Custom Modes

[VictoriaPe]

I have the most updated app and cameras. The new app has the Arm Away, Arm Home and Standby "Modes".

Is there are way to create a 4th mode? I'd like to be able to customize my modes a little more.

[Newappsucks]

Will not have a way to revert back ??? So just ignore all the complaints from your customers ? Not a wise choice many are have and will be leaving like me for a better system, This updated app is awful and should have never happened, I’m still trying to find one person that’s happy with it

[RobbCapp]

Spoke to Arlo and you can't add a custom mode with the new app. We all need it back and hopefully they wake up as to it's very useful feature.

[snejad]

Yes, another request for custom modes. The new UI is absolutely horrendous. I have no idea who in their right mind would have thought this was an 'upgrade.' Completely non-sensical and inefficient. Terrible...

[jvAU]

Hi,

Previous app version allowed the creation of custom modes. The new one only have 3 that can be customised and are easier and have more features.

nevertheless, I miss the ability to add modes. Or at least a mode called disabled which can be used for a full device off. 

what other users think? 

I have tried multiple ways to escalate this but unfortunately I don’t get an answer from Arlo. 

[StephenB]

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@jvAU wrote:

nevertheless, I miss the ability to add modes. Or at least a mode called disabled which can be used for a full device off. 

what other users think? 

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You couldn't turn devices completely off with a mode before.  The default operation has

• "arm away" the same as "armed"
• "standby" the same as "disarmed"

That said, it is very clear that there are several use cases where people need more modes.  I suspect Arlo will have to add custom modes back.

The complication for Arlo is that they have dedicated buttons for the three built in modes in their home security system.  So they have to figure out how custom modes would work for folks with those systems.

[jvAU]

The thing is that standby with only one camera is an option for me. 

armed at home is what I use overnight, all perimeter cameras on

My armed away is the same as at home, can’t be overrode by any automation and depending on the camera trigger alarms across, including max volume.

so, a disarm position (and why not as a 4th option on top of the dashboard menu would be nice.

at the end, Arlo could allow users to rename, made active or not a mode in the dashboard. 

[StephenB]

Personally I think they just need to restore the custom mode feature.  If it were up to me, I'd repurpose the home and away buttons on the home security system, so they would operate as a manual form of geofencing (telling the system that you have arrived, or that you are leaving).  But we'll have to see what Arlo does here.

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@jvAU wrote:

The thing is that standby with only one camera is an option for me. 

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I don't understand what you are trying to say.

Note you can still turn cameras off (as you could before) from the device settings screen for the camera.  Then turn it back on when you want it armed.

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@jvAU wrote:

My armed away is the same as at home, can’t be overrode by any automation and depending on the camera trigger alarms across, including max volume.

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In general, in the new setup modes are for the entire system, not individual cameras.  In the old "Library" interface, modes were either for all the cameras connected to a hub, or (if the cameras were connected to home wifi), just for one camera.  That was a mess if you had a mix.

There are still some bugs in automations, particularly when you are using them for device control.  Scheduling works when you use the scheduling automations to change modes. 

I have a test automation that makes a manual recording at a set time.  That didn't working when I first set it up, but started working correctly a few days ago.  So automations are still a moving target.

[jvAU]

“Stand by with 1 camera configured” I meant that is handy for me to have a mode with only one camera set and keen to have a mode that there are no cameras set with actions, a.k.a disarmed.

“Note you can still turn cameras off (as you could before) from the device settings screen for the camera.  Then turn it back on when you want it armed.”

Got it. Seems that this will work for me. I do not have to remove the action from the standby mode and the camera is off!! Thanks for this!

about automations. Yes they are basic and tricky but they are working for me.

thanks!

[Jeff__h]

The new UI has greatly reduced the flexibility of the product.  Automation, home/away never work on IOS.  Being locked into just 3 modes is obscured and what were you thinking?  I need automations that change mode, turn on and off certain camera at certain times.  The old UI was very flexible yet all that was taken away.  Please rethink the design and give back what was taken away.  these limitations create security risks for users as you must be constantly thinking about what modes or cameras are active. 

[oddballarlo]

Oh I'm sure it will come back. As a subscription feature.  🙄

[DaithiL]

Hi Arlo Team,
Please give an update on bringing custom modes to the new (Feed) version of the App. Can you let us now if it’s on the product roadmap and if yes, when we might expect it? Last week I added 3 x Pro 5 cameras and needed to move to the 'Feed'' version and was not happy to find out custom modes were removed.

It was only when custom modes were not there I realised how useful they are. What pushed me to get the Pro 5's was to deter a fox who keeps digging up my garden and where he is getting into my garden, the siren and flashing light feature sounded like they would be a useful deterrent. With the 5's, I now have two cam's in the front garden and two in the back. I have ordered a Arlo Chime 2 to use as a audible notification, I'm hoping I can set it up to sound a different chime depending on which camera the fox triggers - so I know without consulting the app which way to go to chase him. For this setup, I planned to use different custom modes to arm front and/or back individually. In the past I have used Arlo cam's to identify where/how mice are getting in under my floor boards - so please bear in mind, when using modes, Arlo is being used for purposes other than security. For basic home security, 4 modes are ideally needed, e.g. so you can have Arm Home Day and Night, e.g. at night I might want to arm some downstair cam's; disable some siren's, etc. Also when introducing a new device or configuration change, it makes sense to use a new mode to test it first, before changing a production mode. So as others have explained here, there are lots of reasons to use custom modes.

If adding custom mode capability (to Keep app), please consider an option to create a new mode based on an existing one - this will save a lot of time when creating a new mode. Also, please give us (for starters 🙂 at least three custom modes and let them be pinned to the Dashboard, under the three standard mode buttons.

After using the new app for a few days, I do like the Dashboard and Keep panels. The app does seem more responsive too. There are some areas within the detail config that I am less keen on, but I need to try them some more before I have a proper view. Thanks for listening and keep up the good work adding improvements to the app.

[BrookeN]

The development team is currently looking into customer modes. I will update the community as soon as I have any updates. 

[Jeff__h]

Thanks for the update and to the developers.  Please add back the disarm all mode and custom.  

[snejad]

I agree. The app update took several steps backwards unfortunately - almost as if it didn’t take into account any input from actual consumers and lacked significant pragmatic functional aspects.

[Jeff__h]

New problem with the standard modes.  I have two 5S cameras and are set to record in both standby and arm away.  I do not have audio detected on in either mode.  However, in arm away the audio detected is on as I keep getting notifications from the two 5S.  All the other active cams are not reporting any audio alerts.  Have double checked the setting for the 5S and they do in fact not have audio detected on.  No problem with the cams in standby.

[StephenB]

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@Jeff__h wrote:

New problem with the standard modes.  I have two 5S cameras and are set to record in both standby and arm away.  I do not have audio detected on in either mode.  However, in arm away the audio detected is on as I keep getting notifications from the two 5S.  All the other active cams are not reporting any audio alerts.  Have double checked the setting for the 5S and they do in fact not have audio detected on.  No problem with the cams in standby.

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Is smoke detection enabled in Arm Away?

[Jeff__h]

They are positioned outside and the smoke/co is off.

[StephenB]

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@Jeff__h wrote:

They are positioned outside and the smoke/co is off.

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When you say you checked the Pro 5s setting - did you check the rules for the cameras in the "Arm Away" mode?  Or did you check the camera settings?

If you didn't check the rules in the "Arm Away" mode, then you should do that next.

[Jeff__h]

n device settings under Audio Settiings:

Microphone and speaker off.

In arm away under device rules:

Audio detection Off

In arm away under manage your smart notifications settings:

Smoke/CO Alarm Off

All audio off for one device...On for the other device.  I turned off the one that was on.

However, even the device that had the All Audio off...notifications and recording was still being reported.

Hope this clarifies more.

I will test again since I changed one setting to see if there is any difference.  I assumed that in the mode device rules, if Audio Detection is toggled off, it would override all other audio settings.  If this is not true then things are very complicated for users to set up.  On windy days one may need to turn audio detection off or on in the mode device rules.  If one must also go into Manage your smart notifications for motion and audio to switch All Audio off/on and also under standard device settings to turn microphone/speaker off/on....well that would be very prone to user errors. 

[Jeff__h]

One point….this only happens when arm away is active.  No problems with stand by or arm home.

[StephenB]

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@Jeff__h wrote:

I will test again since I changed one setting to see if there is any difference.  I assumed that in the mode device rules, if Audio Detection is toggled off, it would override all other audio settings.  If this is not true then things are very complicated for users to set up.  On windy days one may need to turn audio detection off or on in the mode device rules.  If one must also go into Manage your smart notifications for motion and audio to switch All Audio off/on and also under standard device settings to turn microphone/speaker off/on....well that would be very prone to user errors. 

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You might also go into the "default mode settings" screen and set the Audio Detection setting to 1.  (For some reason they don't let you disable motion detection and audio detection there).

Anyway, if your final test fails, you should probably contact paid support using the app.  The symptoms are unusual - usually when audio detection misbehaves, it does this whenever the camera is armed.  The solution there is to do a hardware reset.  But since it is not happening in your other modes, your issue is different.

I'm tagging the mods, in case they want to follow up:  @BrookeN , @ShayneS , @JamesC 

[Jeff__h]

Already had audio detection set to 1.  Very frustrating that this only happens in arm away.  Will post my results of the next test.  The app is a complete redesign from the old and it’s understandable that they will be glitches…..but this is a security system and inaccurate functionality shouldn’t be happening.  If the app isn’t 100% then don’t expose users to it.  We shouldn’t be the testers or design consultants.  We just want rock solid security with flexibility to meet our needs.

[StephenB]

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@Jeff__h wrote:

The app is a complete redesign from the old and it’s understandable that they will be glitches…..but this is a security system and inaccurate functionality shouldn’t be happening.  If the app isn’t 100% then don’t expose users to it.  We shouldn’t be the testers or design consultants.  We just want rock solid security with flexibility to meet our needs.

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FWIW, I agree.  

[lgarrido]

So what are we supposed to do with our Arlo Lights? With no custom modes all I can do is assign them to one of the existing modes and that doesn’t work for me, I had them arm at a different time than my cameras, the lights would arm at sunset and disarm at sunrise so they are not triggered during daylight wasting battery. Not allowing custom is going to completely kill the functionality of the Arlo system and it is going to go down quickly. I for one will be leaving the platform If this is not fixed quickly.

[bv42]

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@StephenB wrote:

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@jvAU wrote:

nevertheless, I miss the ability to add modes. Or at least a mode called disabled which can be used for a full device off. 

what other users think? 

---

You couldn't turn devices completely off with a mode before.  The default operation has

• "arm away" the same as "armed"
• "standby" the same as "disarmed"

That said, it is very clear that there are several use cases where people need more modes.  I suspect Arlo will have to add custom modes back.

The complication for Arlo is that they have dedicated buttons for the three built in modes in their home security system.  So they have to figure out how custom modes would work for folks with those systems.

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Okay...sure...but why would anyone apply the settings of a PANEL to any customers that do not have that device?  Let's just give everyone the bad UI, instead of just building an IFTTT restriction for the panel alarm system.