Is Your Netgear Arlo System Reporting "Storage Full"?
Netgear Arlo cameras rely on cloud storage to save motion-triggered recordings. Whether you are using a free legacy plan or a modern Arlo Secure subscription, you may eventually encounter a notification that your cloud storage is full. When this happens, your cameras may stop recording new events, leaving your property unmonitored. This guide will show you how to effectively manage your Arlo cloud storage.
Understanding Your Arlo Storage Plan
The first step is to know what your storage limits are. This depends entirely on the Arlo plan you have.
- Legacy Free Plans: Older Arlo systems (like the original Arlo, Pro, and Pro 2) often came with a free 7-day rolling cloud storage plan. This means recordings are stored for 7 days and then automatically deleted. This plan is based on time, not storage size, so it doesn't typically "fill up" in the traditional sense, but footage is permanently lost after a week.
- Arlo Secure Subscriptions: Newer cameras and all paid subscription plans operate on a 30-day (or longer) rolling history. The limit is based on time, meaning you can access any recording from the past 30 days. These plans generally do not have a storage capacity limit, but rather a time limit.
- Storage Capacity Plans (Less Common): Some older, specific plans may have had a capacity limit (e.g., 1GB). If you have one of these, you will need to manually manage your space.
The "storage full" message is most common for users on a legacy capacity-based plan or if there's an issue with a local storage backup.
Step 1: Review and Delete Old Footage
The most direct way to free up space is to delete recordings you no longer need.
- Open the Arlo App or log in to the Arlo web portal.
- Navigate to the Library. This is where all your recorded video clips are stored.
- Filter and Select: You can filter your recordings by date, device, or event type to make it easier to find clips to delete.
- Select a Clip: Tap on a clip to select it. Most interfaces will then give you an option to select multiple clips at once.
- Delete: Once you have selected all the unnecessary clips, find and tap the Delete or trash can icon. You will be asked to confirm your choice. Warning: Once a clip is deleted from the cloud, it is permanently gone and cannot be recovered.
Step 2: Download and Save Important Clips
Before you delete footage in bulk, make sure to save anything that might be important.
- From the Arlo Library, select the clip you want to save.
- Look for the Download or Share icon.
- This will save the video file directly to your smartphone or computer's local storage.
- Once you have confirmed the file is saved and playable on your device, you can safely delete it from the Arlo cloud library.
Step 3: Utilise Local Storage Backup (If Applicable)
If your Arlo system includes a VMB4540 or VMB5000 SmartHub/Base Station, you have the option for local storage backup.
- Get a USB Drive: Insert a compatible USB stick or external hard drive into the USB port on the back of your Base Station.
- Enable Local Storage: In the Arlo app, go to the settings for your Base Station.
- Manage Storage: Find the storage settings and ensure the USB device is recognised. You can enable recording to the local storage here.
- This allows you to keep a physical backup of your cloud recordings, giving you an extra layer of security. You can then be more confident in deleting clips from the cloud to manage your online space.
Step 4: Consider Upgrading Your Plan
If you find yourself constantly managing storage and needing to keep recordings for longer than your plan allows, it might be time to upgrade. An Arlo Secure plan provides a 30-day rolling cloud history, meaning you don't have to worry about storage capacity, only that videos will be deleted after 30 days. This is often the most convenient, hands-off solution for managing your video recordings.