Camera Monitor

Core Five Nights at Freddy's Series
Main plotline by Scott Cawthon and partnered game companies

Were you looking for the Duct Monitor or the Vent Monitor from the seventh game?

Camera Monitor
Raising and lowering the Camera Monitor from the first and second game.
Information
Alias	Monitor Cam System*
Type	Device
Usage	Viewing locations with surveillance cameras
Debut	Five Nights at Freddy's

The Camera Monitor is a vital device of the Five Nights at Freddy's series that allows full access to video camera footage within the buildings.

Five Nights at Freddy's

The Monitor accesses the surveillance footage within Freddy Fazbear's Pizza (excluding the safe room or the Kitchen, the latter of which is audio only) and is one of the many mechanics that consumes power. The player can activate this by hovering over the area marked with arrows at the bottom of the screen to locate the animatronics once they have moved from their original spots.

Viewing certain animatronics on the camera will prevent them from moving until the player stops watching them. However, others are able to cut the video feed if the player is still looking at the Monitor when they move. While viewing the Monitor, the player cannot be killed by the main three animatronics until they force down the Monitor, though Foxy can attack even while the Monitor is up.

This can be used as a defense method if an animatronic is waiting in the Office - although this is only viable if the power will last until 6 AM. However, it has also been noted that this may not work with Bonnie and Chica as they can force the Monitor down to attack if it is held up for too long.

Advantages

• Allows the player to check on any room just by hovering their mouse cursor over the arrows.
• Prevents the animatronics from moving when the player looks at them (with the exception of Foxy, who must be checked in moderation).
• Warns the player when Foxy is out of Pirate Cove/sprinting towards The Office.
• Can protect the player from Golden Freddy if he is in The Office.
• Cheat Mode enabled on the Android version allows the player to see the locations of the animatronics on the mini-map.

Disadvantages

• In the first game, it is prone to failure like the Doors and Hall Lights. This occurs when Bonnie or Chica move while being observed. It returns to normal after five seconds of downtime.
• In the first game, it uses power like all other electronic devices.
  • In the first game, pulling up the Monitor will immediately trigger a Bonnie or Chica attack if either has disabled the Door and Hall Lights associated with them.
• Under certain circumstances, using the Monitor to view CAM 2B may summon Golden Freddy.
• Is activated/deactivated by simply hovering the mouse over the bar at the bottom of the screen. This may accidentally lead to an attack if the player is unaware of the cursor's position.
• Can trigger Foxy's sprint down the West Hall.
  • However, this can also be an advantage to the player. If they notice Foxy has escaped Pirate Cove, lowering it immediately, shutting the left door, and then viewing Foxy's sprint can give the player a few extra seconds to defend themselves.
• Can sidetrack the player by forcing them to hunt down a missing animatronic while another one attacks.
• Due to the fact that even though more than one animatronic is in the same room only one can be seen in the security cameras, one can easily think they have lost track of Freddy if Bonnie or Chica is in the same room.
  • This is especially dangerous if both Freddy and Chica are in the East Hall Corner (since Chica tends to move more often than Freddy, she is usually the last to enter each room. If both animatronics are in the East Hall Corner, Chica is usually the animatronic seen in the camera, and the player can easily be killed by Freddy if they are not aware of that feature).

Five Nights at Freddy's 2

The Camera Monitor in Five Nights at Freddy's 2 is very similar to the one in the first game. This new Monitor features new rooms and mechanics that the player is able to use when it is opened. On the Custom Night, the Show Stage and Parts/Service cameras are disabled, only showing the "Signal Interrupted" error, likely due to the presets clashing with in-game mechanics and files.

Along with the usual observation mode on this Monitor, the player is also able to remotely wind the Music Box, located in the Prize Corner, or CAM 11. It is one of the main mechanics of the game, and the only camera the player should check on later nights, much like Pirate Cove from the first game.

The player can also use their Flashlight when the Monitor is up to illuminate dark areas to check if an animatronic is present in the room. This is especially useful when checking the vents, as it allows the player to identify an animatronic that has crawled into them.

Advantages

• Allows the player to check on any room just by hovering the cursor over the camera box.
• Prevents the animatronics from moving when the player looks at them, with the exception of Foxy.
• The Monitor allows the player to wind the Music Box, thus soothing the Puppet.
  • Additionally, it alerts the player with a warning sign next to CAM 11 when the song is close to ending.
• The player may use their Flashlight to determine if there is an animatronic in a room or not.
• Unlike the first game, not raising the Monitor will actually stall an animatronic in the vents or the hallway (excluding Foxy). No matter how much time has passed, the animatronic in question will not enter The Office until the Monitor is raised.

Disadvantages

• The toy animatronics (including Mangle and BB), temporarily disable the cameras whenever they move. The originals do not have this ability in this game.
• An animatronic can sneak into the room while the Monitor is up, then attack once it is lowered. They can even force it down if the player stalls for too long.
• Is activated/deactivated by simply hovering over the bar at the bottom of the screen like in the first game. This may accidentally trigger an attack if the player is unaware of the cursor's position.
  • Additionally, the bar is placed right next to the bar that activates the Freddy Fazbear Head and may lead to accidentally pulling up the Monitor when the player wants to equip the Freddy Head. This can trigger an attack from an animatronic in The Office.

Five Nights at Freddy's 3

Monitor pulling up and back animation (click to animate).

The Camera Monitor in Five Nights at Freddy's 3 acts very different and is very noticeably changed compared to its incarnations from the previous games. The player has to face the rightmost corner of The Office in order to access the Monitor. The H.U.D. of the bar of the said Monitor will appear at the top-right corner of the screen. The Monitor has two maps of Fazbear's Fright, the rooms and the vents.

Unlike the Monitor from the previous titles, the Monitor in the third game is plugged on the walls and will function in a door-like manner. This does not change its activation speed, however, and it is merely for aesthetic purposes.

Advantages

• Allows the player to check on any room just by clicking on the blue button.
• Equipped in the Monitor is a sound which is identical to the one BB emits in the second game. This is used to lure Springtrap to other places and make him deviate from his path to The Office.
• Allows the player to toggle to a separate map consisting of 5 cameras placed in vents that Springtrap might try to sneak through.
  • Also allows the player to seal the vents.
• The left side of the Monitor allows the player to be aware of any errors without having to open the Maintenance Panel.
• Prevents Phantom Freddy from attacking the player.

Disadvantages

• The player has to toggle between two maps. This can be very tedious since the player has 15 total cameras to manage and toggling between maps too much may allow Springtrap to advance closer to the player without them noticing.
• The camera system can be disabled at random times or when the phantom animatronics jumpscare the player.
  • This also applies to the Ventilation System and the Audio Devices.
• The player has to face the rightmost corner of the Office in order to access the Monitor, or it will not work.
• Can be temporarily disabled when Springtrap moves.
• The phantom animatronic activity can be unknowingly triggered even while the Camera system is disabled.
• If Springtrap enters the Office through the vent on the right side, looking at the Monitor will trigger his attack, resulting in a Game Over.
  • Similarly, if Springtrap enters the Office through the door on the left side, then opening the Monitor will allow him to run across the Office and make the kill.

Five Nights at Freddy's: Sister Location

The Camera Monitor returns in Five Nights at Freddy's: Sister Location. It appears in the Private Room. Oddly, the Maintenance Panel in the Breaker Room shares the same model.

In the Private Room, the monitor behaves in similar ways to the first Five Nights at Freddy's game. However, there are different cameras and only one animatronic, Ennard.

During the Custom Night, the monitor behaves in the same way. The cameras, bar CAM 07 and CAM 05, have the same textures as well. However, there is a new mechanic integrated into the monitor: the controlled shock button.

Advantages

Private Room

• Allows the player to track Ennard.
• Prevents Ennard from moving when the player looks at it.
• Allows the player to check if Ennard is about to enter the Private Room.
• The player only needs to track one animatronic.

Custom Night

• Allows the player to delay Funtime Foxy on modes it is active.
• Allows the player to stop the Minireenas and Electrobab from draining oxygen and power respectively on modes they are active.
• Deters Yenndo on modes he is active.
• Allows the player to track Funtime Freddy and Bidybab on modes they are active.

Disadvantages

Private Room

• Like in the first game, it drains power, but at a much faster rate.
• Ennard can force the monitor down while the player is using it.
• Is activated/deactivated by simply hovering the mouse over the bar at the bottom of the screen. This may accidentally lead to an attack if the player is unaware of the cursor's position.
• This is the only way to check to see if Ennard is about to enter the office.
• Unlike in the other games, Ennard can also attack without needing the monitor to be up.

Custom Night

• Like in the Private Room, it drains power at a fast rate.
• Lolbit can force the monitor down on modes they are active.
• When lowered, it can randomly activate Yenndo, Bonnet, and/or Minireena 2 on modes they are active.
• CAM 01 and CAM 02 are disabled when Ballora is active.

Ultimate Custom Night

The Camera Monitor returns once again in Ultimate Custom Night, but instead of just being used for cameras, it now serves other functions, such as the air ducts and the vents. It may be the most important mechanic in the game, due to most of the characters' mechanics involve the use of monitor.

Advantages

• Can be flipped up and down by using the S key.
• Can prevent Golden Freddy from jumpscaring the player if flipped back up quickly.
• Allows the player to toggle between camera, ventilation and duct systems.
• Allows the player to turn on/off power generator, silent ventilation, heater, power a/c, and global music box.
• Allows the player to reset ventilation to prevent blackout.
• Allows the player to collect faz-coins by hovering the mouse over them while in the camera system.
• Allows the player to watch Freddy Fazbear's movement towards the office.
• Allows the player to determine which animatronics' plushie needs to be purchased first (Circus Baby, Nightmare Bonnie, and Nightmare Mangle).
• Allows the player to see which direction Rockstar Chica is coming from.
• Allows the player to see if Jack-o-Chica has appeared.
• Allows the player to watch Lefty's movement.
• Prevents Foxy from moving by watching him.
• Allows the player to interact with Toy Freddy's screen and prevent him from losing the game.
• Allows the player to wind up the Music Box when viewing CAM 04.
• Allows the player to change the music played by the music box when viewing CAM 04.
• Prevents Funtime Foxy from jumpscaring the player by watching CAM 06 the moment the hour changes.
• Can be used to scare Plushtrap away from his chair by watching him on CAM 06.
• Allows the player to buy plushies from CAM 07 to prevent Circus Baby, Nightmare Bonnie, and Nightmare Mangle from jumpscaring the player.
• Allows the player to buy the Death Coin from CAM 07.
• Allows the player to use the vent snares.
• Allows the player to watch the vent animatronics through the motion detector.
• Allows the player to see the positions of animatronics in the duct system.
• Allows the player to play an audio lure in the duct system.
• Allows the player to open a duct entrance and close the other.

Disadvantages

• Uses power.
• Can be disabled by Old Man Consequences if the player failed to catch the fish in time.
• Can trigger Scrap Baby and Nightmare Balloon Boy's jumpscare if the monitor is flipped back up quickly after being flipped down. This is because Scrap Baby and Nightmare BB may move after the player flips down the monitor and the player cannot do the tasks required to prevent them from attacking, and they will attack if the monitor is flipped up.
• Can trigger Phantom Mangle and Phantom BB if not flipped down quickly or changing camera locations.
• May let Springtrap, Balloon Boy and JJ sneak in the office, as they do not have audio cues and only have visuals.

Five Nights at Freddy's VR: Help Wanted

The Camera Monitor returns once again as one of the mechanics in Five Nights at Freddy's VR: Help Wanted. It appears in FNAF 1, FNAF 2, and FNAF 3 section.

Gameplay

Virtual Remake

Due to the new Virtual Reality element of the environment, the monitor will always be in front of the player and display each of the cameras without having to switch their view to the screen, allowing them to quickly resume any activity around the room. Though the feed will still occasionally cut to conceal the movement of the animatronics, it will usually reveal them fluidly moving to different positions, and the player can actually witness their activity on-camera. The positions of the cameras can also be different from their original counterparts, offering new perspectives of some of the rooms.

The general setup consists of a panel lying face-down on the desk containing the pizzeria layout, and the wall screen displaying the current camera view. The panel consists of numerous buttons, all of which are labeled their proper camera number, placed on their respective locations on the map layout. Each button has a piece of tape next to it labeling the name of the location it shows, but are absent in Five Nights at Freddy's 3, due to the individual rooms lacking their own proper name. Like the original games, the button corresponding to the current room focus will glow green for clarification.

Individual VR adaptations

In the simulations reminiscent of Five Nights at Freddy's 2 and Five Nights at Freddy's 3, extra buttons are also present.

In Five Nights at Freddy's 2, two extra buttons are available, reminiscent of the music box winding mechanic and the flashlight used to reveal the contents of the rooms show on the monitor. These can be found together on the bottom-right corner of the panel. These buttons will glow yellow while active. The flashlight functions identically to the original one, except it exists separately from the office flashlight, displaying them as two separate flashlight buttons. The music wind-up button, on the other hand, may only be pressed while viewing Camera 11, the Prize Corner location. When viewed, the button will glow yellow and can be pressed. Doing so will wind up the music box. Like the original game, the timer for the music box is visible on the screen when viewing Camera 11, and the orange and red yield signs will also flash while it is nearing completion.

In Five Nights at Freddy's 3, there are two monitors available, monitoring the hallway and vent cameras. Only one footage can be viewed at a time, and the other will show static until interacted with again. The monitor in front of the player displays the hallway layout, and includes a button in the bottom-right corner that activates the audio-lure. The lure will play in the room the player is currently viewing. The monitor to the right of the player displays the ventilation layout and cameras. Pressing the button on the bottom left will seal the vent in the area being viewed. The audio lure and footage will also function like their original counterparts and will malfunction until resolved on the maintenance panel.

Advantages

General Mode

• Gameplay adaptation (pending, offers new element of spatial awareness).
• Does not require the player to avert their gaze.
• Includes a separate panel displaying the map layout and camera buttons so that it won't block the screen.
• Display fluent movement of the animatronics, normally allowing the player to witness them moving.

FNAF 1

• Does not consume any extra power.
• Can stay on throughout the whole night.

FNAF 2

• Includes separate buttons for the flashlight and music box, offering an organized format.
• Screen is placed closer to the light buttons, allowing for quick access.

FNAF 3

• The use and format of extra buttons for mechanics can smooth gameplay.
• The screens are close to each other, allowing for more fluent access.

Disadvantages

General Mode

• Gameplay Adaptation (Pending, offers new element of spatial awareness).
• Static is still present to conceal certain animatronic movement. (Presumably for smooth position transitions)

FNAF 1

• TBA

FNAF 2

• The music box button can only be pressed while viewing Camera 11 (For balance reasons, like the original)

FNAF 3

• Only one monitor can be viewed at a time, other will show static (Normally wouldn't pose a problem)

Gameplay

Five Nights at Freddy's

The camera map used to switch between cameras.

An early version of the camera map.

Button used to activate and deactivate Monitor (located at the bottom of the screen).

The camera map in cheat mode (Android only).

The monitor as shown in the game.

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Five Nights at Freddy's 2

The camera map in FNaF2.

The button used to put the monitor up/down.

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Five Nights at Freddy's 3

The button to bring up the Monitor.

The Map Toggle set on in the Monitor, which reveals the Vent CAMs.

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Five Nights at Freddy's: Sister Location

The entire map of Circus Baby's Entertainment and Rental, shown in the Breaker Panel.

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Maps

Five Nights at Freddy's

CAM 1A (Show Stage) selected on the map.

CAM 1B (Dining Area) selected on the map.

CAM 1C (Pirate Cove) selected on the map.

CAMs 2A (West Hall) and 2B (West Hall Corner) selected on the map.

CAM 3 (Supply Closet) selected on the map.

CAMs 4A (East Hall) and 4B (East Hall Corner) selected on the map.

CAM 5 (Backstage) selected on the map.

CAM 6 (Kitchen) selected on the map.

CAM 7 (Restrooms) selected on the map.

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Five Nights at Freddy's 2

CAM 01 (Party Room 1) selected on the map.

CAM 02 (Party Room 2) selected on the map.

CAM 03 (Party Room 3) selected on the map.

CAM 04 (Party Room 4) selected on the map.

CAM 05 (Left Air Vent) selected on the map.

CAM 06 (Right Air Vent) selected on the map.

CAM 07 (Main Hall) selected on the map.

CAM 08 (Parts/Service) selected on the map.

CAM 09 (Show Stage) selected on the map.

CAM 10 (Game Area) selected on the map.

CAM 11 (Prize Corner) selected on the map.

CAM 12 (Kid's Cove) selected on the map.

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Five Nights at Freddy's 3

CAM 01 selected on the map.

CAM 02 selected on the map.

CAM 03 selected on the map.

CAM 04 selected on the map.

CAM 05 selected on the map.

CAM 06 selected on the map.

CAM 07 selected on the map.

CAM 08 selected on the map.

CAM 09 selected on the map.

CAM 10 selected on the map.

CAM 11 selected on the map.

CAM 12 selected on the map.

CAM 13 selected on the map.

CAM 14 selected on the map.

CAM 15 selected on the map.

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Five Nights at Freddy's VR: Help Wanted

Kitchen display screen

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Miscellaneous

Five Nights at Freddy's 3 teaser image of the camera map.

Five Nights at Freddy's 3 teaser, brightened, revealing the Vent Cameras.

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Five Nights at Freddy's

The sound emitted when the player switches cameras.

The sound emitted when the player raises the Monitor.

The sound emitted when the player lowers the Monitor.

The sound sometimes emitted while the Monitor is up.

Garble from the loss of video.

Five Nights at Freddy's 2

The sound emitted when the Monitor is raised.

The sound emitted when the Monitor is lowered.

Five Nights at Freddy's 3

The sound emitted when the player opens the Monitor.

The sound emitted when the player closes the Monitor.

The static sound the camera emits.

Five Nights at Freddy's

• While the Monitor allows the player to view any room via security cameras, the Kitchen's video feed is disabled. It is the only camera without video because Scott Cawthon wanted to leave a room to the player's imagination. However, audio still works and may be monitored in the same way as any other camera. Chica and Freddy Fazbear can both be heard giving audio cues in the form of rustling pots and pans or music, respectively.
• If the player has their Monitor up during a Bonnie/Chica attack for too long, the Monitor will be "pushed down" by said animatronic and the attack will proceed as it normally would.
• In the game files is an unused map with different camera icons from the ones used in-game. The camera icons are circle shaped, and there is a green cone showing the camera's field of vision. This could have been what the mini-map and cameras originally looked like, but they were later changed. Some of the placements of the cameras imply that some rooms were originally viewed from other angles than what the game currently offers.
• Freddy and Foxy can attack the player without opening and closing the Monitor to counter the "do nothing" strategy that existed in early stages of development.
• In the Mobile version, the Monitor's opening and closing animation is absent.
• The default focus of the Monitor is CAM 1A.
• This is the only monitor in the series to utilize camera numbers (e.g. West Hall Corner being CAM 2B as opposed to CAM 04).
• This is the only monitor in the series not to precede single-digit camera feeds with a zero.

Five Nights at Freddy's 2

• The Monitor shows more color than the one in the first game.
• The Monitor is pulled up and down faster. Because of this, the Freddy Fazbear Head can be equipped by the player while the Monitor is still in its lowering animation.
• The default focus of this Monitor is the Show Stage (CAM 09).
  • During the Custom Night, the default focus of the Monitor is the Main Hall, even if the player doesn't change the A.I. at all.
• If a toy animatronic moves while the Monitor is up, the Monitor only deactivates for 1-2 seconds while, in the first game, it deactivated for 5 seconds if any animatronic moved.
• It is currently unknown how the Flashlight is used directly from the Monitor. One can assume the cameras have a built-in light which can be toggled via the Monitor, although this also drains Flashlight battery rather than its own separate reserve of power.

Five Nights at Freddy's 3

• The Monitor in Five Nights at Freddy's 3 is the only Monitor to face significant changes throughout the series. This refers to changes such as:
  • The player cannot open the Monitor at any position except when facing at the rightmost corner of The Office.
  • The Monitor can be fully tampered with by the phantom animatronics, unlike in the previous games in which the Monitor faces slight disruptions, like temporary static. Following this, the Monitor in Five Nights at Freddy's 3 also cannot automatically fix by itself; the player has to fix it manually, which can lead to many opportunities for Springtrap to attack the player.
  • This Monitor is the first one to not cover the entire screen when pulled up, allowing the player to see animatronics moving in the window or even inside The Office.
  • This Monitor has a rusty gold coloring, unlike the monitors of the first two games that had a grey color. Also, the third game's Monitor does not have the red and green light that the first two monitors had.
  • This Monitor is the second one to allow the player to interact with the shown locations (after the Music Box in the Prize Corner in Five Nights at Freddy's 2).
• The map in Five Nights at Freddy's 3 bears a resemblance to the There is no Pause Button! sprite upside down. This was likely intentionally done by Scott Cawthon.
• The default focus of the Monitor is CAM 02.

Five Nights at Freddy's: Sister Location

• This is the first time that the Monitor and its cousin the Maintenance Panel appear in two different rooms. The first time that the duo were used in the same game is Five Nights at Freddy's 3.
  • It is also the first time that they share the same model in one game.
• The Monitor in the Private Room actually borrows sound effects of its counterpart from the first game.

Ultimate Custom Night

• The camera map seen in the monitor's camera system is the exact same model as the camera map from the original Five Nights at Freddy's.
• If the player goes to CAM 04 before switching to ventilation and/or duct system, the player could still change music and wind up the music box.

Five Nights at Freddy's

• During the split second the player brings up the Monitor, the blades of the fan stop moving.
• If the player puts the Monitor down immediately after bringing it up, before it has a chance to show the player any cameras, the player will be able to play while the fan blades aren't moving until they bring up the Monitor again.
• In the iOS version, it is possible to make the button to close the Monitor not show up if rapidly tapped.
• The Monitor can be used while the player is being attacked. However, this does not prevent the attack.
• If the player rapidly pulls the Monitor up and down while being attacked by Chica or Bonnie, it will delay the attack until the player stops this or the clock rolls over to 6 AM.
  • In the mobile version, due to the absence of the opening and closing animation, this is not possible.
    • The Monitor button will also disappear from the screen during a jumpscare.
• The player is forced to put the Monitor down once Foxy hits the player's door.
• If the player puts up the Monitor while the game is still initializing immediately after loading, there's a possibility that the player won't be able to put down the Monitor. This can lead to another glitch, where upon the player being killed, the Monitor will not pull down, rather the map and static will be gone, making the player seem "outside" The Office.
• Sometimes, the white bar at the bottom will disappear, although the Monitor will still remain usable.
  • This is more seen when the animatronics disable the cameras when they are moving, the bar will not be present until the cameras work again but it can still be used.
• Sometimes, when playing the game on low end hardware with severe lag, the Monitor will only be usable for a random number of times during the night. The player can raise and lower it, but attempting to do this again will result in nothing occurring. This makes the third night nearly impossible, as the player is very susceptible to Foxy and Freddy. The only way to fix this is to obtain more RAM (Random Access Memory), or use a better computer.
• On rare occupation, if Foxy leaves Pirate Cove and the player switches to the West Hall to see him charge down the hall, if the player closes the monitor and quickly opens it again, the video feed will show the The Office.

Five Nights at Freddy's 2

The Monitor glitch.

• Rarely, the Freddy Head can stay on while pulling up the Monitor. This makes both the head and the Monitor permanently remain up for the rest of the night.
• There is a bug in which the button to lower the Monitor will disappear while the player is on the cameras, thus preventing them from exiting the Monitor and leaving them vulnerable to attack, as seen here.

Five Nights at Freddy's: Sister Location

• It is very rare but possible in Custom Night for the monitor to get stuck in the open position with a blank screen. The player can no longer lower it by any means, including Lolbit. Time will no longer pass and the player cannot die. The night will otherwise continue to function normally.
  • This is potentially caused by CPU strain while spamming the monitor.