Introducing Arlo Secure - FAQ

[JamesC]

Arlo is excited to announce our latest app release that paves the way for brand-new Arlo Intelligence features available in the new Arlo Secure plans.

Maximize your security by getting the most out of your Arlo devices. Each Arlo Secure plan has proprietary features that give you personalized control over your safety. Detailed AI powered alerts like Person and Vehicle Recognition that tell you who's at your door and which car is parked in your driveway. Plus, Custom Detection enables you to teach your camera to recognize certain objects or changes in view, like “dog on couch.” 

Want to learn how you can protect what matters most with the latest Arlo Secure plans and features? Take a look here: https://www.arlo.com/en-us/arlosecure.html

*Person Recognition is unavailable on Arlo devices in certain regions. Learn more here. You are responsible for complying with any local laws or regulations that relate to your use of the Person Recognition feature. This may include you providing notice and obtaining consent from people who may be recognized by your camera.

[gdz]

@StephenB you nailed it. I agree, if Arlo survives as a company, it will have to add custom modes.

I am actually a bit concerned that Arlo might not survive which will be an even bigger problem. I wonder what sales of alarm systems and sensors are since the whole Secure App is built around that model?

[Edinburgh_lad1]

On the rise.

https://investor.arlo.com/press-releases/press-release-details/2024/Arlo-Reports-Fourth-Quarter-and-....

[StephenB]

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@Edinburgh_lad1 wrote:

On the rise.

Overall, yes.  4Q23 shows them as profitable for both GAAP and non-GAAP (which I think is a first).  Though 1Q24 was more mixed - a loss using GAAP, but profitable using non-GAAP.

But I don't think Arlo ever reports revenues or volumes for specific products.  So I don't know how well the home security system is doing.

[halfmoon83]

This must be the worst change that Arlo has managed to roll out.

1.  Cannot disarm individual cameras

2. Cannot see which cameras are armed and which are not

3. The system only offers three conditions. If you want the option of 4, for instance two whilst you are "at home" the system does not allow it

4. The widgets are supposed to allow you to arm or disarm cameras. All they do is add the camera to the dashboard

5. When you read the prompts (as to what the different options are) the sentences are missing words so there the descriptions are not clear.

6. There is no clarity on the soft ware and it is very difficult to set up

Arlo is supposed to provide a service to customers to provide home security. This new APP fails in this regard.

How can I return my cameras and get my money back? I want to go to another supplier

[halfmoon83]

You must be kidding us. This new app has a very bad interface, offers less features, gives no information and has diminished our home security

BIN IT!

[jguerdat]

1) Any camera without a rule in the active mode is Disarmed. If a camera rule exists in that mode, toggling motion detection to Off disarms it. Most cameras have a Device On/Off toggle in the camera settings (doorbells do not, at least on those connected to a base or hub).

2) Those are listed in the modes and rules. The displays in Dashboard and Devices show a "ball with 3 lines" icon that is gray when the camera is Disarmed, identical to what was used in the previous UI.

3) True.

4) The widgets do not support direct arm/disarm and never have. You click on the particular camera widget and then the gear icon at the top to go to camera settings for this.

5) Links to examples would be useful.

6) Your mileage may vary.

[Shoyt85]

The downside is before I wasn’t paying anything for 7 days of run time, and now I need to pay a subscription just to have the cameras detect movement. 

[StephenB]

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@Shoyt85 wrote:

The downside is before I wasn’t paying anything for 7 days of run time, and now I need to pay a subscription just to have the cameras detect movement. 

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7-day cloud storage is still provided for the cameras that were sold with it.

Can you give is a bit more detail?

• How many cameras you have
• whether you can make a manual recording while livestreaming?

[UpsetArlo]

Hi

How do you start this subscription, wont be recognised by my setup

[StephenB]

@UpsetArlo : Try using a PC browser (my.arlo.com)

[halfmoon83]

This new software has been so badly thought out! Wording is confusing and unclear... it almost seems that it has not been checked for typos or mistakes.

FIRST .... editing a Schedule.

Please explain, what this Edit Enable relates to? The explanation below is missing words and does not explain what it is for...

 

I have set up GEOFENCING And after two months of trying eventually got it to work.

HOWEVER, every morning (even when we are away) the Schedule kicks in and the cameras disarm! So Geofencing only works until the next scheduled event... surely Geofencing should override the schedule!

I have asked support for help and all they do is send me the procedure to set up a schedule.... and that does not address the problem.

NOW WE ARE HOME, and Geofencing kicks in and disarms the cameras (that I had to remotely arm). NOW every morning the schedule no longer works.

I tred 

EDIT ENABLE (image above) clicking on the ARM WAY enable tick mark... that does not work!!

I have added an additional action to Geofencing (when leaving) that the morning camera disarm schedule is disabled.... that does not work.

Contact support and they send a procedure that does not address the problem!

Bring back the old system... PLEASE!

[StephenB]

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@halfmoon83 wrote:

Contact support and they send a procedure that does not address the problem!

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If you post screenshots of your automations and provide details on the schedule you want, then we might be able to help.  (AFAICT, support is hit-or-miss on this).

But please post these on a dedicated discussion thread, not on this announcement thread.

[Pilou2307]

Indeed this end of trial period is a trap if you chose to store events locally as I did. The new app has changed access to events which are now hidden in the base/setting/storage menu. If I only knew that I would NOT have chosen Arlo. Just tell the truth and say the cloud is highly recommended if not compulsory.

[jguerdat]

AT least using the new interface with Feed, I can view local recordings from Feed. Are you using Library?

[halfmoon83]

Thanks. I will work on that.

One reason for posting on this feed is that you announce this wonderful ARLO SECURE... but it is the worst app I have ever used!

Surely there must many users who want the geofencing feature to activate ARM AWAY and they don't want a Schedule to over-ride the AWAY MODE.   Right now, Schedules over-ride the geofencing rule, so ARM HOME or STANDBY MODE activates at a certain time, even when we are physically away from the property. That cannot be correct.

I have called ARLO support and it is patently obvious that they have no clue how to fix this, they don't seem to understand the problem. I have asked them to guide me through setting up schedules and when I ask them to explain things (for instance what is the function of "always enabled") they cannot answer. 

The team support is poor, the knowledge level zero and all in all the ARLO SECURE app and general product something I would never recommend to anyone. There needs to be some action to improve the app, to how it worked before

[StephenB]

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@halfmoon83 wrote:

... that you announce ...

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No, not me.  This is a user-to-user forum, and I do not work for Arlo.

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@halfmoon83 wrote:

when I ask them to explain things (for instance what is the function of "always enabled") they cannot answer. 

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FWIW, it means that the automation will run no matter what mode the system is in.   Generally you DON'T want to have the schedule automations set up that way (and you also don't want Arrive set up that way).  That likely explains why your schedule automations are overriding your geofencing.

If you post more details on what schedule you want (ideally on new discussion thread, rather than one that has over 150 posts), I can help with your questions and make some suggestions on the automations and mode setup you need.

[jonsan]

Exciting updates! The new Arlo Secure plans with AI-powered features like Person and Vehicle Recognition are a game changer for home security. Love the idea of Custom Detection too – being able to teach my camera to recognize specific objects sounds awesome!

[halfmoon83]

Thanks for that info re the “always enable”. I will make a separate post to ask for your help. 

[njguru]

Unfortunately the new app is a step backwards by removing some previous features. One can no longer control notifications using geofencing. Previously there were custom modes which could be enabled using geofencing. These custom modes allowed one to not only turn devices off/on but also turn notifications off/on. This is no longer possible.

For example, I have a camera at my back deck. While I like to record movements of people and animals, I don't need to receive notifications when I'm home but want them when I'm away. This is no longer possible!

[halfmoon83]

Yes I agree .. ARLO SECURE is a step backward in terms of the capabilities of the system. When my cameras become obsolete, I will be looking for another brand!

On your observation re notifications I do receive them ... whether I am in Home Mode (one camera armed) or AWAY Mode (all cameras armed). 

[JonesA]

I am NOT A FAN of the newest Arlo Secure app.  The old app was great.  It was user friendly and intuitive--everything the new app is not.  It was easier in the old app to set up some cameras to turn on, while others were off.  It was much, much easier to arm and disarm cameras in the old app--all on the same page.  The new app is a major step backwards, in my opinion.  It's much, much more difficult to use.  It's not at all intuitive.  I shouldn't have had to call support and have the support tech escalate to figure out a work around to accomplish what was easy to do in the old app.  Extremely disappointed in Arlo for taking away the good parts of the old app and replacing it with non-intuitive, non- user friendly, more complicated than necessary crap.

[halfmoon83]

Totally agree! I have exactly the same problems and the tech support seems incapable of resolving them.  The only suggestion was to uninstall and reinstall the app. I did that and it just reloaded all the earlier settings….. which do not work.  Eg geofencing and schedule over-ride.  

I wonder whether Arlo management ever read these comments.  They don’t seem to show any interest is resolving these issues. 

[LandJS]

I'm not on here often nowadays but I do read them since the show up in e-mail and chuckle as it's all the same complaints as the last six years.  Arlo doesn't give a **bleep** and isn't about to change as long as people keep buying and paying.  Every app change, every tweak here and there, every new service they dream up, nothing new, it's just been Arlo since the day Netgear sold it off.  You have a few on here that try to help (I think they feel like they're a part of some techie thing) and everyone else just gives up and then there's me, every now and then I just smile at how it's all just a repeat and make a comment.  Hope you get it working - until the next change anyway.