Enable Video Doorbell On/Off Toggle Missing after firmware update

[Marcjl]

Hi,

 I just received a firmware update -- 1.14.0.0_931_5ed3664_1c4138d on my Arlo wired video doorbell and installed it.

However in order to install it, I need to turn off my camera as it was saying it's currently in use so I did toggled the turn off device. After the firmware update is done, the toggle to turn it back on is missing and on the app it was saying that "

This device is currently disabled and will not respond to mode changes.To enable the device, turn the device ON from the device settings."  ---- There was no way to turn it back on as now the toggle is missing. Now my camera is off and my doorbell only has the audio working. I already logout and logged back in and nothing has changed.

Please fix this as soon as possible.

[jguerdat]

Have you removed power from the doorbell for a few seconds and then back on?

[Marcjl]

Hi jguerdat, no I did not. I only use the app device settings toggle to disable the device. However after installing the firmware update, that toggle to enable back the device is no longer there. There was another user here who reported the same.

[Marcjl]

Hi all,

I've just been advised by an Arlo support via my ticket that the toggle to enable/disable the camera on the arlo video doorbell has been removed on the new update for both the app and the website which doesn't really make sense.

Only reason I disabled the camera is  because the camera needs to be OFF to be able to apply the update. Now that I disabled it and applied the firmware update, support will tell me that they have removed this feature? Hopefully they fix this mess up with the app and the website.

[Jeffrey_tl]

Today, was going to be outside and went to turn off the doorbell camera and in this new update there is no longer a Device on/off toggle?  I have the most current app version 3.1.28345 released on 3/16 and the latest firmware on the camera 1.14.0.0.931.  I still am able to turn on/off my other Arlo cameras via the app just not the doorbell.  Has this feature been removed or moved somewhere else in the app that I am missing?  Either way it is a very big inconvenience not to be able to turn the doorbell camera on/off.

If this feature has been removed can I get a reason is to why it was removed?  A more disturbing additional question is this feature going to be removed from the cameras as well in the future? 

I see silent mode but that is for calls and chime only.

It doesn't make any sense to remove this feature to me.  If someone would be in view of the camera (say sitting on the porch) and unable to turn off the camera there would be countless notifications of activity and just get annoying. 

[Jeffrey_tl]

Did Arlo give a reason why the toggle has been removed?  I highly concur that it doesn't make any sense to remove it.  What makes even less sense is that the time zone is listed second on the app.  After you set the time zone on initial setup there wouldn't be a need to change it?  I have other Arlo cameras and I have a really bad feeling that this will be applied to other cameras. 

[Marcjl]

Unfortunately no and I'm getting dead ends on their responses which is really annoying. I tried to get resolutions but the support do not provide any.

Here is their response.
"I consulted the appropriate team regarding this issue. Please be informed that this is a company decision and not a bug but the reason was not stated"

Are any of these makes sense? Not at all, not even providing advice on what to do next or how to troubleshoot this! Now my camera is unusable because I cannot turn it back on.

[Jeffrey_tl]

I understand your situation is worse because you can't even turn it on.  My firmware updated automatically but I never had to turn it off so my camera is still on.  However, we wanted to sit on the porch and went to turn off the camera and that is when we discovered the toggle choice was removed.  Now we can't sit on the porch because it triggers the camera repeatedly and is annoying.  I have other Arlo cameras around the house and not being able to turn the cameras off when cutting the lawn would be a nightmare of getting repeated notifications. 

The lack of response by Arlo is concerning as well. 

WHY ARLO WHY?  Why was this feature removed without warning or customer input?

[JamesC · Accepted solution]

The privacy feature (on/off toggle) was designed for use with Arlo cameras and was unintentionally made available for AVD1001 Arlo Doorbell users via the mobile app. This meant that when the doorbell was toggled off, calls would no longer be made when the doorbell button was pressed. To ensure the best experience, we felt that this could be confusing for customers who toggled the doorbell off but still expected to be notified on button presses.

If you would like to disarm your doorbell, you can do so by navigating to the Modes tab and toggling to “Disarmed”

If you would like to turn off the chime or incoming calls on button presses, you can enable Silent mode within your doorbell settings.
 

[Marcjl]

Hi JamesC,

I think the response is for the above question, however I'm not getting any resolution for the issue I originally raised. No responses anymore from arlo support which is really concerning at thsi point even after multiple follow ups.

I now understand the reason for the decision to remove but I'm expecting that Arlo will have an answers for customers that toggle this off before theu removed this feature.

Right now I have a brick on my porch that doesn't work.

[JamesC]

Marcjl,

I'll take a look at your support case and request an update.

JamesC

[Jeffrey_tl]

That makes no sense.  If it was unintentionally made available why has it taken so long to remove it?  I purchased the doorbell in November of 2019 so that is almost a year and half that the feature has been available on the app.  Furthermore, if a customer gets confused by not understanding that when you turn something off that they expect to still be notified  when the button is pressed that shouldn't impact all the other customers. 

But I am confused about other settings:

If you would like to turn off the chime or incoming calls on button presses, you can enable Silent mode within your doorbell settings.

So I have to turn "on" Silent mode to turn "off" the chime or calls.  Yeah, that sounds less confusing compared to on/off toggle.  Does this mean the camera is still is active?   

If you would like to disarm your doorbell, you can do so by navigating to the Modes tab and toggling to “Disarmed”

I don't want to "disarm" the entire system.  Disarming sounds permanent.  I just want to be able to turn the camera on/off just like the Arlo cameras.

When something is available and used for such a long time and then suddenly is removed with no warning or consideration it is frustrating.  And it is isn't in the firmware update notes.  I hope Arlo reverses this terrible choice!

[StephenB]

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@Jeffrey_tl wrote:

If you would like to turn off the chime or incoming calls on button presses, you can enable Silent mode within your doorbell settings.

So I have to turn "on" Silent mode to turn "off" the chime or calls.  Yeah, that sounds less confusing compared to on/off toggle.  Does this mean the camera is still is active?   

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Yes,  the camera is still active.  Motion recordings and motion alerts will still be enabled.  Only the mechanical chime and call feature is turned off.

FWIW, I find the Silent control to be confusing - working the opposite way than I expect.

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@Jeffrey_tl wrote:

If you would like to disarm your doorbell, you can do so by navigating to the Modes tab and toggling to “Disarmed”

I don't want to "disarm" the entire system.  Disarming sounds permanent.  I just want to be able to turn the camera on/off just like the Arlo cameras.

---

If your doorbell is connected to a base, then you'd be disarming the base (and all cameras connected to it).  If your doorbell is connected to your wifi, then you'd only be disarming the doorbell.

If it is connected to a base, you can set up a custom mode that only disarms the doorbell.