# Where to Place Security Cameras Around Your Home for Best Coverage > The right camera placement can mean the difference between catching a clear picture of a package thief and missing the moment entirely. Here is where to point your cameras for the strongest coverage in 2026. - URL: https://mfpgsecurity.com/resources/where-to-place-security-cameras - Category: Security Cameras - Author: Brett Lawson, Doorbell & Entry Security Writer - Published: 2026-08-15 - Reading time: 4 min - Keywords: security camera placement, home security camera locations, best places to install cameras, outdoor camera placement tips, where to put security cameras --- Buying a good security camera is only half the job. Where you put it determines whether it actually catches useful footage or just records an empty driveway while the real action happens just out of frame. Camera placement matters because most break-ins do not happen through a front door with the lights on and the homeowner watching. According to the [FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting data](https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/safety-resources/crime-prevention), the majority of residential burglaries involve forced entry through doors and windows, often at points hidden from street view. A camera aimed at the wrong spot is essentially a blind camera. Below is a practical, room-by-room and angle-by-angle guide to getting the most out of the cameras you already have, or the ones you are about to buy. ## Start With Entry Points, Not Just the Front Door Every home has more ways in than people usually think about. Before you decide on camera count, walk your property and list every door, window, gate, and garage entry. **Priority entry points to cover:** - Front door - Back door - Side doors or garage entry doors - Any sliding glass door or ground-floor window that is not easily visible from the street - Garage (both the vehicle door and the walk-in entry) The [National Council for Home Safety and Security](https://www.nationalhomesecurity.org/) has noted in consumer research that a large share of burglars actually enter through the front door, but back and side doors remain popular precisely because they are less visible to neighbors and passing traffic. That means your coverage plan should not stop at the porch. ## Front Door and Porch: Get the Face, Not Just the Feet Your front door camera is usually the one that gets used the most, for package deliveries, visitors, and yes, catching porch pirates. But a lot of homeowners mount it too high or angle it down too steeply, which means it captures the top of someone's head instead of their face. **Tips for front door placement:** - Mount at roughly 7 to 9 feet high, angled slightly downward - Aim to capture the walkway approach, not just the doormat - Avoid direct sunlight hitting the lens at sunrise or sunset, which can wash out the image - If you have a video doorbell, pair it with a second camera covering the wider porch area for a fuller picture ## Back and Side Doors: The Overlooked Entry Points Back doors and side yard gates deserve just as much attention as the front, arguably more, since intruders often prefer routes hidden from the street. A camera here should cover the door itself plus the path leading to it. **Placement notes:** - Mount high enough to avoid easy tampering, typically 8 to 10 feet - Angle to include the fence line or gate, since that is usually how someone reaches the back of the house unseen - If there is a shared side yard with a neighbor, coordinate coverage so there is no gap where both cameras miss the middle section ## Driveway and Garage: Catch Vehicles and Approach Paths Driveway cameras help identify vehicles, which is valuable if there is ever a police report to file. They also often catch the earliest signs of someone approaching the home. **Best practices:** - Position to capture the full width of the driveway, including the street-facing end - A second angle on the garage door area helps catch tool theft or attempted forced entry, which is common in detached garages - Consider a camera near the mailbox or curb if package theft or car break-ins have been an issue in your neighborhood ## Windows and Ground-Floor Access Points Ground-floor windows, especially those obscured by landscaping or fencing, are common access points. A camera does not need to point directly at the glass, but it should cover the approach to that window. **What to check:** - Any window within reach from the ground without a ladder - Basement window wells - Windows near air conditioning units, which sometimes get used as informal footholds ## Backyard and Perimeter Coverage For larger yards, one camera rarely covers everything. Think in terms of overlapping zones rather than a single wide shot. **Perimeter tips:** - Corner-mounted cameras with wide-angle lenses cover more ground than a straight-on view - Motion-activated lighting paired with a camera improves both deterrence and video quality at night - Pools, sheds, and detached structures are worth their own camera if they hold valuable equipment ## Height, Angle, and Field of View: The Technical Basics A few technical details make a bigger difference than most people expect. **Height:** Most professionals recommend mounting outdoor cameras between 8 and 10 feet high. High enough to deter tampering, low enough to still capture a clear, identifiable face. **Angle:** A slight downward tilt, roughly 15 to 30 degrees, balances a wide field of view with usable facial detail. Too steep and you only see the top of heads. Too flat and you lose the ground-level detail that matters for identifying vehicles or license plates. **Field of view:** Wide-angle lenses (100 to 130 degrees) cover more area but can distort edges. For spots where facial recognition or plate reading matters, a narrower lens pointed directly at the path of travel works better than one wide shot trying to do everything. **Lighting:** According to guidance summarized by the [Consumer Technology Association](https://www.cta.tech/), poor lighting is one of the most common reasons homeowners are disappointed with their camera footage after an incident. Infrared night vision helps, but it is not a substitute for actual illumination in high-priority areas like entry doors. ## Common Placement Mistakes to Avoid - **Pointing straight down:** Great for foot traffic, terrible for faces. - **Backlighting the lens:** A camera facing a bright window or the rising sun will silhouette anyone standing in front of it. - **Leaving gaps between cameras:** Overlapping fields of view close the gaps that a determined intruder can exploit. - **Ignoring interior cameras:** A camera near a main hallway or stairway can confirm whether someone actually entered, which matters if your monitoring service needs to verify an alarm. - **Forgetting about weatherproofing:** An outdoor-rated camera that is not properly sealed can fail exactly when you need it most, during a storm or after months of sun exposure. ## How Many Cameras Do You Actually Need? There is no universal number, but a reasonable starting point for most single-family homes looks like this: - One at the front door or porch - One covering the back door - One on the driveway or garage - One or two on the perimeter, depending on yard size and blind spots Homes with detached garages, pools, or larger lots often benefit from a couple of additional units. The goal is coverage without gaps, not simply adding more cameras for the sake of it. ## Professional Installation vs. DIY Placement DIY cameras are a fine starting point, but professional installers bring something homeowners often underestimate: they know how sightlines, sun angles, and blind spots actually play out over time, not just on the day of installation. An ADT-authorized installer, for example, will typically walk the property, check how shadows and sun position change through the day, and adjust camera height and angle before finalizing placement. That kind of site assessment is part of why professionally installed and monitored systems tend to perform more consistently than a camera mounted once and never revisited. If you want that kind of walkthrough for your own home, MFPGSecurity can help arrange it as an ADT Authorized Dealer. You can browse more guidance on our [resources page](/resources) or head back to our [homepage](/) to see current system options. You can also call 833-842-0818 to talk through your specific layout with a specialist. ## Putting It All Together Good camera placement is less about buying more hardware and more about thinking through how someone would actually approach your home, where the blind spots are, and how lighting changes throughout the day. Cover every entry point, mount at the right height and angle, and make sure your cameras overlap rather than leave gaps. Take twenty minutes to walk your property from the perspective of someone trying to get in unnoticed. It is one of the simplest, most effective steps toward better home security, and it costs nothing but time. ## Common questions **Where is the best place to put a security camera?** The most effective placements are entry points: front door, back door, garage, and any ground-floor window that is not visible from the street. Beyond entry points, driveway and perimeter cameras add valuable coverage for vehicles and approach paths. **How high should outdoor security cameras be mounted?** Most professionals recommend 8 to 10 feet high with a slight downward tilt of 15 to 30 degrees. This height deters tampering while still keeping faces and details identifiable in the footage. **Do I need cameras on every side of my house?** Not necessarily every side, but every likely entry point and blind spot should have coverage. For many homes that means front, back, one side yard or gate, and the driveway or garage area, with overlapping fields of view to avoid gaps. ## Get a Free Quote Ready to protect what matters most? Get a free, no obligation quote on a professionally installed ADT home security system with 24/7 monitoring from MFPGSecurity. [Request your free quote](/) or call [833-842-0818](tel:8338420818) to talk with a security specialist today. ## FAQ ### Where is the best place to put a security camera? The most effective placements are entry points: front door, back door, garage, and any ground-floor window that is not visible from the street. Beyond entry points, driveway and perimeter cameras add valuable coverage for vehicles and approach paths. ### How high should outdoor security cameras be mounted? Most professionals recommend 8 to 10 feet high with a slight downward tilt of 15 to 30 degrees. This height deters tampering while still keeping faces and details identifiable in the footage. ### Do I need cameras on every side of my house? Not necessarily every side, but every likely entry point and blind spot should have coverage. For many homes that means front, back, one side yard or gate, and the driveway or garage area, with overlapping fields of view to avoid gaps. ## Sources - FBI Crime Prevention Resources: https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/safety-resources/crime-prevention - National Council for Home Safety and Security: https://www.nationalhomesecurity.org/ - Consumer Technology Association: https://www.cta.tech/ --- Published by MFPGSecurity, https://mfpgsecurity.com (ADT Authorized Dealer). Call 833-842-0818.