How to play back and export Hikvision video for police or insurance
Step-by-step help for Hikvision recorders and iVMS-4200, for property managers, building operators and security staff.
The quick answer
On the recorder itself, go to Menu > Playback, pick the camera and date, clip the incident and export it to a USB drive. On a PC, iVMS-4200 can download footage for one or several cameras. For police, a USB export from the recorder is usually the best copy.
We’ll do it for you
Need footage for police or insurance and short on time? We’ll find and export it for you, remotely where your system allows it, or on site.
Before you start
Works with: Hikvision recorders (NVR and DVR) and iVMS-4200 version 3.x (older 2.x noted below)
Who it’s for: Property managers, building operators and security staff
You need: a login with playback and export permission, the camera, date and time of the incident, and a USB flash drive for a recorder export.
Last updated: October 19, 2026
At the recorder (monitor and mouse)
Plug a USB flash drive into a free USB port on the recorder.
Go to Menu > Playback.
Choose the camera and the date (dates with recordings are highlighted). Set the start time with the timeline or Jump to Time, and press Play.
At the start of the incident, click Start Clipping; at the end, click it again (End Clipping). Click Save Clip.
Repeat for any other clips, then click Clips Export, select the clips and press Export.
When the export finishes, remove the USB drive.
In iVMS-4200 on a PC
Open the Remote Playback module and go to Camera Playback.
In the Camera pane on the left, drag the camera to a playback window, or double-click it (up to 16 cameras at once).
On the timeline at the bottom, set the date. Days with recordings are marked on the calendar.
The video plays on its own. Drag the timeline or click a point on it to jump to the time you need. The space bar pauses and plays.
To download one camera: right-click the video, click Download, set the start and end time, name the file and click OK. Tick Download Player when the file is going to police or an insurer.
To download several cameras: play them all back, click Download for Multiple Cameras, tick the cameras, set the times and click Download (up to 16 cameras).
For a short clip instead, click Clip on the playback toolbar and set the start and end time. Files are saved to the folder set under System Configuration > File (File Saving Path); copy them to a USB drive from there.
If the recorder has privacy masking on, downloads are blurred unless the recorder allows the original stream. Ask us.
Older iVMS-4200 2.x: play back in Remote Playback, save clips with right-click > Start/Stop Recording, then File > Open Video File > Save as.
Tips for police and insurance
- Note the camera name, the date and the exact time of the incident.
- Keep the original export unedited, and keep a copy.
- Check the recorder’s date and time are correct before you export (see wrong date or time).
- Include the player if the file won’t open on a normal computer.
- Ask your local police service which format they want.
If it didn’t work
No recordings on that date
The camera may not have been recording, or the recorder’s clock may be wrong. Call us.
The file won’t open
Include the player (Download Player) with the export, or ask us to convert it.
The USB drive isn’t found
Try another USB port or a different flash drive. Call us if it still isn’t found.
Need footage for police or insurance?
We’ll help you export it, remotely where your system allows it, or on site.
Stuck with a system nobody will fix?
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Questions
How far back can I go?
It depends on the size of the recorder’s hard drive and its settings. The playback calendar shows the dates with recordings.
What format do police want?
Ask your local police service. A USB export from the recorder, with the player if needed, is usually the best copy.
The file won’t open on my computer. What now?
Export it again with the player included, or ask us and we’ll help.
Can you export it remotely?
Sometimes, when the recorder can be reached remotely and you give us permission. Otherwise we come on site.
More answers: Security camera questionsGlossary: NVRvideo analytics
Need footage exported?
Tell us the building, the camera and the date and time. We’ll follow up to help.
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