How to Set Up Arlo Security Cameras

John Carlsen

Staff Author, Security & Smart Home

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Arlo's security cameras are some of the best in the business, and setting them up is a cakewalk. Here are 7 easy steps to aid you set upward your new Arlo camera similar a pro.

  • Camera Rubber: Assistance Preclude Your Cameras from Being Hacked

1. Download the Arlo app

The Arlo app walks y'all through the setup process and allows you to suit photographic camera settings. You can't install a camera without the app. Once you download the app, create an account and start adding your commencement camera past choosing your model from the listing.

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2. Turn on your Arlo photographic camera

Wire-gratis models: Insert and charge bombardment

Inserting battery in Arlo Pro 4

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When you get-go the setup process on a wire-free Arlo camera, follow the instructions for installing the battery in the photographic camera housing. The battery has grooves on the bottom to prevent yous from installing it upside down.

After inserting the battery, shut up the camera'south instance and check the LED on the front. If the light is an amber color, connect it to the included charging cable. If it's flashing blue, yous tin can skip charging and motility on to the next step.

Wired models: Find an outlet

Wired Arlo cameras need to be within 6 feet of an outlet. Yous can buy optional power cables for wireless models in lengths of eight and 25 anxiety. Arlo also sells solar panel chargers that piece of work with its outdoor cameras.

3. Connect your Arlo camera to Wi-Fi

Arlo App Wi-Fi Disclaimer

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Once your photographic camera has power, follow the Arlo app'southward instructions for connecting information technology to your Wi-Fi network. Enter the proper name and countersign for your wireless network, and the app will create a QR lawmaking for the camera to scan. Wait for the camera to chime after scanning the code. Exist aware that Arlo cameras practice non work with 5 GHz Wi-Fi networks. Instead, you'll need a 2.iv GHz network.

4. Place your Arlo camera

Choose your mount

Install your Arlo camera effectually six to 7 anxiety above the basis. This is the best vantage point for capturing video footage and motility detection without being too difficult to attain.

Shelf

The Arlo Essential Indoor and the Arlo Q (its predecessor) are the only Arlo cameras with built-in stands that work well when placing the cameras on a shelf. While near other Arlo cameras tin can residue on a shelf, you won't have many choices for pointing them towards the action without a mount.

Magnetic mount

Arlo Pro 4 with magnetic mount

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You can use a magnetic mount with any Arlo Ultra or Arlo Pro camera. This mountain attaches to the wall with a unmarried spiral, a drywall ballast, and a plastic stopper that clips into the dorsum.

Outdoor mount

Use one of Arlo'south outdoor mounts for improve security if you're placing a camera outdoors. These mounts use a screw to secure the camera in identify. They're not easy to take off the wall compared to magnetic mounts. Arlo also recommends using these mounts if you need to place a photographic camera college than 6.v feet.

5. Adjust your Arlo camera'southward view

Although nearly Arlo cameras have a broad field of view to capture tons of activeness, you can suit the camera for a amend view, assuasive for more than accurate motion detection, notifications, and recording.

Camera positioning

Arlo App Camera Positioning

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Using Arlo's Camera Positioning setting, you can conform the camera's view in near real-time with very little lag. This setting tells the camera to send video quickly (ordinarily at a lower quality) so you don't need to await every bit long for the alive view to catch up with your adjustments.

  1. Navigate to the Settings menu in the Arlo app.
  2. Select My Devices and choose the photographic camera you lot want to adjust.
  3. Select Device Utilities and so Camera Positioning.
  4. Adapt the camera while looking at the Arlo app to ensure it sees all the areas you want.

Field of view

Arlo app video mode

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Like the Arlo Pro iv, some Arlo cameras let you change the field of view or how wide an area in front of the camera is. Generally, y'all want a wider view outdoors, where there aren't walls blocking your view. In contrast, cull a narrower view indoors, where it'southward unnecessary to record wider than your walls allow, which saves video bandwidth.

  1. Navigate to the Settings menu in the Arlo app.
  2. Select My Devices and choose the camera you lot desire to adjust.
  3. Choose Video Settings and so Video Mode.
  4. Find a mode that fits your camera's surroundings.

Motion zones

Move zones tell Arlo security cameras what to ignore when deciding to record. Arlo employs motion zones in two ways: passive and adjustable.

Passive motion zones

The motion sensor on many Arlo cameras has two zones by default. The lesser zone takes upward two-thirds of the video and is more sensitive, while the smaller acme zone is less sensitive overall. You tin can run into the meridian zone as a greyed-out area in the camera positioning carte.

By positioning the camera with the top third covering the street, you tin prevent passing vehicles from setting off the sensor every bit often. This setting works without an Arlo Secure cloud subscription and doesn't require a continuous ability supply.

Adjustable motion zones

Arlo app activity zones

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If you pay for an Arlo Secure Plan and connect your photographic camera to a power outlet, you tin can create custom motion zones that tape action in those areas.

  1. Get to the Settings menu in the Arlo app.
    1. Consider logging in on a web browser instead, since adjusting the zones tin be harder on a small-scale smartphone screen.
  2. Select My Devices and cull the camera you desire to accommodate.
  3. Choose Action Zones.
  4. Striking the plus sign + to add together a zone.
  5. Adjust the zone to embrace an area (like a window or stairway).
  6. Name the zone for future reference.

6. Test your Arlo photographic camera's motion detection

Arlo cameras rely exclusively on move detection to know when to start recording a video clip. You can test the motion detection'south effectiveness and suit its sensitivity using the Arlo app:

  1. Navigate to the Settings menu in the Arlo app.
  2. Select My Devices and cull the camera you're testing.
  3. Select Device Utilities and and so Motion Detection Examination.
  4. This mode tells the camera's LED light to blink amber when in that location's motion.
  5. Move effectually the area you want the camera to monitor to see if it catches all your activity.
  6. Conform the motion sensitivity slider if the camera is too sensitive or non sensitive enough.
    • The sensitivity setting isn't universal—adjust your arming modes to match as needed.

7. Arm your Arlo

Arming an Arlo camera tells it to showtime sending notifications and recording video clips (if you take an Arlo Secure subscription or gear up local storage). It's likewise an excellent manner to protect your privacy. We recommend arming your camera whenever you lot exit the business firm or get to bed.

Arlo offers five arming modes:

My Arlo Arming Modes

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  • Disarmed: no recording or notifications
  • Armed: you manually arm using the app
  • Schedule: set specific times for the photographic camera to record—particularly helpful at night
  • Geofencing: photographic camera arms and disarms based on your location
  • Custom mode: you can arrange how the camera reacts when armed

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FAQ

Newer Arlo security cameras like Arlo Essential, Arlo Pro 4, and Arlo Pro three Floodlight don't require a base station. All the same, y'all need a base station on 4K models like Arlo Ultra 2 and older models similar Arlo Pro three and Arlo Pro two. You can apply a base of operations station with any Arlo cam to add local video storage.

Yeah, yous tin use Arlo cameras without a subscription. These features are gratis:

  • Viewing live video (but no cloud storage)
  • Two-way audio
  • Notifications (but no smart notifications)
  • Local storage (if using a base of operations station)

You lot tin can add other users through the Arlo app:

  1. From the Settings menu: cull Grant Admission and tap the Add selection.
  2. Enter the proper name and email accost of the person you want to add together to your Arlo camera.
  3. The new user will receive an email to verify their business relationship access in the Arlo app.
    • You lot can accommodate permissions to adjust each user's needs and responsibilities.
    • If yous have multiple cameras, you can limit access to specific cameras.

Arlo cameras neglect to connect for various reasons:

  • The camera is likewise far from your wireless router.
  • The camera isn't on the same network as your mobile device during setup.
  • The photographic camera is incompatible with your v GHz wireless network. Make certain yous're using a 2.4 GHz wireless network.
  • The camera doesn't accept your network's current login credentials. Check that you used the right network proper name and password.
  • The photographic camera didn't scan the QR code correctly when setting upward Wi-Fi. Re-scan the code and listen for an audible chime.
  • The camera timed out before connecting to your network. Press the sync push button to start the sync process again.

What you can't do without internet

  • View live video
  • Use two-way audio
  • Adjust photographic camera settings
  • Salvage videos to deject storage

What you tin do without internet

  • Record videos using local storage (if you set it upwardly using a base station).
  • View footage on when your phone's on the same network. Just you need to turn on Direct Storage Access in the Arlo app first.

Yes, you must use an Ethernet cable to connect your Arlo base of operations station to your router. There should be i in the box.

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John Carlsen

Written by

John Carlsen

John is a engineering science announcer specializing in smart home devices, security cameras, and habitation security systems. He has over 9 years of feel researching, testing, and reviewing the latest tech—he was the Smart Abode Editor for Tiptop 10 Reviews and wrote for ASecureLife before joining SafeWise as a Staff Writer in 2020. John holds a Bachelor'south degree in Communications, Journalism emphasis from Utah Valley University. In his spare time, he enjoys hiking, photography, cooking, and starting endless DIY projects he has nevertheless to complete.

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