A Complete Guide to Fixing Netgear Arlo False Alerts
A security camera should provide reassurance, not constant, unnecessary interruptions. If your Netgear Arlo camera is frequently sending you alerts for non-existent threats—like shadows, bugs, or weather—it can become more of a frustration than a security tool. These inaccurate notifications are commonly known as "false alerts" or "false positives."
This comprehensive guide will help you understand the root causes of Arlo false alerts and provide you with a clear, step-by-step strategy to make your camera's motion detection more intelligent and reliable.
## Why Your Arlo Camera Cries Wolf: Common Causes of False Alerts
False alerts are not a sign of a faulty camera. They are a sign that the camera's perception of its environment needs to be adjusted. Arlo cameras primarily use Passive Infrared (PIR) sensors, which detect changes in heat, but pixel changes can also trigger alerts.
Here are the most common culprits:
- Sun and Shadows: A cloud moving away from the sun can cause a rapid change in temperature and light on the ground, which the PIR sensor can interpret as motion. Moving shadows from trees have the same effect.
- Environmental Triggers: Gusts of wind blowing foliage, heavy rain, or even insects and spiders moving close to the camera lens are frequent causes of false alerts.
- Heat Sources: Vents from a dryer or central heating system blowing warm air into the camera's field of view can trigger the PIR sensor.
- Reflections: Sunlight glinting off a car, a puddle, or a window can be misinterpreted as movement.
- Poor Placement: Pointing a camera through a window is not recommended. The glass can create reflections and will block the PIR sensor from accurately detecting heat changes outside.
## Your Action Plan to Eliminate Arlo False Positives
By methodically adjusting the following settings in your Arlo app, you can dramatically improve the accuracy of your system.
### 1. Create and Refine Activity Zones
This is arguably the most powerful tool for eliminating false alerts, and it requires an Arlo Secure subscription.
- Open the Arlo app, go to your camera's Settings (gear icon).
- Select Video Settings, then Activity Zones.
- Tap to create a new zone. Resize and position this zone to cover only the area you care about.
- For a front door camera, this might be just the path and the porch. Crucially, exclude public pavements, roads, and any bushes or trees that move in the wind.
- By doing this, you are telling the camera to completely ignore any and all motion that occurs outside of this defined area.
### 2. Use Arlo's AI Object Detection
Filter alerts by what the camera sees. This also requires an Arlo Secure plan.
- In your camera's Settings, tap on Smart Notifications.
- You have the ability to choose what you get notified for. To combat false alerts, a great setup is to turn ON notifications for People and turn OFF notifications for All Other Motion.
- This means Arlo's AI will analyse the movement, and if it's not a person, it won't send you a push notification. This single change can filter out the vast majority of alerts from shadows, insects, and animals.
### 3. Calibrate Motion Detection Sensitivity
Fine-tune how much movement is needed to trigger an alert.
- Navigate to Mode, select your camera, and edit the active mode's Rule.
- Here you will find the Motion Sensitivity Test and a slider.
- A lower sensitivity setting requires more significant motion to trigger a recording. If you are getting false alerts, reduce the sensitivity from its current level.
- Use the test to see when the LED blinks as you walk through the detection area to find the right balance.
### 4. Re-evaluate Camera Placement
A small change in position can have a big impact.
- Angle: Point the camera slightly down to reduce the amount of sky or distant background objects it sees.
- Avoid Heat Sources: Ensure the camera is not aimed at a heating vent, an air conditioning unit, or a security light that gets hot.
- Clean the Lens: Regularly check for and remove spiderwebs from the front of the camera.
By combining these strategies, you can make your Netgear Arlo system significantly smarter and more reliable, ensuring that when you get an alert, it's one that truly warrants your attention.