Quick Tip: How to Export CCTV Footage from NX Witness
Key takeaways
Exporting saves a section of recorded footage as a file you can send to police, your insurer or your own records.
You select the time range on the timeline, then right-click and choose the export option.
NX Witness can add a timestamp to the video and a digital watermark that shows whether the file has been changed.
CCTV footage is personal information under the Privacy Act 2020, so share it only with people who need it.
What does exporting footage do?
Exporting copies a section of recorded footage out of NX Witness into a separate video file. NX Witness is the video management software behind ViewIT cloud CCTV. The exported file can be emailed, saved to a USB drive or uploaded to a police or insurance portal, without giving anyone access to your camera system.
You'll usually need to export footage after a break-in, a shoplifting incident, a workplace accident or a customer dispute.
How do I export a clip? (6 steps)
Find the incident. Open the camera in the NX Witness desktop app and locate the moment you need. Smart Motion Search, covered in Quick Tip #1, makes this much faster.
Select the time range. Click and drag along the timeline to highlight the section you want. Drag the edges of the selection to adjust the start and end.
Open the export option. Right-click the highlighted section and choose the export option from the menu.
Choose what to export. Pick a single camera, or the whole layout if the incident was caught on several cameras.
Set the format and timestamp. Choose a file format (see below) and turn on the timestamp so the date and time appear on the video.
Save the file. Choose where to save it and start the export. You can keep using NX Witness while it runs.
Menu names can differ slightly between NX Witness versions. If something looks different on your screen, contact our support team.
Which file format should I choose?
| If you’re sending it to… | Choose | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Police, an insurer or anyone outside your business | A standard video file | Plays in common media players without extra software |
| Someone on a Windows computer without a video player they can rely on | The standalone (.exe) player option | Opens and plays without installing NX Witness |
| Your own team, for review inside NX Witness | The NX Witness multi-video format | Keeps the timeline, motion data and multiple cameras together |
If police or your insurer ask for a particular format, follow their instructions.
How do I prove the footage hasn't been changed?
NX Witness adds a digital watermark to exported files. To check a file, open it in NX Witness, right-click it and choose the option to check the file watermark (Alt + C). If the file is unchanged, the check passes. If anyone has edited it, the check fails. This can help when footage is used as evidence.
Tips to get better results
Add a little extra time. Start the export 30 seconds before the incident and end it 30 seconds after, so the context is clear.
Keep clips short. Long exports create large files that are hard to email. Export only the minutes that matter.
Name files clearly. Use the date, site and camera, for example 2026-11-03_Penrose_Back-door.
Don't edit the file. Trimming or re-saving it in other software breaks the watermark check.
Keep a record. Note what you exported, who you sent it to and why. It's good practice under the Privacy Act 2020.
Why it matters for your business
A clear, timestamped clip gives police and insurers what they need quickly, which can speed up an investigation or a claim. Exporting only the relevant footage also keeps the rest of your recordings private.
Need a hand?
If you can't see the export option, your user account may not have export permission. Contact our team and we'll check your access. If you're not a ViewIT customer yet, request a free quote and demo.
Next quick tip: setting up multi-camera layouts to see every camera on one screen.
FAQ
Why can't I see the export option in NX Witness? Exporting is controlled by user permissions, so your account may not have access. If you're a ViewIT customer, contact us and we'll check your permissions.
What format should I use to send CCTV footage to police? A standard video file with the timestamp turned on works for most requests. If police ask for a particular format, follow their instructions.
Can I export footage from several cameras at once? Yes. Export the whole layout instead of a single camera, and NX Witness saves all the cameras for the same time range together.
