Understanding Arlo's Limited Features Without a Subscription
If you've recently purchased an Arlo security camera system, you might be surprised to find that many of the features advertised on the box seem to be missing or greyed out in the app. This is a common experience for new users and centres around Arlo's subscription-based service model, known as 'Arlo Secure'.
While Arlo's hardware is top-notch, the company's business strategy is to offer the cameras with a basic set of free features and unlock their full potential through a recurring monthly subscription. This guide explains what those limitations are and what a subscription unlocks.
What You Get for Free (On Modern Arlo Cameras)
For modern Arlo cameras (such as the Arlo Pro 3, Pro 4, Pro 5, Ultra, and Essential series), the free plan is extremely limited. It is designed primarily to give you a 'live' look at your home, but not much else.
Without an Arlo Secure subscription, you typically only get:
- Live Video Streaming: You can open the app and view a live feed from your cameras at any time.
- Basic Motion Notifications: Your phone will receive a simple notification that says 'Motion has been detected'. It won't tell you what caused the motion.
What's Missing from the Free Plan?
This is the crucial part. The following key features are not available on the free plan for modern cameras:
- Cloud Storage: No video recordings are stored in the cloud. If you miss a notification, you cannot go back and see what happened. The event is lost forever. This is the single biggest limitation.
- Smart AI Detections: The ability for the camera to intelligently distinguish between a Person, Package, Vehicle, or Animal is a paid feature. Without it, you'll get alerts for everything, including passing cars and swaying trees.
- Customisable Activity Zones: The option to draw specific zones in your camera's view to monitor for motion is disabled. The camera will monitor its entire field of view, leading to more unwanted alerts.
- Interactive Notifications: The handy notifications that let you activate a siren or call a friend directly from your phone's lock screen are part of the subscription.
- 4K Cloud Recording: Even if you buy a 4K camera like the Arlo Ultra, it will only record in 4K to the cloud if you have a premium subscription plan.
The Arlo Secure Subscription: Unlocking the Features
To enable the features listed above, you need to subscribe to an Arlo Secure plan. This transforms the functionality of your system from a simple live-viewing tool into a powerful, smart security ecosystem.
Key Benefits of an Arlo Secure Plan:
- 30-Day Cloud Video History: This is the most important feature. All motion-triggered recordings are saved in the cloud for 30 days, so you can review them at any time.
- Smarter, Filtered Notifications: By enabling AI detection, you can choose to only be notified about people or packages, dramatically reducing the number of false alarms from irrelevant motion.
- Focused Monitoring with Activity Zones: You can draw a box around your driveway or front path, telling the camera to ignore motion on the public pavement beyond your property.
- Higher Resolution Recordings: Subscription plans enable cloud recording at higher resolutions (2K or 4K), depending on the plan and your camera model.
What About Local Storage?
A common question is whether you can bypass the subscription by using local storage. Arlo systems that come with a SmartHub or Base Station have a USB port or microSD card slot. You can connect a storage device to save recordings locally.
However, it's important to understand the limitations of this approach:
- Viewing is Clumsy: Accessing your locally stored recordings through the Arlo app is often slower and less intuitive than accessing the cloud.
- No Cloud Backup: If a burglar steals your Base Station, your local recordings are gone with it. The cloud provides a secure, off-site backup.
- Features Still Limited: Even with local storage, features like smart AI detections and interactive notifications still require a subscription as the video processing for these happens on Arlo's servers.
In essence, while Arlo cameras can function without a subscription, their utility is severely limited. The Arlo Secure plan is positioned as a necessary component to get the intelligent and convenient security experience that most users expect when they purchase the system.