What are Arlo Smart Notifications and how do I set them up?

Last updated: 08.01.2025

Using advanced AI, Arlo security cameras alert you when important motion is detected and filter out everyday movement, such as tree branches. This feature ensures that you can see and react to important motion happening on your camera.

Note: Arlo Smart Notifications are available with a subscription plan.

Motion Detection Options

You can activate any combination of the following features in the Arlo Secure App to determine what kind of motion alerts you want to receive:

Note: Smart Notifications are set up separately for each camera.

  1. Launch the Arlo Secure App.
  2. Tap
  3. Select a Location under LOCATIONS AND PLANS.
  4. Tap Smart Notifications.
  5. Select an active camera.
  6. Tap the switches under MOTION ALERTS to toggle People, Vehicles, Animal, and All Other Motion on or off.
  7. Tap the switches under AUDIO ALERTS to toggle Smoke/CO Alarm and All Other Audio on or off.
  8. Tap the switch under ALERT OPTIONS to toggle Animated Preview on or off.
    With Animated Preview enabled, rich notifications will display an animated preview of the event.

To set up Package Detection for your Arlo camera:

  1. Launch the Arlo Secure App.
  2. Tap
  3. Select a Location under LOCATIONS AND PLANS.
  4. Tap Package Detection.
  5. Select a camera to manage active Package Detection.
    Note: Only one camera can be active at a time.

View Arlo Motion Alerts

When important motion is triggered on your camera, you will first receive a push notification with a thumbnail image from the video. Once the video has completed recording, a second push notification is sent to replace the first, providing a thumbnail video preview.

  • Note: If the first push notification is closed before the recording has completed, a second push notification will still be received when the recording is complete with the thumbnail video.

To view the video and control your Arlo system from a rich notification:

  1. Press and hold the notification from your device’s lock screen.
    An image of a Person Detected interactive notification from the Arlo app, showing the Emergency Response call to action.
  2. Tap the notification again to open the Arlo Secure App or tap Activate Siren, Call Friend, or Emergency Response.
    Note: Emergency Response is only available in the United States.