Troubleshooting Netgear Cloud Storage Issues
Netgear's cloud storage service, often associated with its Arlo cameras, is a crucial feature for saving motion-triggered recordings and reviewing security events. When it fails, you lose the ability to see what happened, defeating the purpose of a security camera.
This guide will help you diagnose and resolve the most common cloud storage problems, from videos not saving to subscription and access errors.
## Problem 1: Recordings Are Not Being Saved to the Cloud
This is the most frequent issue. You know motion is happening, but no new videos appear in your library.
### Check Your Subscription Plan
- Verify Active Subscription: The most common reason for recordings to stop is an expired subscription. Many Netgear/Arlo cameras come with a trial period, and once it ends, you need a paid plan for cloud storage. Log in to your account on the official Netgear/Arlo website and navigate to Settings > Subscription. Confirm that your plan is active and applied to the correct cameras.
- Check Payment Information: Ensure your credit card on file has not expired.
### Check Camera Modes and Rules
- Is the Camera Armed?: Your system needs to be in an "Armed" mode for motion detection and recording to be active. If the mode is set to "Disarmed" or "Standby," the camera is effectively turned off and will not record. Check the main dashboard of your app to see the current mode.
- Review the Rules: Go into the Mode settings and edit the rules for your "Armed" mode. Ensure the rule for motion detection specifies the action "Record video." It's possible to have a rule that only sends a notification without recording.
### Check the Camera's Connection
- Camera Offline: If your camera is offline, it cannot upload footage. Check the camera's status in the app. If it's offline, you'll need to troubleshoot its connection to your Wi-Fi network.
- Weak Upload Speed: The camera needs a stable internet connection with adequate upload speed. Run a speed test from your network. A minimum of 1-2 Mbps upload speed per camera is recommended. If the connection is poor, the video file may fail to upload.
## Problem 2: Cannot Access or View Saved Footage
You can see that recordings exist, but you are unable to play, download, or view them.
- Check the Netgear Service Status: Before troubleshooting your own setup, check the official Netgear/Arlo service status page. If their cloud service is experiencing an outage, you will have to wait for them to resolve it.
- Use a Different Device or Platform: The issue might be with the app on your phone.
- Try accessing your cloud library by logging into your account on a web browser on a computer.
- If you have another phone or tablet, install the app there and see if you can view your footage.
- Log Out and Log Back In: A simple but effective solution. Log out of your Netgear account in the app, close the app completely, and then log back in. This can refresh a faulty session token.
- Clear App Cache (Android): On Android devices, clearing the app's cache can resolve playback issues. Go to Settings > Apps > Netgear/Arlo App > Storage > Clear Cache.
## Problem 3: "Storage Full" or Subscription Errors
If you are receiving messages about storage being full or other subscription-related errors despite believing you have a valid plan.
- Understand Your Plan's Limits: Different subscription tiers have different limits, either on the number of days footage is stored (e.g., 7 days, 30 days) or the total amount of storage space. Videos are automatically deleted after the specified period. Make sure you understand the limits of your specific plan.
- Re-sync Your Plan: Log in to the web portal and double-check that your active subscription is correctly assigned to the serial numbers of your cameras. In rare cases, a plan might not be correctly linked to a device.
- Contact Support: If you have verified that you have a valid, active subscription but are still getting storage errors, you will need to contact Netgear/Arlo support directly. There may be a billing or account provisioning issue on their end that only they can resolve.