Cameras don’t operate without subscription

[Alcat26]

I have had Arlo cameras for years and never paid for a subscription. I have four cameras that were free and I bought  the doorbell camera and pay for a subscription for that only. I was grandfathered in for the other four cameras that I have and now they have been disabled from Arlo says I need a paid subscription. I’d like to know why this happened?

[ShayneS]

We're hearing reports from some users that when attempting to live stream, a subscribe now message is presented. We're currently investigating these reports and will provide more information as it becomes available.

[Michie]

@StephenB 

Thank you very much for your help.  I removed and reinstalled one camera and it worked! Thank you!

[bite]

3 out of the 6 Arlo cameras are no longer activated. It says “ paid subscription is required. “ I have never paid for a subscription. After several years why is it making me pay now and why 3 out of the 6?

[DannyBearAgain]

Had you initially purchased all six pro2 cameras as a bundle?

I recall that Arlo required you to enter a code to be able to use more than five cameras without subscription for the six camera bundle.

No idea why you lost three anyway. I do see arlo is making a lot more silent changes recently.

[jguerdat]

It may be that the trial subscription that came with the cameras has expired. Check in your account settings to see if that's true.

[SirPhillip]

I have had three (3) ARLO cameras for years without needing a subscription. Recently, the ARLO app is not advising me that one of the three cameras is inactive and that I need a paid subscription. This seems wrong ... again, all three (3) cameras have been active for years without a subscription. Any thoughts on how I can activate this camera without a paid subscription ?

[Abbybrady1]

Why must I purchase a paid subscription for cameras that have been operating without one for years? 

[Seperiz]

So I get up this morning and all my cameras are offline and telling me I have to now subscribe to be able to use them. I know this is not true so I try to get support. The only support I can find is their BS online chat. After a few min the tech on the chat ghosted me and left me. I am sick of this service! This is now the second time I have had issues with cameras I paid good money for that will not function correctly. I went almost a year with only half of my 9 cameras even recording to a stand alone hard drive with no one able to tell me why this is happening. Then suddenly, they all record again without issue. Two weeks go by and now my cameras a bricks because of this subscription required message. I am angered beyond measure by all of this and if I have to replace my system I will start destroying my Arlo cameras in very creative ways and using the video in anti marketing for them! Fix your system Arlo!

[Barryh2009]

I am having the same issue. It says that I must have a subscription to use my old cameras that I've never needed one for.

[ShayneS]

We're hearing reports from some users that when attempting to live stream, a subscribe now message is presented. We're currently investigating these reports and will provide more information as it becomes available.

[Kooba5rem]

• I’ve had a 4 camera Arlo Pro 2 system for several years that never required a subscription. My cameras recently went blank and now state that a subscription is required. Not happy with this change that was not present when I bought the cameras….

Will not get a subscription and will most likely scrap my cameras 

[Andyvic]

After a trial arlo disconnected all my cameras and said that i have to paid for a service. I have my cameras for many years without paying anything and now Arlo said I have to pay.

[Andyvic]

After a trial arlo disconnected all my cameras and said that i have to paid for a service. I have my cameras for many years without paying anything and now Arlo said I have to pay.

[JaxGirl]

Boy this sure is a major PIA and a headache to fix. I bought the Arlo Pro Smart 3-pack 4 years ago and they have been trouble-free until yesterday when whatever update screwed everything up. At least the suggestion to remove and re-sync a camera to get all three cameras online again worked for me. Imagine someone out of town logging on to check their home (post-hurricane anyone?) and seeing a black screen.  

But I especially detest the fear-mongering warning that a subscription was now required after enjoying my free 7-day rolling cloud storage which I hope is still good. 

[StephenB]

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@Kooba5rem wrote:

Will not get a subscription and will most likely scrap my cameras 

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Arlo says there is a bug here, and that they are investigating.

[jguerdat]

Any new camera (starting in 2018 with the Ultra cameras) requires a subscription for cloud recordings as well as certain other features such as activity zones. The new cameras come with a free short trial sub that expires, requiring a paid plan to continue to work as before. Legacy cameras (Pro 2 and older) still have the free 7 day plan but adding a new device will require a subscription for at least that camera.

[duncanmthomas]

I've had Arlo cameras for several years.  I don't record, just use them when traveling or to check on the kids.  They were never great cameras, but they were free.  Now they force you to subscribe to crappy cameras!!!  I have 7 cameras that will now be going in the trash.  I am beyond angry they are forcing the subscription model.

[StephenB]

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@duncanmthomas wrote:

I've had Arlo cameras for several years.  I don't record, just use them when traveling or to check on the kids.  

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You are still able

• to livestream
• get motion notifications

without a subscription

Are you saying you can no longer go to the devices page and livestream the cameras?

[duncanmthomas]

That's what it's saying....Of course this won't let me upload a picture.  But the cameras are saying "This device is inactive. A paid subscription is required to activate the device."  Just to live stream!!!!!

[StephenB]

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@duncanmthomas wrote:

Of course this won't let me upload a picture.  

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That is likely because of your low post count.

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@duncanmthomas wrote:

 But the cameras are saying "This device is inactive. A paid subscription is required to activate the device."  Just to live stream!!!!!

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There are several folks w/o a subscription reporting various incorrect behaviors.  Arlo says they are investigating.

I'm tagging the mods - @BrookeN , @ShayneS , @JamesC - to call their attention to your issue.

[Kooba5rem]

Thanks. Did they indicate when they thought it might be resolved?

[Andreste22]

My arlo system was operational until last week. Now not letting me view my cameras. I have the Arlo Pro cameras, which I was under the impression that you would retain the free 7 day as you did not upgrade your system. Now I am not able to see any of my cameras and states " subscription required" 

My bay station is the VMB4000r3. I have tried uninstalling the app, unplugging and resetting the bay station, removing the batteries from all my cameras and still having this same issue. 

[Herbeca]

This first happened when I added a newer model to the network. All the older cameras bricked and told me I need a subscription. I removed and reinstalled and they came back on line. I am convinced that was a “bug” which likely lands Arlo a lot of subscribers. The October 2024 “bug” seems to be independent of configuration changes and again convinced this is an attempt to trick users into subscribing. This is highly unethical behavior. Will start with CPA request to investigate deceptive practices. 

[StephenB]

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@Herbeca wrote:

This first happened when I added a newer model to the network. 

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Free Storage has always been limited to 5 unsubscribed cameras in the account.  Did the added camera take you over 5?

[Herbeca]

I did add newer model cameras as units 5 and 6.  Understand they would not qualify for free storage. What was troubling was the removing of the qualified original units from storage. I received the “must buy subscription “ message until I removed and readded those units to the network. 

[StephenB]

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@Herbeca wrote:

I did add newer model cameras as units 5 and 6.  Understand they would not qualify for free storage. 

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The terms for free storage were always limited to no more than 5 unsubscribed cameras in the account.  So if you don't get a subscription for one of the new cameras when the trial subscriptions expire, you will lose the free storage on the old ones.  

There is a workaround - which is to put the new cameras in a different account, and share them with the "friend" account feature.

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@Herbeca wrote:

 I received the “must buy subscription “ message until I removed and readded those units to the network. 

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There was (is?) a bug in the cloud software that sometimes triggers this.  Removing/readding just one of the old cameras should have resolved it.

[JR37]

I have had Arlo free for several years.  I just completed a 30 day free trial of Arlo secure and now my cameras are offline.  My account says "no plan" and when I check the camera it says the camera is off line and I need to select a plan to activate the camera. How do I get back to Arlo free?