dark Watch works
Dark Watch can be activated in the Xfinity app and can also be set to turn on automatically based on a sleep schedule. When Dark Watch is on, the system can send notifications to selected devices when activity appears unusual for overnight hours.
Dark Watch can combine WiFi Motion, CyberSecure, Family Settings, sensors and camera activity alerts to help recognize abnormal overnight activity and flag what may be unexpected.
What can trigger a Dark Watch notification
- WiFi Motion activity in areas or devices you selected for Dark Watch
- Device use after hours when Family Settings should limit access
- CyberSecure activity that suggests suspicious remote access
- Compatible Shield Select camera person alerts
- Compatible Shield Select door and window sensor activity, and other selected sensor activity
What may not trigger a Dark Watch notification
- Normal overnight household movement outside configured coverage areas
- Approved or expected WiFi activity
- Regular network activity that does not appear unusual
Customize Dark Watch
Dark Watch works best when customized for your household. Review your overnight routines and decide which devices or activities should generate alerts.
- For WiFi Shield, WiFi Motion is disabled in Dark Watch by default. Enable it if overnight WiFi Motion alerts make sense for your home.
- For Shield Select, door and window sensors can provide perimeter protection in Dark Watch, with motion sensors, person alerts, WiFi Motion, locks, and lights configured as needed.
- Choose only the cameras or spaces where people should not be present overnight for Person Alerts.
- Pause selected WiFi profiles overnight if that matches your household routines.
- Use sleep schedule automation to turn on Dark Watch automatically at bedtime and return to Home Watch in the morning.
- Use location-based automation and mode reminders if they help your household manage modes more consistently.
Service tier comparison
| Feature included | WiFi Shield | Shield Select |
| Dark Watch | Yes | Yes |
| Sleep schedule automation | Yes | Yes |
| Location-based mode changes | Yes | Yes |
| WiFi Motion support | Yes | Yes |
| Pause WiFi profiles in Dark Watch | Yes | Yes |
| Door and window sensors | No | Yes |
| Motion sensors | No | Yes |
| Person Alerts | No | Yes |
| Automatic door lock actions* | No | Yes |
| Lighting automations* | No | Yes |
| Urgent Response features | No | Yes |
*Requires a separate purchase of compatible smart locks or smart lights.
Recommended starting points
Many households start with a simpler Dark Watch setup and then customize from there.
- Family-friendly Dark Watch: Door/window sensor alerts on, motion-based alerts limited or off
- Enhanced Dark Watch: Layered overnight monitoring with perimeter devices plus selected motion, WiFi Motion, or person alerts
- Customized Dark Watch: Selected devices, selected spaces, and selected WiFi profiles based on the household routine
FAQs
Should I enable WiFi Motion in Dark Watch?
Many households leave it off until they understand their overnight routines. If movement overnight is uncommon, enabling it may provide additional awareness.
Should I enable motion sensors in Dark Watch with Shield Select?
Only if movement inside the home overnight is unexpected. Many households leave motion sensors off overnight to reduce unnecessary alerts.
Can I customize each mode differently?
Yes. Alerting devices, automations, WiFi profile settings, and supported actions can be configured independently by mode.
Can Dark Watch activate automatically?
Yes. Sleep schedule automation can be used so Dark Watch starts at night and Home Watch resumes in the morning.
Additional information
Visit our Online Support Center to find common solutions.
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