[Config Support]: api/config/set not taking effect

[BruceLawton]

Describe the problem you are having

API interactions seem like they're working fine, in general. I get 200s and meaningful responses. However, when I use /api/config/set, it returns a 200 and no complaints, yet the config doesn't seem to be changing at all.

Although I've tried it both ways, The Google (not frigate's docs AFAIK) says to provide only the attributes that are changing. I've done it that way and with the full config; no effect either way.

What I am trying to change is setting a camera['detect]['enabled'] to false for certain cameras. I have also tried setting ['enabled'] to false for those cameras, just to get more conspicuous feedback.

When I get-config again, it shows those settings to still be true.

The response gives a generic mention of restart required. I've tried that, but left with doubt about whether the config.yml is reinstating the defaults and overriding my in-memory changes.

While I may eventually learn about MQTT and HA, I want to get this API working first. Any suggestions?

Version

0.16.4

Frigate config file

cameras:
  Back_Door:
    ffmpeg:
      inputs:
        - path: rtsp://username:password@10.0.0.202/stream2
          roles:
            - detect
        - path: rtsp://username:password@10.0.0.202/stream1
          roles:
            - record
    detect:
      enabled: true
      width: 1280
      height: 720
      fps: 5
    record:
      enabled: true
    motion:
      mask:
        - 1,0,1,1,0.744,1,0.785,0
        - 0.369,0,0.372,0.419,0.779,0.411,0.742,1,0,1,0,0
    objects: {}
    notifications:
      enabled: false
      # cooldown: 30  # wait 30 secs between notifications
  Hallway:
    ffmpeg:
      inputs:
        - path: rtsp://username:password@10.0.0.203/stream2
          roles:
            - detect
        - path: rtsp://username:password@10.0.0.203/stream1
          roles:
            - record
    detect:
      enabled: true
      width: 1280
      height: 720
      fps: 5
    record:
      enabled: true
    motion:
      mask: 0.849,0,1,0,1,1,0.301,1,0.356,0.679,0.716,0.636,0.896,0.434
    objects: {}
    notifications:
      enabled: true
      cooldown: 30  # wait 30 secs between notifications
  Front_Lawn:
    ffmpeg:
      inputs:
        - path: rtsp://username:password@10.0.0.204/stream2
          roles:
            - detect
        - path: rtsp://username:password@10.0.0.204/stream1
          roles:
            - record
    detect:
      enabled: true
      width: 1280
      height: 720
      fps: 5
    record:
      enabled: true
    motion:
      mask: 0,0,1,0,1,0.321,0.68,0.27,0.291,0.344,0,0.418
    objects: {}
    notifications:
      enabled: false
  Garage:
    ffmpeg:
      inputs:
        - path: rtsp://username:password@10.0.0.201/stream2
          roles:
            - detect
        - path: rtsp://username:password@10.0.0.201/stream1
          roles:
            - record
    detect:
      enabled: true
      width: 1280
      height: 720
      fps: 5
    record:
      enabled: true
      # mode: objects
    motion:
      mask:
        - 0.238,0,0.586,0,1,0,1,0.336,1,1,0.246,1
    objects:
      mask:
        - 0,0,0.12,0,0.235,0,0.242,0.519,0.25,1,0,1
    notifications:
      enabled: true
  Backyard:
    ffmpeg:
      inputs:
        - path: 
            rtsp://username:password@10.0.0.205:554/cam/realmonitor?channel=1&subtype=0
          roles:
            - detect
            - record
    detect:
      enabled: true
      width: 1280
      height: 720
      fps: 5
    record:
      enabled: true
      # mode: objects
    motion:
      mask: 0,0.402,0,0,1,0,1,1,0.694,1,0.716,0.322,0.326,0.348
    objects: {}
    notifications:
      enabled: true
  AMCrest_Driveway:
    ffmpeg:
      inputs:
        - path: 
            rtsp://username:password@10.0.0.206/cam/realmonitor?channel=1&subtype=00&authbasic=YWRtaYtaW4=
          roles:
            - detect
        - path: 
            rtsp://username:password@10.0.0.206/cam/realmonitor?channel=1&subtype=00&authbasic=YWRtYWF3NjY=
          roles:
            - record
    detect:
      enabled: true
      width: 2048
      height: 1536
      fps: 2
    record:
      enabled: true
      # mode: objects
    notifications:
      enabled: false
      cooldown: 30
  ICAMI_New_Garage:
    ffmpeg:
      inputs:
        - path: rtsp://username:password@10.0.0.207:554/11  # 1920x1080.
          roles:
            - record
        - path: rtsp://username:password@10.0.0.207:554/12  # 640x352.
          roles:
            - detect
    detect:
      enabled: true
      width: 1920
      height: 1080
      fps: 5
    record:
      enabled: true
      # mode: objects
    notifications:
      enabled: false
      # cooldown: 30  # wait 30 secs between notifications
  ICSee_SW_Corner:
    ffmpeg:
      inputs:
        - path: rtsp://username:password@10.0.0.208:554/stream2
          roles:
            - detect
        - path: rtsp://username:password@10.0.0.208:554/stream1
              # rtsp://username:password@10.0.0.208:554/
              # both 2304x1296
          roles:
            - record
    detect:
      enabled: true
      width: 2304
      height: 1296
      fps: 5
    record:
      enabled: true
    notifications:
      enabled: false
      # cooldown: 30  # wait 30 secs between notifications

camera_groups:
  ManCave:
    order: 0
    icon: LuCarFront
    cameras:
      - ICAMI_New_Garage
      - ICSee_SW_Corner
      - AMCrest_Driveway
      - birdseye
  Back_Door:
    order: 2
    icon: LuDoorClosed
    cameras:
      - Back_Door
      - Hallway
  Basement:
    order: 2
    icon: LuDoorClosed
    cameras:
      - Back_Door
      - Hallway
  Tapo:
    order: 3
    icon: LuCamera
    cameras:
      - Garage
      - Front_Lawn
      - Back_Door
      - Hallway
      - birdseye

database:
  # The path to store the SQLite DB (default: shown below)
  path: /media/frigate/frigate.db

detectors:
  coral-usb:
    type: edgetpu
    device: usb
  coral-pci0:
    type: edgetpu
    device: pci:0
  # coral-pci1:
  #   type: edgetpu
  #   device: pci:1

objects:
  track:
    - person
    - dog
    - cat
    - car
    - bear
    - bus

snapshots:
  enabled: true
  timestamp: true
  bounding_box: true
  retain:
    default: 30

mqtt:
  host: 192.168.1.200

ffmpeg:
  #hwaccel_args:
  #  - -hwaccel
  #  - vaapi
  #  - -hwaccel_device
  #  - /dev/dri/renderD128
  #  - -hwaccel_output_format
  #  - yuv420p
  output_args:
    record: -f segment -segment_time 10 -segment_format mp4 -reset_timestamps 1 
      -strftime 1 -c:v copy -c:a aac

record:
  enabled: true
  sync_recordings: true
  detections:
    pre_capture: 5
    post_capture: 15
    retain:
      days: 30
      mode: motion
    # alerts:
    #   retain:
    #     days: 30
    #     mode: motion
    # objects:
    #   - person
    #   - cat
    #   - dog
    #   - car
    #   - truck

birdseye:
  # Optional: Enable birdseye view (default: shown below)
  enabled: true
  # Optional: Width of the output resolution (default: shown below)
  width: 1920
  # Optional: Height of the output resolution (default: shown below)
  height: 1080
  # Optional: Encoding quality of the mpeg1 feed (default: shown below)
  # 1 is the highest quality, and 31 is the lowest. Lower quality feeds utilize less CPU resources.
  quality: 8
  # Optional: Mode of the view. Available options are: objects, motion, and continuous
  #   objects - cameras are included if they have had a tracked object within the last 30 seconds
  #   motion - cameras are included if motion was detected in the last 30 seconds
  #   continuous - all cameras are included always
  mode: continuous

detect:
  enabled: true

notifications:
  enabled: false
  email: myemail@mac.com
  cooldown: 300  # wait 300 seconds before sending another

version: 0.16-3	# despite docker pulling in 0.16.4
semantic_search:
  enabled: true
  model_size: small
  reindex: true

Relevant Frigate log output

2026-02-14 15:48:08 POST "POST /api/login HTTP/1.1" 200 0 "-" "-" "-"
info
2026-02-14 15:48:08 GET "GET /api/config HTTP/1.1" 200 51780 "-" "-" "-"
info
2026-02-14 15:48:08 PUT "PUT /api/config/set HTTP/1.1" 200 74 "-" "-" "-"
info
2026-02-14 15:48:08 GET "GET /api/config HTTP/1.1" 200 51780 "-" "-" "-"
info

Relevant go2rtc log output

N/A

Frigate stats

No response

Operating system

Debian

Install method

Docker Compose

docker-compose file or Docker CLI command

N/A

Object Detector

Coral

Screenshots of the Frigate UI's System metrics pages

No response

Any other information that may be helpful

No response

[NickM-27]

We can't help without seeing the exact API calls you are making

[BruceLawton]

`#!/usr/bin/python

import sys
import http.client
import json

server = "myserver.org:5001"
conn = http.client.HTTPSConnection(server)

def printHelp():
print("Usage:\n\tapiTest.py arm | disarm [groupsToArm]")

if len( sys.argv ) < 2:
printHelp()
exit

groupsToArm = []
actionVerb = sys.argv[1]
if actionVerb == "arm":
if len(sys.argv) > 2:
for iArg in range(2, len(sys.argv)):
groupsToArm.append( sys.argv[iArg] )

print( f"{actionVerb}", end='' )
if len( groupsToArm ) > 0:
print( f" {groupsToArm}", end='' )
print()

with open("api-creds.json", "r") as jsonFile:
payload = jsonFile.read().strip()

headers = {
'Content-Type': 'application/json',
'Accept': 'application/json'
}
conn.request("POST", "/api/login", payload, headers)
resp = conn.getresponse()

resCode = resp.getcode()
if resCode != 200:
print( f"login res code is {resCode}. FAILED")
exit

tokenCookie = resp.getheader("set-cookie")
resp.close()

parts = tokenCookie.split("=")
cookieValue = parts[1]
parts = cookieValue.split(";")
authToken = parts[0]

Now, fetch the config

payload = ''
headers = {
'Accept': 'application/json'
}
headers['Authorization'] = f"Bearer {authToken}"
conn.request("GET", "/api/config", payload, headers)
resp = conn.getresponse()
resCode = resp.getcode()
if resCode != 200:
print( f"get config res code is {resCode}. FAILED")
resp.close()
exit

data = resp.read()
resp.close()

config = json.loads( data.decode("utf-8") )
prettyConfig = json.dumps( config, indent = 4 )
print( prettyConfig )

knownCameras = config["cameras"]
knownCameraIDs = list( knownCameras.keys() )
if "healthy" in knownCameraIDs:
print( "\n\n\nA Monero cryptominer has been injected into our config.yaml file!" )
print( "Scroll very far right to find a bash exec -d blob." )
print( "It added a camera named 'healthy'." )
print( "Terminate frigate and restore a clean config.yml file from back up.\n\n\n" )
exit

print( knownCameraIDs )

Now, revise all cameras according to the command.

camerasToArm = set()
if actionVerb == "arm":
if len( groupsToArm ) == 0:
camerasToArm = knownCameraIDs # Enable all cameras by default (e.g. arm )
else:
knownGroups = config["camera_groups"]
knownGroupNames = list( knownGroups.keys() )
for cameraGroup in groupsToArm:
if cameraGroup in knownGroupNames:
for cameraName in knownGroups[ cameraGroup ]["cameras"]:
camerasToArm.add( cameraName )
camerasToArm.discard( "birdseye" )

Only set the attributes that are changing.

configChanges = {
"cameras": {},
"requires_restart": 0
}
if actionVerb == "arm":
for camID in knownCameraIDs:
configChanges["cameras"][camID] = {}
configChanges["cameras"][camID]["enabled"] = camID in camerasToArm
configChanges["cameras"][camID]["detect"] = {}
configChanges["cameras"][camID]["detect"]["enabled"] = camID in camerasToArm
print( f'{camID}["enabled"] = {configChanges["cameras"][camID]["detect"]["enabled"]}' )

elif actionVerb == "disarm":
for camID in knownCameraIDs:
print( f'{camID} {configChanges["cameras"][camID]["enabled"]} -> ' )
configChanges["cameras"][camID] = {}
print( f' {configChanges["cameras"][camID]["enabled"]}' )
configChanges["cameras"][camID]["detect"] = {}
configChanges["cameras"][camID]["detect"]["enabled"] = False

print( f"Cameras to arm: {camerasToArm}" )
print( f"{json.dumps( configChanges, indent = 4 )}" )

Now, apply the changes to the frigate app

headers['Content-Type'] = "application/json"
payload = json.dumps( configChanges, indent=4 )
conn.request("PUT", "/api/config/set", payload, headers)
resp = conn.getresponse()
resCode = resp.getcode()
if resCode != 200:
print( f"set config res code is {resCode}. FAILED")
resp.close()
exit

data = resp.read()
print(data.decode("utf-8"))
resp.close()

payload = ''
conn.request("GET", "/api/config", payload, headers)
resp = conn.getresponse()
resCode = resp.getcode()
if resCode != 200:
print( f"get config res code is {resCode}. FAILED")
resp.close()
exit

data = resp.read()
resp.close()

config = json.loads( data.decode("utf-8") )
prettyConfig = json.dumps( config, indent = 4 )
print( "The new config is:" )
print( prettyConfig )
`

[hawkeye217]

It's recommended to use MQTT to quickly enable/disable detection rather than writing back to the config file, which is what the config/set endpoint is primarily used for by the frontend.

The frontend sometimes passes an additional parameter in the json body in the POST call - requires_restart is set to 0 when a config variable should be updated in the config file and updated dynamically in the backend without requiring a restart.

In Frigate 0.16, a number of the config parameters have the possibility of dynamic updates without a restart. This is increased in 0.17 with plans for many more in 0.18.

[BruceLawton]

The docs say to use PUT, which is what I've been using. I just tried POST and get Ye Olde 405 error. Is MQTT recommended because the 0.16.4 API doesn't yet work for these particular settings?

[hawkeye217]

Sorry, yes - it should be PUT, not POST.

In 0.16, the config/set endpoint doesn't really do anything with the particular settings you're trying to change. The endpoint and backend logic was expanded in 0.17 and will be even more so in 0.18.

MQTT has always been the recommended way to temporarily change Frigate's settings like detection, recording, etc.

[BruceLawton]

Thanks!