Nowadays, smart home protection is a near-must for all homeowners.
That’s why you just bought an Arlo Essential Camera.
But, after installing it…
You notice that it’s not recording any video. At all.
And you’re left wondering why…
Well, no more of that. I’ve got the answers you’re looking for.
Keep reading to discover:
- 9 surprising reasons why your Arlo Essential isn’t recording.
- 3 quick steps to fix your Arlo Essential recording glitch from network issues.
- Modes and Rules: What are they for, and how they prevent your Arlo from saving videos.
- And so much more…
9 reasons why your Arlo Essential isn’t recording
#1: Arlo is down
Whenever your Arlo Essential isn’t recording…
The first thing you need to do is to ensure that the problem isn’t just you.
In other words?
You need to check if Arlo themselves are down.
Fortunately, this information is readily available on their website.
So the next time you’re having recording issues with your Arlo Essential? Check that website first.
#2: Your subscription has expired
I’ve got a question for you:
When’s the last time you paid for your Arlo subscription?
If you don’t know, that’s OK. Everyone forgets from time to time.
However, you need an active subscription for your Arlo Essential to record.
Now, you might be wondering:
“Is there any way to check my subscription status?”
Yes, there is. You can check your subscription status using these directions:
- Open the Arlo Secure app.
- Go to the Settings menu.
- Head to the Subscription section.
Note: Arlo Secure is only available on Android devices. For iOS users, you can check your status using the Arlo Web Portal.
Alternatively, you might be subscribed to their Single Camera plan. And you have more than one camera in your home.
In this case, you can easily change your current plan with these instructions:
- Open your Arlo Secure app or go to the Arlo Web Portal.
- Head to the Settings menu.
- Tap Subscription.
- Press Change Plan.
- Choose your new plan.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to finalize your payment.
#3: The camera isn’t on your active list
How many Arlo Essential cameras do you have?
Sometimes, it’s hard to keep track of them all. This is especially true if you use multiple Arlo devices as your security system.
This is why there’s a chance you forgot to add your new camera to the active list.
And, if a camera is inactive, it won’t record anything. In fact, you can’t even use it to view live footage.
So, to add a camera to your active list, all you must do is:
- Open your Arlo Secure app or go to the Arlo Web Portal.
- Head to the Settings menu.
- Tap Subscription.
- Select Manage Cameras.
- Drag your camera from “No Plan” to your current subscription using the 3 horizontal lines.
#4: Your Arlo Essential has a poor network connection
Another possible reason why your Arlo Essential isn’t recording is that it’s offline.
It should be no surprise that your Arlo needs internet to transmit data…
The only question is, how can you resolve network issues?
To resolve your internet problems, I have 2 workarounds:
Remove interference
Take note of everything between your Arlo devices and the router.
Do you see any of the following:
- Steel.
- Plaster.
- Concrete.
- Synthetics.
- Brick and marble.
- Containers filled with water.
- Glass, especially if soundproof.
These objects are physical Wi-Fi obstructions, and you need to remove what you can.
Also, ensure that other signal-emitting objects aren’t near your router. These are:
- Radios.
- Microwaves.
- Baby monitors.
- Fluorescent lights.
- Bluetooth devices.
- Other Wi-Fi networks.
Change router settings
Alternatively, maybe the issue isn’t with your Arlo device…
But the router itself.
In this case, the most likely culprits are:
- Frequency bands: Arlo doesn’t support 5.0 GHz.
- Connection limit: You’ve reached the maximum amount of devices that can connect to the Wi-Fi.
Fortunately, you can easily change these settings.
However, you’ll need a laptop to do so.
Got yours? Then, to change router settings, you must:
Step 1: Access your router interface
- Open the Command Prompt app on your laptop.
- Type and enter “ipconfig/all.”
- Copy the digits next to Default Gateway.
- Launch any web browser.
- Paste the digits into the address bar and hit Enter.
- Enter your login credentials.
Note: Your ISP should provide your router account. In case you forgot it, contact your ISP for support.
Step 2A: Change frequency band
- Head to the Advanced Settings tab.
- Press Wireless.
- Tap the Wireless Signal option.
- Set Channel Optimization to Off.
- Switch 2.4 GHz to On.
- Switch 5.0 GHz to Off.
Step 2B: Increase connection limit
- Go to the Wi-Fi menu.
- Head to Wi-Fi Options.
- Press Max Wi-Fi.
- Select your preferred connection limit.
You might also be interested in: ADT Doorbell Camera Blinking Red
#5: Extreme temperatures
Good news:
Your Arlo Essential device has some self-preservation features to protect itself from damage.
The catch?
Sometimes, your Arlo Essential device shuts down by itself.
And its most common trigger? Extreme temperatures.
That’s why you might have no outside footage during snowstorms or heat waves.
#6: Check your Arlo Modes and Rules
Next, we need to talk about two of Arlo’s most useful features:
Modes and Rules. These features tell your Arlo camera what they need to do in different situations.
There are 4 Modes and 6 Rules available for Arlo devices. For Modes, these are:
- Armed: Allows detection on the selected camera.
- Disarmed: Disables detection on the selected camera.
- Geofencing: Enable or disable detection only when you leave the house.
- Schedule: Enables detection on the selected camera only on a selected schedule.
And these are the Rules:
- Trigger Device: Selects which camera is responsible for detection.
- Action: Sets what each camera will do when something is detected.
- Trigger: Selects whether you want motion or audio detection, or both.
- Notifications: Sets how you want to receive notifications when motion is detected.
- Devices: Selects which Arlo Essential device does an action once motion is detected.
- Cross-triggering: Allows other Arlo devices to do an action when something is detected.
You need to adjust your Arlo modes and rules to ensure that it’ll record what you need.
To edit your Arlo Modes and Rules, here’s what you have to do:
- Open your Arlo Secure app or go to the Arlo Web Portal.
- Go to the Mode section.
- Select your camera.
- Edit the Modes and Rules according to your liking.
Note: Always set your camera to Armed.
If you’re interested in learning more about Arlo Modes and Rules…
You can always watch this video to get a clearer idea of how it works:
#7: Disable filters
Another possible culprit of this issue is the Filter feature of Arlo.
You see, Filters can delete recorded videos on your device that doesn’t meet their criteria.
And maybe that’s why you can’t see any videos from Arlo Essential.
To disable Filters, all you need to do is:
- Open your Arlo Secure app or go to the Arlo Web Portal.
- Go to the Library menu.
- Head to the Filters section.
- Tap Device.
- Select All.
- Press Remove Filter.
#8: Dangerous software glitches
Sometimes, there are glitches and errors that we can’t exactly pinpoint.
In that case, the best course of action for your Arlo Essential is to factory reset it. This means removing all data and saved preferences on your device.
While it may seem like an extreme solution…
It can sometimes be necessary to prevent making your issues worse.
That said, you can factory reset your Arlo Essential device using these steps:
- Open your Arlo Secure app or go to the Arlo Web Portal.
- Head to the Settings menu.
- Under My Devices, select the camera you want to reset.
- Tap Remove Device.
- Select Yes to confirm.
- Next, go back to the Devices menu.
- Press Add New Device.
- Choose your Arlo Essential from the list of devices.
#9: Contact Arlo for further support
If none of the mentioned solutions worked…
There’s one more thing you can try.
And that’s to get in touch with Arlo themselves for support.
You can do this by going to the Support section on their website.
Does Arlo Essential require a subscription to record?
Your Arlo Essential requires a subscription to record. You can subscribe by following the instructions under “#2: Your subscription has expired.”
For Arlo Essential devices, you have 3 subscription options. These are:
- Arlo Secure Single Camera: 2K Footage for one camera. No emergency response.
- Arlo Secure Unlimited: 2K Footage for unlimited cameras. No emergency response.
- Arlo Secure Plus: 4K Footage for unlimited cameras. Includes emergency response.
As for its subscription fee, here’s how much they cost per region:
| Region & Currency | Arlo Secure Unlimited | Arlo Secure Plus | Single Camera |
| USA (USD) | 9.99 | 14.99 | 2.99 |
| Canada (CAD) | 13.49 | 19.99 | 3.99 |
| Europe (EUR) | 9.99 | 14.99 | 2.99 |
| United Kingdom (GBP) | 8.99 | 12.99 | 2.79 |
| Australia (AUD) | 14.99 | 21.99 | 4.49 |
| Denmark (DKK) | 79 | 115 | 25 |
| Sweden (SEK) | 99 | 149 | 29 |
| Swiss (CHF) | 11.49 | 16.99 | 3.49 |
| Czech (CZK) | 265 | 399 | 79 |
| Poland (PLN) | 49 | 69 | 14 |
| New Zealand (NZD) | 14.99 | 23.99 | 4.99 |
| Norway (NOK) | 99 | 149 | 29 |
| Hungary (HUF) | 3500 | 5200 | 1000 |
| Hong Kong (HKD) | 79 | 117 | 24 |
| Japan (JPY) | 1060 | 1595 | 320 |
| South Africa (ZAR) | 152 | 229 | 45 |
| Singapore (SGD) | 13.99 | 21.99 | 4.49 |
Furthermore, monthly Arlo subscriptions are unavailable in Taiwan.
However, customers currently residing in Taiwan can still avail of an annual plan at NTD 3380.