Troubleshooting Facial Recognition on Netgear's Arlo Cameras
It's a common point of confusion, so let's clarify first: while Netgear was the original parent company of Arlo, the smart home security brand now operates independently. The facial recognition feature you're using is a function of the Arlo system, specifically part of the Arlo Secure (previously Arlo Smart) subscription service.
When Arlo's facial recognition works, it's brilliant. Instead of a generic "Motion detected" alert, you get a notification saying "Person detected" or even "John detected." If this feature isn't working correctly for you, this guide will help you troubleshoot the common issues.
### 1. Ensure You Have an Active Arlo Secure Subscription
Facial recognition is a premium, cloud-based feature. It is not available with Arlo's free basic plan.
How to check:
- Open the Arlo app.
- Go to Settings > Subscription.
- Verify that you have an active Arlo Secure or Arlo Secure Plus plan. If your trial has expired or the subscription is inactive, your cameras will revert to basic motion detection.
### 2. Build and Refine Your 'Face Profile' Library
The Arlo system isn't magic; it needs to be taught who is who. The system learns from photos you provide. If your library is empty or has poor-quality images, it cannot work.
How to add faces:
- Go to your Arlo app's Feed or Library and find a video clip or snapshot with a clear view of a person's face.
- Tap the options menu (three dots) and select Add to Face Profile.
- Create a new profile by giving the person a name, or add the image to an existing person's profile.
Tips for a strong Face Profile library:
- Quality over Quantity (at first): Start with a few very clear, well-lit, forward-facing photos for each person.
- Variety is Key: Once you have a good baseline, add more photos of the person in different lighting conditions, from slightly different angles, and with or without glasses. The more data the AI has, the better it gets.
- Don't Use Photos from Your Phone's Gallery: You must use snapshots taken from your Arlo cameras. The system is calibrated to learn from its own images.
### 3. Check Camera Placement and Lighting
The camera needs a clear view to identify a face.
- Positioning: The camera should be positioned to capture people's faces as they approach, not the tops of their heads. Mount it around 7-10 feet high and angled slightly downwards.
- Lighting: Ensure the area is well-lit. Strong backlighting (where the person is a silhouette against a bright background) or deep shadows can make it impossible for the algorithm to see facial features. Night vision can also reduce accuracy.
### 4. Enable Smart Notifications
You need to tell the Arlo app to use the facial recognition feature in its alerts.
How to enable:
- In the Arlo app, go to the Mode tab.
- Select the Arming mode you want to edit (e.g., 'Armed').
- Tap the pencil icon next to the rule for your camera.
- Under the 'Alerts' section, make sure that 'People' is checked. Some versions of the app may have more granular controls for specific faces.
- Ensure that push notifications are enabled.
### 5. Be Patient and Correct Mistakes
Facial recognition is a learning technology (AI). It may take some time and several interactions for it to become highly accurate.
- If a person is misidentified or just flagged as a "Person," find that event in your library. Use the options to correctly identify them and add that snapshot to their profile. This helps the system learn from its mistakes.
By ensuring your subscription is active and by actively managing your Face Profile library, you can significantly improve the performance of the facial recognition feature on your Arlo cameras.