How to turn cameras back on

[Lindam]

I turned off 2 of our cameras so it won't constantly record while we were out working in the yard but now I can't seem to find out how to turn them back on.  Arlo says they are offline and they have new batteries.

[jguerdat]

What did you do to turn them off? Usually, it's either the On/Off switch in Settings, My Devices, your camera or by choosing the Disarmed mode in the Mode tab. Try power cycling the base - maybe it's confused.

[Lindam]

I turned off the cameras using the Arlo app.  (Settings, my devices). I only turned of 2 of the cameras.  When you go back in the setting to turn the cameras back on it's no longer there.  I will try your suggestion to restart the base.

[jguerdat]

Restarting the base likely won't do anything.  Are you just confused since the slider is now gray?  That simply means the camera is off - click it anyways.

[Lindam]

The slider is completely gone.   When I select the camera in the Arlo app all I see is offline and the name of the camera.  The only option I have is to remove the device.

[jguerdat]

Then power cycling the base may help.

[JamesC]

Lindam,

It sounds like you could be experiencing an issue with your cameras being offline due to not receiving the most recent camera firmware update.

For troubleshooting information on this topic, please take a look at this article: My Arlo camera is offline since the release of the recent firmware update; what do I do?

If you are still experiencing this issue, please let us know or feel free to private message me, I would be happy to help.

JamesC

[dionnearlo]

I have had the exact experience. Turned one camera off because we were outside working in the car. I just want the slider option back in the app to turn the camera back on... but it is fine. I have followed each step and nothing seems to fix the problem. Not too happy that I will have to get out of bed at midnight, go outside in the winter to find a ladder to remove the camera and bring it inside to see if that may help. There has to be a better way to fix this leaving the camera in while in the front yard just kills the batteries too quickly.

[JamesC]

dionnearlo,

Did you turn the camera off via the on/off toggle in settings? If so, the camera can be turned on again by tapping the on/off toggle again within settings.

JamesC

[dionnearlo]

As mentioned, Once the camera is turned off, the toggle to turn it back on disappears. Same as previous comments made by Lindam on Sept 28. I wish I could show you a screenshot.

[jguerdat]

The toggle remains so it appears you have a display issue. If using the app, reinstall it. Also, try a browser or a different one. I used it just today with no issue.

[JamesC]

dionnearlo,

This could also be due to the camera being offline (not just toggled off in settings) due to poor range, depleted batteries etc. Is the camera indicating it is offline or disabled?

JamesC

[jbaweja]

I am having the same problem.  I was away on vacation and our flag kept setting off a camera, so I turned it off in the app.  When I returned, 9 days later, the On/Off slider is unavailable.  It is also not available from the web interface.

[jguerdat]

Are either the base or cameras shown as offline in the Devices tab?  That could explain this.  Try power cycling the base.  If that doesn't help, try opening and closing the battery door.  Be sure to verify that the batteries are good.

[DPanattoni]

I have the same problem. Turned the camera off in the early afternoon due to too many bees checking it out and I didn't want to burn the battery. When I got home, I wasn't able to turn the camera back on. The only options on the Settings page for the device are Name, Device Info, and a Remove Device button.

[jguerdat]

Try both the app and a browser.  You may need to power cycle the base.  Check the batteries - if they're dead, the camera won't respond.

[maryw]

I had the same issue. I turned the cameras off to save battery and all the settings disappeared.

Tried opening and closing battery compartments, rebooting base station, resyncing cameras, nothing worked. Finally opened Arlo in another browser (was using Chrome, opened in Firefox) and the settings were there and I could turn them back on. 

Seems this is a bug in the app. 

[jguerdat]

Possibly simply logging out and back into the app or force closing it and restarting would have been successful.

[maryw]

I had tried that, even restarting my phone. Didn't work. Opening in Firefox on my laptop was the only thing that showed the settings. 

[jguerdat]

That implies an issue with the phone or app. Try reinstalling.

[jbhorton]

I had the exact same issue today.  Chiming in on the off chance this is helpful to someone.  

I had one camera (#1) that showed it was out of batteries and another camera (#2) that simply said it was "offline" and the on/off toggle disappeared.  I pulled camera #1 down and had to replace the batteries and then it wouldn't reconnect...so I tried everything I could think of (restarting apps and base station, etc.) and eventually had to remove the device and pair it again...this prompted a firmware update and now it is working.  For camera #2, I had to pull it down and open/shut the battery case (a restart of sorts) and it reconnected (i.e., video showed and on/off toggle was back) and told me I had 4% battery left.  I had no prior notice this was an issue.  I replaced the batteries and everything is fine. 

The exact same issue and fix in both cases, though they presented differently and really confused me for a bit.  When the app doesn't show a low battery message you end up fiddling around with the apps and router for way too long wasting your time.  Why was one camera simply "offline" (not helpful) and the other told me to replace the batteries (helpful)?  Very odd, but now I know what to do if this happens again.  Hope this helps someone. 

[AF4]

Good to read this. I gave up trying to turn my cameras on remotely after I unarmed them. I am 1000 miles from my cameras so I have to control them remotely. There are times I need to turn the cameras off and then back on. I struggled doing so but finally gave up trying to rearm the system. I will try to turn off using my laptop. Fingers crossed that works.

[jguerdat]

This would be a good case for both a UPS for the modem, router and base as well as a WiFi switch such as a WeMo between the UPS and base.  That way the Internet connection will fly through most power outages.  The WiFi switch will allow you to power cycle the base any time something else goes goofy.

[AF4]

If I go to my Devices page and see all 4 cameras, I can click on the settings for each camera. In the Settings, there is a tab to turn camera on/off.  I'm actually afraid to do that! I fear I'll never get the cameras back on again. I am remote so I can't get to my base station. I need to turn my 4 cameras off for a few weeks while we have friends in our home. The cameras are recording and going off 24/7!!   Can anyone tell me if the above off/on tab will work and I can easily restore the cameras to on and record?  I'm not a technical person and some of the other ideas to do this are beyond me 🙂

[jbhorton]

I use the on/off toggle all the time.  Has worked hundreds and hundreds of times without fail.  I've even turned cameras on and off several times in the same day before.  The issue I described in my earlier post was a real outlier for me.  Frustrating, but a real outlier.