Essential XL push notifications stopped

[Danny8243]

I've got 3 Essential XL cameras, the Solar panel chargers don't do anything and all my notifications will randomly stop and they will stop recording the notifications until I restart the cameras every time. I have to restart them every other day. All fully charged and connected to very strong WiFi l

[Retired_Member]

having a similar issue with my cameras. My notification seemed to have been stopping the last three days at 5 AM. I am asleep at that time so when I wake up, I’m missing two hours worth of motion footage and CVR footage. I have to reset the cameras, and then during the day it happens as well. I constantly check to see if the cameras are working because I’m afraid if I don’t when I need to find something, I’m gonna be missing footage. This has been going on for three days now it’s been nothing but problems with this company since the summer and I’m getting sick and tired of it 

[ShayneS]

Hi @Danny8243 

Hi Danny8243,

Thanks for reaching out about the notification and solar panel issues with your Essential XL cameras. I've taken a look at your account and found a few things that should help. Let's work through them one at a time:

Push Notifications

It looks like push notifications are only enabled on one of your three cameras. The other two are set to record video on motion but aren't configured to send you a push alert. To fix this:

1. Open the Arlo app and go to Modes
2. Tap on your active mode (Armed Home)
3. Tap on each camera individually and make sure Push Notification is toggled ON under the motion trigger actions
4. Save the mode when done
5. Test by walking in front of each camera to confirm you receive a notification

WiFi Signal

One of your cameras has a very weak WiFi connection (signal strength 1 out of 3), which can cause it to miss motion events or drop offline intermittently. The other two cameras have a much stronger signal, so it's likely a distance or obstruction issue with that one camera. Could you try:

• Moving that camera closer to your router, or
• Placing a WiFi range extender between your router and the camera
• Checking for thick walls or metal objects that might be blocking the signal

For more info: Tips for setting up your Arlo camera on 2.4GHz WiFi

The Solar Panels

All three cameras are showing the solar panels as not actively charging. A couple of questions:

• Are the panels positioned to receive direct sunlight for at least 3-4 hours per day?
• Can you check that the USB cable between each solar panel and camera is firmly connected?
• Have you cleaned the panel surfaces recently? Dirt or debris can reduce charging

Note that it's normal for charging to show as "Off" at night or on very cloudy days, but if the panels are in direct sunlight and still not charging, they may need to be replaced.

Android Notification Limit

Your phone is hitting the Android notification cap (32 active notifications), which can prevent new ones from appearing. To help with this:

1. Regularly clear old Arlo notifications from your notification shade
2. Go to Settings > Apps > Arlo > Notifications and make sure all notification categories are enabled
3. Go to Settings > Battery > Arlo and set it to Unrestricted so Android doesn't block background activity
4. Check that you don't have a Do Not Disturb schedule that might be suppressing notifications

Let us know how it goes after trying these steps!

[ShayneS]

@Retired_Member 

For the recording issues with your Essential XL cameras. I reviewed some info and found some things that should help explain what's happening. Let's go through them:

For Push Notifications Not Being Delivered

Right now, all three of your cameras are set to record video on motion, but the push notification setting doesn't appear to be fully enabled. This is likely why you're not receiving alerts. To fix this:

1. Open the Arlo app and go to Modes
2. Tap on Armed Home (your currently active mode)
3. Tap on each of your three cameras and make sure Push Notification is toggled ON
4. Save the mode after making changes
5. Test by walking in front of each camera to confirm notifications come through

Notifications Stopping Around 5 AM

You mentioned notifications consistently stop around 5 AM. This pattern could be caused by a few things, could you check the following?

1. Mode Schedules — Go to Modes > Schedules and check if there's a schedule that switches modes around 5 AM. A mode change can reset notification settings.
2. Geofencing — If you have geofencing enabled, leaving or arriving home could trigger a mode change that affects notifications.
3. iOS Focus / Do Not Disturb — Check your iPhone's Settings > Focus to see if you have a Sleep Focus or Do Not Disturb schedule that activates around that time. If so, make sure Arlo is added to the Allowed Apps list so notifications still come through.
4. Router Reboots — Some Verizon routers perform automatic firmware updates or reboots in the early morning hours. If your cameras briefly go offline during a router restart, that could cause a gap in both notifications and recordings. Check your router settings for any scheduled maintenance window.

Missing CVR Footage

If your CVR recordings are also stopping at the same time as notifications, that suggests the cameras themselves may be going offline briefly rather than just a notification issue. After the next time this happens:

1. Open the Arlo app and check if any cameras show as Offline or Unavailable
2. Check the Timeline view to see the exact time recordings stopped and resumed
3. If the cameras are going offline, the router reboot theory above is the most likely cause

General iOS Notification Health

Just to make sure everything is set up correctly on your phone:

1. Go to Settings > Notifications > Arlo and confirm notifications are enabled with Banners, Sounds, and Badges all turned ON
2. Go to Settings > General > Background App Refresh and make sure Arlo is enabled
3. If issues persist after the steps above, try logging out and back in to the Arlo app — this refreshes the notification connection between your phone and our servers