Can You Set Arlo Cameras to Individual Schedules Here Is How

Yes, you can set Arlo cameras to individual schedules using the Arlo app, allowing customized recording times for each camera based on your unique needs. This feature enhances security and saves storage by activating cameras only when necessary—like at night or when you’re away—giving you precise control over your surveillance setup.

Key Takeaways

• Yes, Arlo supports individual schedules via the app’s camera settings.
• Customize schedules per camera for tailored home monitoring.
• Use geofencing to auto-adjust schedules based on your location.
• Set active hours easily under each camera’s mode settings.
• Group scheduling saves time when multiple cameras share routines.
• Manual override is always available for on-demand control.
• Update firmware regularly to access the latest scheduling features.

Why Scheduling Matters for Your Arlo Cameras

Imagine this: You’re on vacation, relaxing on a beach, when your phone buzzes with a motion alert from your Arlo camera. You check the feed—just a squirrel hopping across your porch. It’s not the first false alarm this week, and it’s starting to feel like your camera is more of a distraction than a security tool. Sound familiar? Many Arlo users face this issue, especially when their cameras are set to record or alert 24/7. The good news? You don’t have to put up with it. Arlo’s scheduling features let you fine-tune when your cameras are active, reducing unnecessary alerts and saving battery life—all while keeping your home secure when it matters most.

The real power of Arlo cameras lies in their flexibility. Whether you’re using a battery-powered Arlo Pro 5, a wired Arlo Ultra 2, or even the budget-friendly Arlo Essential, the ability to set individual schedules can transform how your system works. No more waking up to alerts about your neighbor’s late-night garage door opening. No more wasting cloud storage on hours of empty footage. Instead, you get smarter, more efficient security that adapts to your lifestyle. And the best part? It’s easier to set up than you might think.

How Arlo’s Scheduling System Works

The Basics of Arlo Modes and Schedules

Arlo doesn’t just let you turn cameras on and off manually—it gives you Modes, which are essentially “profiles” that define how your cameras behave. Think of Modes as different personalities for your system: one for when you’re home, one for when you’re away, and maybe another for nighttime. Within each Mode, you can assign specific cameras to be armed (recording and sending alerts), disarmed (off), or set to a custom state like “Home” or “Away.”

Schedules are where the magic happens. You can assign a Mode to run automatically based on a time-based schedule. For example, you might set your “Night” Mode to activate at 10 PM and turn off at 6 AM. But here’s the kicker: you can assign different schedules to different cameras. This is what makes Arlo stand out from simpler systems that only offer one global schedule.

What You Can Control Per Camera

• Motion detection: Turn it on or off. Great for avoiding alerts from a busy street.
• Audio detection: Enable or disable sound-triggered alerts.
• Recording: Choose whether the camera records to the cloud, local storage, or both.
• Alerts: Decide if you want push notifications or email alerts.
• Night vision: Set it to auto, always on, or off (if using external lighting).

For instance, you might want your backyard camera to stay armed 24/7 (since it’s less prone to false alarms), but your front door camera to only be active from 6 PM to 6 AM to avoid daytime foot traffic. With Arlo, this is totally doable.

Limitations to Keep in Mind

While Arlo’s scheduling is powerful, it’s not perfect. Here are a few things to watch out for:

• No per-camera time zones: All schedules use your phone’s or base station’s time zone. If you have cameras in different regions, you’ll need to adjust manually.
• Schedules apply to Modes, not individual cameras: You can’t say, “Camera A turns on at 8 PM, Camera B at 9 PM.” Instead, you create a Mode where Camera A is armed and Camera B is disarmed, then assign that Mode to a schedule.
• Geofencing can override schedules: If you use Arlo’s geofencing (which arms/disarms based on your phone’s location), it might conflict with your time-based schedules. More on that later.

Step-by-Step: Setting Individual Schedules for Each Camera

Step 1: Create Custom Modes for Your Needs

Start by thinking about the different scenarios your home goes through. Common ones include:

• Home Day: Cameras off or in “Home” mode (motion in certain areas only).
• Home Night: Cameras armed, but maybe only the backyard and garage.
• Away Day: All cameras armed, motion detection on.
• Away Night: Same as Away Day, but with night vision on.

To create a Mode:

1. Open the Arlo app and tap the Settings (gear icon).
2. Go to Modes and tap Add Mode.
3. Name your Mode (e.g., “Backyard Only”).
4. For each camera, choose its behavior: Armed, Disarmed, or Home (if supported).
5. Save the Mode.

Pro Tip: Use descriptive names like “Front Door Only – Night” so you know exactly what each Mode does at a glance.

Step 2: Assign Schedules to Your Modes

Now that you have your Modes, it’s time to set when they activate. Here’s how:

1. In the Modes screen, tap the Schedule option for the Mode you want to schedule.
2. Tap Add Schedule.
3. Set the days and times. You can choose specific days (e.g., Monday–Friday) or set a repeating pattern (e.g., 7 PM–6 AM daily).
4. Save the schedule.

Example: Let’s say you want your front door camera (Camera A) to be armed only from 6 PM to 6 AM, but your backyard camera (Camera B) should be armed 24/7. Here’s what you’d do:

1. Create a Mode called “Night Only – Front Door” and set Camera A to Armed and Camera B to Disarmed.
2. Schedule this Mode to run from 6 PM to 6 AM daily.
3. Create a second Mode called “Backyard 24/7” and set Camera A to Disarmed and Camera B to Armed.
4. Schedule this Mode to run from 6 AM to 6 PM daily.

Now, during the day, only your backyard camera is active. At night, the front door camera kicks in. No overlap, no confusion.

Step 3: Test and Adjust

After setting up your schedules, test them by:

• Manually switching to each Mode and checking which cameras are armed.
• Waiting for the scheduled transition times and verifying the change.
• Walking in front of each camera during its “armed” window to ensure motion detection works.

If something’s off, tweak the Mode settings or adjust the schedule times. It might take a few tries to get it right, and that’s okay!

Advanced Scheduling Tips for Smarter Security

Using Geofencing Alongside Schedules

Geofencing uses your phone’s location to arm or disarm your system. When you leave home, your cameras automatically arm. When you return, they disarm. It’s super convenient—but it can clash with time-based schedules.

To avoid conflicts:

• Use geofencing for “Away” scenarios: Let it handle the transition when you leave or return.
• Use schedules for “Home” scenarios: For example, schedule a “Home Night” Mode to activate at 10 PM, even if you’re still at home.
• Disable geofencing for specific times: In the Arlo app, you can set geofencing to only work during certain hours (e.g., 8 AM–8 PM).

Real-World Example: You work from home most days, so you don’t want geofencing to arm your cameras when you leave for lunch. Instead, you:

• Set geofencing to only work from 8 AM–8 PM.
• Schedule a “Night” Mode to activate at 10 PM, regardless of your location.

Combining Schedules with Activity Zones

Activity Zones let you tell your camera which areas to monitor. For example, you might want to ignore motion in the street but get alerts for your driveway. When combined with schedules, this becomes even more powerful.

Example: Your front yard camera is armed 24/7, but during the day (6 AM–6 PM), you set its Activity Zone to only cover the porch and sidewalk. At night, you expand the zone to include the entire yard. This reduces false alarms while still keeping you covered.

Handling Holidays and Special Events

What about holidays, parties, or vacations? Arlo doesn’t have a built-in “holiday mode,” but you can work around this:

• Manually switch Modes: Before a party, disarm all cameras. Afterward, re-enable your regular schedule.
• Create a “Guest Mode”: Set it to disarm all cameras and schedule it for the event duration.
• Use the Arlo web portal: It lets you set one-time schedules (e.g., “Disarm all cameras on December 25”).

Tip: If you travel often, save a “Vacation” Mode with all cameras armed and no alerts (to save battery). You can activate it with one tap.

Comparing Arlo’s Scheduling to Other Brands

How does Arlo stack up against competitors like Ring, Nest, and Eufy? Here’s a quick breakdown:

Brand	Individual Camera Schedules	Geofencing	Activity Zones	Ease of Use
Arlo	✅ Yes (via Modes)	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Intuitive app
Ring	❌ No (only global schedules)	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Simple but limited
Nest	✅ Yes (via “Home/Away” routines)	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	⚠️ Steeper learning curve
Eufy	✅ Yes (via “Scene” settings)	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Very user-friendly

Key Takeaway: Arlo’s approach is more flexible than Ring’s but requires a bit more setup than Eufy’s. Nest offers similar functionality but integrates more tightly with Google’s ecosystem, which can be a pro or con depending on your preferences.

When to Choose Arlo Over Others

Arlo is ideal if:

• You want fine-grained control over each camera.
• You don’t mind spending 10–15 minutes setting up Modes and schedules.
• You use multiple cameras with different purposes (e.g., front door, backyard, garage).

It’s less ideal if:

• You want a “set it and forget it” system (Ring or Eufy might be better).
• You’re not tech-savvy and prefer plug-and-play simplicity.

Common Mistakes and How to Fix Them

Overlapping Schedules

One of the biggest pitfalls is creating schedules that overlap or conflict. For example, if you have a “Day” Mode scheduled from 8 AM–6 PM and a “Night” Mode from 6 PM–8 AM, what happens at 6 PM? Arlo will switch to the “Night” Mode, but if you have another schedule starting at 6:30 PM, it might cause a delay or glitch.

Fix: Use non-overlapping times and add a 15–30 minute buffer. For example:

• “Day” Mode: 8 AM–5:30 PM
• “Night” Mode: 6 PM–8 AM

Forgetting to Test Geofencing

Geofencing is great—until it doesn’t work. If your phone’s location services are off, or if the Arlo app is running in the background, geofencing might fail. This can leave your cameras disarmed when they should be armed.

Fix: Regularly check that geofencing is enabled in the Arlo app and that your phone’s location permissions are set to “Always Allow.” You can also set a backup schedule to arm your cameras if geofencing fails.

Ignoring Battery Impact

Arlo’s battery-powered cameras (like the Pro 5 or Essential) can drain faster if they’re armed 24/7. Scheduling can help, but if you’re not careful, you might end up with dead cameras during critical times.

Fix: Use the Arlo app’s battery level monitoring to track usage. For high-traffic areas, consider:

• Scheduling shorter armed periods.
• Using a solar panel to keep the battery charged.
• Setting a “Low Battery” alert in the app.

Final Thoughts: Making the Most of Your Arlo System

Setting individual schedules for your Arlo cameras isn’t just about reducing false alarms—it’s about creating a security system that works with your life, not against it. Whether you’re a busy parent, a frequent traveler, or just someone who wants peace of mind, the ability to customize when and how your cameras operate is a game-changer.

Yes, it takes a little effort to set up. You’ll need to think through your routines, create Modes, and test your schedules. But once it’s running, you’ll wonder how you ever lived without it. No more unnecessary alerts. No more wasted storage. Just smarter, more efficient security that adapts to your needs.

And remember: your schedule doesn’t have to be perfect right away. Start small—maybe just one or two cameras with basic schedules—and build from there. As you get more comfortable with the system, you can add more Modes, refine your Activity Zones, and even experiment with geofencing. The goal isn’t to create a rigid system, but one that’s flexible enough to handle the unexpected (like that squirrel on your porch).

So go ahead, give it a try. Open the Arlo app, tap that Settings icon, and start building your perfect schedule. Your future self—and your phone’s notification history—will thank you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you set Arlo cameras to individual schedules?

Yes, you can set Arlo cameras to individual schedules using the Arlo app or web portal. This allows you to customize recording, alerts, and modes for each camera independently based on your needs.

How do I create individual schedules for my Arlo cameras?

Open the Arlo app, select a camera, go to “Schedule” under “Mode,” and set custom time blocks for recording or disarming. Repeat this process for each camera to establish unique individual schedules.

Can I set different schedules for indoor and outdoor Arlo cameras?

Absolutely! You can assign different schedules to indoor and outdoor cameras, like keeping outdoor cameras active 24/7 while setting indoor ones to motion-only during specific hours.

Does Arlo Pro 4 support individual camera schedules?

Yes, the Arlo Pro 4 and other models fully support individual schedules. Each camera’s settings can be tailored separately, whether it’s for home security or monitoring pets.

Can I schedule Arlo cameras to turn off at night?

Yes, you can schedule Arlo cameras to disarm or switch to a “Do Not Disturb” mode during nighttime hours. This helps reduce unnecessary alerts while maintaining security during the day.

Is it possible to sync Arlo camera schedules with smart home routines?

While Arlo schedules are camera-specific, you can integrate them with smart home platforms like Alexa or Google Home to trigger modes based on routines, enhancing automation alongside individual schedules.