Video Doorbell keeps streaming in background on Android

[dham84]

Hello, I have a Video Doorbell Wire free and I've noticed lately that whenever I open the app to either see the live stream from the doorbell or a recording from the alert feed, once I close the app on the phone, the live stream keeps playing on the background.

I can move to another app and do something else, I can can hear audio coming from the doorbell playing in the background, it won't stop until I completely close the app.

I've noticed it happenes even if I press the stop button on the feed before leaving the app. it's annoying because sometimes I might not even realise if the phone's volume is down and/or if it's just quiet outside for me to hear anything and realise it's running.

My phone is running Android 13 with the latest version of the app and the doorbell's firmware is 1.7.0.0_714_ea3a7e4_e4abf14 and Hardware version is 1.4. It is connected to the Arlo Base.
Has anyone experienced this? any tips to fix it? although I'm thinking this is an app bug that needs to be patched.

Thanks in advance!

[jguerdat]

Maybe a phone issue - what one? I've had videos briefly continue after switching away but only for maybe a second on my Pixel 6.

[dham84]

I have a Pixel 7 Pro. the stream doesn't seem to stop for me, unfortunately.

[jguerdat]

Use Settings, Support to talk to official support.

[JamesC]

dham84,

I'm not able to replicate this behavior. Are you using the latest version of the Arlo mobile app available from the app store?

Are you able to replicate the behavior every time or is it intermittent?

JamesC

[SDRob01]

Same issue here.  On Galaxy S23+, I close down the app, even close all recent apps, and can still hear soft background noise streaming from outside camera (Pro 4).  I have to click "Background Apps" and see Arlo running in background, and hit "Stop" to force close it.  

Is there some setting where it's keeping background audio streaming even after closing app?  Could see how some people might find that useful if using like a baby monitor.  But can't find where such a setting would be.  Only does it on one device.  I have another S23+ same home account, different user account, and it doesn't do that background thing.  

[Retired_Member]

I have noticed the same issue when I have headset connected to my phone. It occurs all the time and even when I leave the app in the background. I have AVD2001 ver 1.2, firmware 1.7.0.0_714 and Arlo android app 4.10.5_28616.

[Jo060]

Any ideas?

I'm also having this issue. Galaxy s21 Ultra. 

I have a wired 2nd Gen door and 6 essentials. Can't tell which camera is staying active but it happens often. 

[Edinburgh_lad1]

I believe mine is doing that, too, though it's sporadic. Usually, when I go into 'Feed', but not always. I initially thought it was an Arlo video (from saved videos in the feed) that was playing in the background, but am now convinced it's the video doorbell. Tried to replicate but I've been unable to. The only way  to find out is to see the still on the Dashboard. 

[Edinburgh_lad1]

I've done some further testing and for me, it isn't the doorbell actually, but one of the cameras that is streaming in the background. (Incidentally, both point to the same location, so I thought it was the doorbell, as it's a more recent addition.) However, I can't replicate it. It is just random. Unlike the other instances that I've experienced, this time it was streaming as soon as I switched the phone's airplane mode off: you could just hear it in the background, even though I wasn't in the app (which is when I previously experienced this). While it was steaming, the screen, when in the app, showed that it wasn't and the only way to switch it off was to press 'stop' on the screen, as removing the app from the memory only temporarily stops it. Which is probably why it started for me as soon as I switched off the phone's airplane mode.

So, another wow: for a commercial product - that I may add isn't cheap - to have so many bugs here and there all the time is unforgivable. It's relentless, too.

I also discovered that there is no more/longer official home assistant integration. I'd like to know the reason why this would be if anyone knows it. 

[SDRob01]

I have the same issue. No doorbells. Just 8 Arlo Pro 4 cameras. And sometimes audio keeps streaming. Very random. Only way to stop it is to open app and start streaming a camera, or kill the Arlo background process.  Happens on 2 different phones using diffenrt logins to same home, even both before and after an OS upgrade. So it's likely not a device issue. 

I've noticed it seems to be one particular camera. I tried removing it, factory reset it, and re-add it. Will report back if that works. So hard troubleshooting random glitches. 

[Edinburgh_lad1]

Precisely! It's just the audio but there is no change to the tile of the camera (i.e. it's not video streaming). And you're right: the only way to stop it is to do live view. Killing the process doesn't work for me. Also, this could be significant: it's always the same camera, which in my case is the top of the list on dashboard/in devices; never other cameras. So, I wonder if anyone could confirm: is it also the device that is listed as at the top of the list on dashboard/in devices?

[Steph745]

Was there a fix for this?

Mine starting doing this after I updated to the new app version 4.10.5_28616

I have the arlo essential and arlo pro and after closing the app I can still hear the feed going in the background. I'm using android.

I also have an issue when I click into the Feed tab, the recorded clips jump all over the place and I have to scroll to reach the latest recording.

[Edinburgh_lad1]

Nope, there isn't a fix for this.

I was wrong it was my camera. It is actually my doorbell. However, I shouldn't be the one testing that and looking for that!

Can we have this nonsense *finally* addressed? If not, can I please be switched back to the other type of app (the one with Library) as this new one with Feed is buggy (not to mention user unfriendly), though the colour is nice; that's about it.

You'd expect a new version of the app to be bug free, but instead a paid customer (not just a small penny!) ends up road testing your products. I find this unacceptable and I'm saying: enough of that! 

@JamesC

[Edinburgh_lad1]

Hi @JamesC @BrookeN 

Hope all's well.

Would you please when this is going to be fixed? I was in a meeting today and the doorbell started streaming even though I didn't look or have the app opened. It was embarrassing as I had a meeting and despite my phone being on silent! I did play the view a couple of hours earlier after I didn't manage to answer the doorbell. This really can't be happening. I will uninstall the app and send your stuff to the CEO office here in Europe for a refund, with a detailed letter outlining the issues, if issues aren't addressed. I really can't feel more embarrassed than I already was when in a serious meeting, when I unlocked the phone, it started streaming tweeting birds! It's awful.

[JamesC]

Edinburgh_lad1,

I've not been able to replicate this behavior. For those experiencing this issue, I recommend reaching out to the Arlo Support team by opening a ticket in the Arlo app under Settings > Support.

JamesC

[Edinburgh_lad1]

Thanks @JamesC for your advice. 

It's not sustainable to be replacing your devices, if that's what you meant, if we initially suspect that it's the software in a more wider sense that appears to be the issue in most cases. So, I don't think there is anything wrong with my doorbell.

To replicate: go to Arlo app. (Android, version 10; one camera out of three active for motion), go to your wireless doorbell, press 'play' (the triangle), play for a couple of seconds, and then press 'stop'.

Remove the app from the memory.

Open the app again, then go to feed and play the last video that your camera recorded. Don't finish playing it = press stop. Go back to the main screen of the app by pressing the 'go back' arrow. The doorbell is streaming in the background.

One way of telling that it's streaming in the background because the still of the doorbell shows 'just now' in the top left corner to indicate how recently it was viewed. This is each time you view the still.

 I had no time and energy to fine test/replicate with other options. Either way, please post here. If you can't replicate, though,  I'll record my screen to show the issue. 

[JamesC]

I've not been able to replicate the symptoms you describe based on my environment and my device, which is why I encourage you to open a ticket with support to investigate the issue further. While it could be some combination of your streaming device, ISP and the doorbell that is causing the issue, this doesn't appear to be widespread or reproducible under all conditions.

One thing you could test is removing and factory resetting the doorbell and adding it back to your account and then testing again to see if you still experience the same behavior: https://kb.arlo.com/000062346/How-do-I-reset-my-Arlo-Essential-Video-Doorbell

JamesC

[Steph745]

Mine does it with the arlo pro 5 2k camera. I've reset it and still plays in the background.

I can easily recreate it but then you see all the stuff on my phone if I screen record

[klooob]

Same symptoms here. Arlo Pro 4 cameras and Oneplus Nord CE 5G with Android 13.

Sound from camera mics can be heard from the phone speakers without the Arlo app being even on.

[Edinburgh_lad1]

Would you please tell us @JamesC what devices you use if everything is ok on them so that I can replace my device with one that doesn't have this problem. Obviously this shouldn't be the case, but I'll consider it.

How can ISP be dragged into that please? That their employee sits in an office and waits for me to open my app to then live play the stream of the doorbell? This is crazy! It happens WiFi or no WiFi!

Clearly the issue has been noted by some users. It's sporadic (today it started when I went to check how much the solar panel charged my other camera). It affects different Android versions (mine is 10, but others report 13). It also affects different makes.

As a by the way comment: I wanted to add that somewhat (following the automatic firmware upgrade or any other mysteriously way), my doorbell's resolution changed from 1500x1500 to 1080x1080. Any explanations of that please? (Could someone check their settings to confirm.)

[jguerdat]

I don't have an answer but the issue of various phone companies doing things to stock Android for their own purposes (Samsung seems to be the biggest problem-maker) may be what's up. My Pixel 6 (and all previous Google phones) have never had the issue. I understand not everyone wants to use a Google phone but it's the one sure way to not have "customizations" introduce problems. Microsoft has a similar issue with so many hardware manufacturers needing device drivers for various versions of the OS.  Apple has far fewer issues since it's a very closed ecosystem (which has its drawbacks).

Whether you like any product is obviously up to the individual and their needs. 

[dham84]

I have a Pixel 7 Pro, so the Android version / mod doesn't seem to be the issue here.

I originally posted this in October and barely anyone replied, I seemed to be one of the few with the issue, but the last few weeks there's been a lot of replies, so it seems to be getting worse.

It is still happening to me, and even last week it got worse as it was playing in the background and it continued even after I completely killed the app!

[jguerdat]

While a PITA, it may be useful to reset the phone. Also, check apps that could be somehow being used to "augment" videos/audio.

[Edinburgh_lad1]

I'm sorry but this is crazy: let's not digress here and try to blame the phone. If so many people have an issue with this, then it's not a phone issue, but the app issue.

Final remark: I have lots of apps on my phone and I've never had so many problems with them as I do with the Arlo app. It's a fact!