Don't Miss a Thing: How to Fix Arlo Delayed Notifications
An Arlo security camera is a powerful tool for monitoring your home, but its effectiveness is severely hampered if the notifications arrive too late. When you get an alert seconds or even minutes after an event has occurred, you lose the critical window of opportunity to see what's happening and respond. The person may have already left the scene, defeating the purpose of a real-time security system.
If you're frustrated with slow Arlo alerts, you're not alone. This guide will explore the common causes of notification delays and provide you with a clear set of troubleshooting steps to get your alerts back up to speed.
Understanding the Causes of Notification Delays
A delay in receiving an alert is almost always related to a communication lag somewhere between your camera and your phone. The journey of a notification looks like this:
Camera detects motion -> Camera sends signal to Arlo Cloud -> Arlo Cloud sends a push notification to your phone
A bottleneck at any point in this chain can cause a delay. The most common culprits are:
- Weak Wi-Fi Signal: If your camera has a poor connection to your router, it will take longer to upload the motion event.
- Slow Phone Connection: If your smartphone is on a weak Wi-Fi signal or has poor mobile data coverage, it will take longer to receive the notification.
- Network Congestion: Too many devices on your home network can slow down communication.
- Phone Settings: Battery optimisation modes on your phone can prevent the Arlo app from receiving instant alerts.
Steps to Troubleshoot and Fix Slow Arlo Alerts
Work through these solutions to identify and fix the cause of your notification delay.
1. Check Your Network Speeds and Signal Strength
Your internet connection is the foundation of your Arlo system.
- Camera's Wi-Fi Signal: In the Arlo app, go to your camera's Device Settings > Device Info > Signal Strength. If you have fewer than three bars, the signal is weak. Try moving your router closer to the camera/SmartHub, or consider investing in a Wi-Fi mesh system or extender.
- Your Phone's Connection: Run a speed test on your smartphone (e.g., using speedtest.net) on both Wi-Fi and mobile data to ensure you have a stable connection. A slow connection on your phone will delay the receipt of the alert.
2. Optimise Your Phone's Settings
Your phone's operating system might be "sleeping" the Arlo app to save battery, causing delays.
- For Android: Go to Settings > Apps > Arlo > Battery. Make sure the app is set to "Unrestricted" or "Not optimised". The exact wording may vary by manufacturer.
- For iOS: Go to Settings > Arlo > Background App Refresh and ensure it is turned on. Also, ensure Low Power Mode is turned off.
3. Restart Your Devices
A simple restart can often resolve temporary glitches and re-establish a fresh connection.
- Restart your Arlo camera: Remove and re-insert the battery, or unplug it from the power source for 30 seconds.
- Restart your Arlo SmartHub or Base Station: Unplug it from power for 30 seconds and plug it back in.
- Restart your router: Unplug your internet router for at least 60 seconds.
- Restart your smartphone.
4. Check Your Arlo Mode and Notification Settings
Ensure your notifications are correctly configured in the Arlo app.
- Open the Arlo app and go to the "Mode" tab.
- Select your Base Station or camera and tap "Edit" next to the active mode (e.g., "Armed").
- Make sure that under the "Rules" section, "Push Notification" is checked as an action. If it's not selected, you won't receive any alerts.
By systematically checking your network, phone settings, and app configuration, you can pinpoint the source of the delay and restore the real-time performance of your Arlo security system.