Troubleshooting Arlo Third-Party App & Smart Home Issues
Arlo's ability to connect with other smart home platforms like Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, IFTTT, and SmartThings is one of its most powerful features. These integrations allow you to control your cameras with your voice, view feeds on smart displays, and create powerful automations. However, when these connections don't work as expected, it can be a source of major frustration.
This guide is designed to help you diagnose and solve the most common problems that arise when using Arlo with third-party applications.
Understanding How Arlo Integrations Work
It's important to know that third-party integrations connect to your Arlo system via the cloud. Your command (e.g., "Alexa, show me the front door") goes from your device to the third-party service (Amazon), which then communicates with Arlo's cloud service, which finally tells your camera what to do. A problem at any point in this chain can cause the integration to fail.
Common issues include:
- Broken Account Linking: The authentication token connecting the two services has expired.
- Unsupported Commands: You're asking the assistant to do something the integration doesn't support.
- Incorrect Arlo Mode: The camera you're trying to access is disarmed in your Arlo settings.
- Network or Service Outages: A problem with your internet, or with the Arlo or third-party service itself.
How to Fix Common Integration Problems
Let's go through the most common platforms and their solutions. The first step for any issue is always to check that your Arlo cameras are online and working correctly in the Arlo app itself. If they're not, solve that problem first.
1. Amazon Alexa Issues
Problem: Alexa says the camera isn't responding, or can't find the device.
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Solution: Relink the Arlo Skill. This is the most effective fix for the majority of Alexa issues.
- Open the Amazon Alexa app.
- Go to 'More' > 'Skills & Games'.
- Find the 'Arlo' skill and tap 'Disable Skill'.
- Once disabled, tap 'Enable to Use' and sign back into your Arlo account to re-establish the link.
- After relinking, ask Alexa to discover new devices by saying, "Alexa, discover devices."
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Solution: Check Camera Names. Ensure the name of the camera in your Arlo app matches the name you're using in your voice command. If your camera is named "Garden Camera," saying "Show me the backyard" won't work.
2. Google Assistant / Google Home Issues
Problem: Google Assistant says it can't reach the camera or that the device isn't set up.
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Solution: Relink Your Arlo Account. Similar to Alexa, refreshing the connection is the best first step.
- Open the Google Home app.
- Go to 'Settings' > 'Works with Google'.
- Find 'Arlo' in your list of linked services.
- Tap it and select 'Unlink account'.
- Once unlinked, go back and add Arlo again, signing in to re-authenticate.
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Solution: Assign Cameras to Rooms. Google Home works best when devices are assigned to a room. Make sure your Arlo cameras have been assigned to a room within the Google Home app settings.
3. IFTTT (If This Then That) Applet Failures
Problem: An IFTTT applet that uses Arlo as a trigger (e.g., "If Arlo detects motion, turn on a light") isn't running.
- Solution: Check the Arlo Mode. IFTTT triggers will only work if the camera in question is Armed. If your Arlo system or the specific camera is in 'Disarmed' mode, it won't detect motion and therefore won't send the trigger to IFTTT.
- Solution: Reconnect the Arlo Service in IFTTT.
- Log in to your IFTTT account on the IFTTT website.
- Click your profile picture and go to 'Services'.
- Find the 'Arlo' service and click 'Settings'.
- Click 'Reconnect' and sign in to your Arlo account again.
- Solution: Check the IFTTT Activity Log. The activity log on the IFTTT website is an excellent tool. It will often show you if an applet tried to run and why it failed, which can point you directly to the source of the problem.
By methodically checking the account links and ensuring your cameras are properly configured, you can solve most third-party app issues and unlock the full potential of your smart, connected Arlo system.