Your Arlo camera is online, armed, and staring right at your driveway — but when someone walks by, nothing happens.

No alert. No recording. No clue.

If your Arlo system isn’t detecting motion consistently, you’re not alone. Here’s a clear, frustration-free guide to fixing it.

🔍 1. Check Motion Sensitivity Settings

Start here. If sensitivity is too low, your camera may ignore movement — especially in daylight or at a distance.

Fix:

• Open the Arlo app → Devices → Select camera → “Device Settings”
• Tap “Motion Detection Test” and adjust the slider
• Start around 80% and tweak from there

🟦 2. Adjust Motion Zones (or Remove Them Temporarily)

Motion zones let you limit what the camera watches — but they can also block motion detection if set incorrectly.

Fix:

• Go to Settings → Smart Notifications or Activity Zones
• Clear the zone or redraw it to cover the right area
• Temporarily disable zones to test if motion returns

🔄 3. Reboot the Camera (Soft Reset)

Sometimes, Arlo’s motion software just gets… stuck.

Fix:

1. Remove the battery or unplug the camera
2. Wait 15–30 seconds
3. Reconnect power and wait for it to sync

This often clears small bugs in detection software.

📏 4. Reposition the Camera

Arlo’s PIR motion sensors work best when motion crosses the field of view — not comes directly at it.

Fix:

• Mount camera at about 6–7 feet high
• Angle it downward to capture side-to-side motion
• Avoid pointing directly at glass, light sources, or streets

🔋 5. Low Battery = Low Sensitivity

If your battery is below 20%, Arlo may reduce performance to conserve power — and motion detection might suffer.

Fix: Charge the battery and test again at 100%

🛠️ 6. Test in Armed Mode (Not Schedule or Geofencing)

Some users accidentally rely on a scheduled mode or geofencing that isn’t active — which means the camera isn’t even trying to detect motion.

Fix:

• Set the mode to “Armed” manually
• Trigger motion and see if it records

🧠 7. Update Firmware & App

If nothing works, your app or camera may need an update. Outdated firmware can cause motion and recording issues.

Fix:

• In the Arlo app, go to Settings → My Devices → Select Camera
• Check for “Firmware Update Available”
• Also update the Arlo app from the App Store or Play Store

Final Thoughts

When your Arlo camera stops detecting motion, it doesn’t mean it’s broken — just misconfigured or in need of a reset.

Tune your sensitivity, angle it right, and clear unnecessary zones — and chances are, you’ll see results fast.

👉 Need help dialing in your camera setup? Book a free consultation — no pressure, just help.

🔧 Explore more smart camera fixes in our Smart Security Devices section.