# Restart recording to a new file

*Applies to: Pearl-2, Pearl Mini, Pearl Nexus, Pearl Nano*

Recordings are automatically saved to a file and a new recording is started when:

- The recording reaches the configured time or size limit.
- The channel or recorder name is changed.
- Changes are made to the stream if recording and streaming the channel.

You can manually force a recording that's in progress to save to a file and continue recording in a new file from that point forward without any loss of content. This is useful if you need to download a recording since you cannot download recordings that are in progress.

**Restart recording to a new file using the Admin panel**

- Log in to the Admin panel as **admin**.
- Open the Recording page. Do one of the following:
  - For a channel, select **Recording** from the Channels menu.
  - For a recorder, select a recorder from the Recorders menu.
- Select **Reset** to stop the current recording and start a new recording.
- Refresh the page to see the updated list of recordings.

**Device differences**

- **Pearl Nano:** Has only one channel and no recorder concept — from the Channel menu, select **Recording**; there is no "For a channel/For a recorder" branch. The trigger listed above as "the channel or recorder name is changed" applies to Nano as "the channel name is changed" only, since Nano has no recorders.

> product: pearl-family · topic: recording · source: pearl-family-common.md · updated: Oct 13, 2026