Showing just viewed a camera but I havent

[Donnaram]

Last few weeks when I open Arlo app it shows that some of my cameras have just been viewed or viewed minutes ago but I haven’t viewed them! It’s freaking me out as never use to do this. It’s like someone else is viewing them, but I’m not sharing with anyone else. I’ve changed my password but still doing it. 

[StephenB]

---

@Donnaram wrote:

when I open Arlo app it shows that some of my cameras have just been viewed or viewed minutes ago 

---

It doesn't tell you the last time the cameras were viewed (and has never told you that).  Though it would be nice if it did.

The thumbnail and associated time are supposed to be the last time the camera captured an image.  While that could be the last time the camera was viewed, it could also be the last time the motion sensor triggered.  There are a couple of folks who have recently reported this is misbehaving (showing old thumbnails with "now" as the time).

[Donnaram]

Yes but the cameras were not even active. I had them disarmed. But still showing as though someone else had looked at them at varying times per camera.
Something isn’t right, never done this before. Seemed to start when the Amazon server went down. Had Arlo for years but now have lost confidence in them. 

[ant]

I noticed this too in my original and Pro 2 cameras in iPhones.

[BrookeN]

Is it showing as NOW when you open the app? Can you send a screenshot of what you are referring to?

[Donnaram]

It varies, some cameras show now, others can say 5 mins, 1 hour etc etc. 

[BrookeN · Accepted solution]

There are three ways Timestamp and Thumbnail will be updated.. The "Now" timestamp is expected when
 

1. After hitting the play button to do Livestreaming
2. When motion is being detected
3. Even if there are no motion being detected, didn't do livestreaming, or even if the camera is Disarmed-- when you launch the app (background to foreground) and if the thumbnail is older than 8 hours then it would update the timestamp to Now and the thumbnail should be updated as well. 

[urih21]

I’m cancelling Arlo and taking the cameras down, last time it had a picture of me and my wife in our living room, we never live stream that camera and it’s not on motion recording, we now feel watched, this never happened before and I’ve lost confidence in arlo

[BrookeN]

What camera was the image recorded from? 

[EricHaney]

Is there any way to turn off #3 in the above post?  I don't want the thumbnail to be updated automatically.  I would rather see what was there the last time the camera was triggered. 

[BrookeN]

@EricHaney as of right now there is not a way to turn it off. If that changes in the future, I will reach out to the community. 

[Slolearner]

I just had the app updated last week and this time stamp on the Devices has changed (along with many other things) and it doesn't make sense that it has times that aren't from motion/recordings.

[BrookeN]

Here is information pertaining to the now timestamp.

There are three ways Timestamp and Thumbnail will be updated.. The "Now" timestamp is expected when
 

1. After hitting the play button to do Livestreaming
2. When motion is being detected
3. Even if there are no motion being detected, didn't do livestreaming, or even if the camera is Disarmed-- when you launch the app (background to foreground) and if the thumbnail is older than 8 hours then it would update the timestamp to Now and the thumbnail should be updated as well.

[EricHaney]

Thanks Brooke.  I guess I still don't see the benefit of #3.  From my perspective, it's better to be able to scan the thumbnails to see when the last time the camera was triggered. Automatically refreshing the thumbnail when I launch the app is not useful.  From a security perspective, I don't care what's in front of the camera when I open the app.  I am more concerned with when the camera was last triggered and what triggered it.

My suggestion would be to make the 8-hour auto refresh optional.

[BrookeN]

The team is looking into this feature from all the feedback we have gathered. I will keep the community updated if/when there is a change. 

[urih21]

Arlo needs to really go back to the way it was, for the camera to update if activate on its own gives me a sense of lack of privacy and I’m really considering changing system if this continues, the thumbnails are showing me and my family on cameras that are not set up for recording, this should not be happening.

[BrookeN]

You are getting recordings on cameras that are not armed?

[Eileennd]

I’m having the same issue.  Cameras are showing they’re viewed and it wasn’t me 

[Eileennd]

Please Brooke find out the issue.  I’m also very uncomfortable and ready to get rid of the cameras .  Thanks for the help !

[BrookeN]

Can you all please provide the following:

App Version: [Version]

Platforms: [iOS/Android/Web]

Firmware Version: [If applicable]

Also, which camera that is showing a thumbnail but that was not set to record? 

[Eileennd]

I’m using Arlo app version 6.6.9 updated Dec 2025 and on iOS.

Please advise as I’m ready to get rid of the cameras 

[Eileennd]

And all of my cameras are showing a time stamp at the same time that was not me looking at them 

[EricHaney]

Brooke,
As far as I can tell, the cameras that are taking the photos labeled "just now" are all armed.  I don't think I have any cameras that are taking photos without being armed.  Again, my only concern is that these are being auto-updated when I view my Devices. I would rather they simply show a photo of the last time they were triggered.

[Eileennd]

Brooke,

I agree with Eric and the cameras should not be triggered or time stamp updated when we go on the app and only when they are manually put on or sense motion if that setting is on.  Clearly something changed in the last 2+ months.  When will this be fixed as it keeps happening and if there’s no resolution then we need to know that too.

[ralfyguy1]

And I thought there was something wrong with my system. Why do they have to come up with stupid crap like that?