Customize your Arlo camera alerts in 2026 with just a few taps in the updated Arlo app to ensure you never miss important activity while minimizing unnecessary notifications. Adjust motion zones, sensitivity, and alert schedules directly from your smartphone for smarter, more personalized home security.

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How to Change Notifications on Arlo Camera in 2026

Key Takeaways

• Open the Arlo app to access notification settings quickly and easily.
• Select your camera before adjusting alert preferences for precise control.
• Customize alert types like motion or audio to reduce false notifications.
• Enable geofencing to receive alerts only when you’re away from home.
• Schedule quiet hours to mute notifications during specific times automatically.
• Update firmware regularly to ensure latest notification features work properly.

Why This Matters / Understanding the Problem

Let’s be honest—getting 17 notifications in an hour because your Arlo camera thinks a leaf is a prowler is exhausting. I remember setting up my first Arlo Pro 5 and waking up to a phone buzzing like a beehive. Every shadow, every passing squirrel, every gust of wind—my phone screamed, “INTRUDER ALERT!” Spoiler: it was just my neighbor’s cat doing yoga on my porch.

This is why knowing how to change notifications on Arlo camera in 2026 isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s essential. Whether you’re drowning in false alerts or missing real ones, customizing your notifications helps you stay in control without losing peace of mind.

Arlo’s smart features have evolved a lot since 2020, and the 2026 lineup (including the Arlo Ultra 2, Arlo Pro 5S, and Arlo Essential) gives you way more control over alerts. But the settings can be tricky if you’re not used to the app. The good news? With a few tweaks, you can go from “Why is my phone vibrating again?” to “Ah, that’s the mail carrier—good to know.”

In this guide, we’ll walk through how to change notifications on Arlo camera in 2026—step by step, with real-life tips, common pitfalls, and answers to the questions I wish I had when I started.

What You Need

Before we dive in, here’s your quick checklist. Don’t worry—you probably already have most of this:

• Your Arlo camera(s) – Any model from 2022 onward (Pro 4, Pro 5, Ultra 2, Essential, etc.) works with the 2026 app.
• The Arlo Secure app – This is the only app you need now. Arlo retired the old Arlo app in late 2025, so make sure you’re on Arlo Secure v7.0+ (available on iOS and Android).
• Your smartphone or tablet – You’ll do all the changes here. No need to log into a web portal (though you can if you want).
• Wi-Fi connection – Your camera should be connected and online. If it’s offline, you won’t see the latest settings.
• Arlo account – You need to be logged in with your email and password. If you’re using a shared account, make sure you have admin access.
• Optional: Arlo Smart subscription – Some advanced features (like person/vehicle detection) require a plan, but basic notifications work without it.

Pro tip: Update your Arlo Secure app before starting. The 2026 update brought a cleaner interface and faster load times. I learned this the hard way when I couldn’t find the “Sensitivity” slider—turns out it moved in the new version!

Step-by-Step Guide to How to Change Notifications on Arlo Camera in 2026

Step 1: Open the Arlo Secure App and Log In

Grab your phone and tap the Arlo Secure app. If you haven’t opened it in a while, it might prompt you to update. Do it—trust me, the new UI is worth the 30 seconds.

Log in with your email and password. If you have two-factor authentication (which you should), enter the code. Once you’re in, you’ll land on the Home screen—this shows all your cameras and their status.

Tip: If you see a camera marked “Offline,” tap it and check its battery or Wi-Fi. Notifications won’t work if the camera isn’t connected. I once spent 20 minutes troubleshooting a camera only to realize the battery died after a storm.

Step 2: Select the Camera You Want to Adjust

Tap on the specific camera you want to change notifications for. For example, if your front door camera is sending too many alerts, tap that one. You’ll see a live preview and a few quick controls (like “Record” or “Take Snapshot”).

Now, look for the gear icon (⚙️) in the top-right corner. Tap it. This opens the Camera Settings menu—your control center for everything related to this camera.

This is where you’ll find the how to change notifications on Arlo camera in 2026 options. But don’t rush—there are a few layers here.

Step 3: Navigate to “Notifications” Settings

In the Camera Settings menu, scroll down until you see “Notifications”. It’s usually right below “Video” or “Audio” settings.

Tap it. You’ll see a screen with several toggle switches and dropdowns. This is where the magic happens.

Here’s what you’ll find:

• Push Notifications – Turns on/off alerts to your phone.
• Email Alerts – Sends a notification to your email (useful for backup).
• Smart Alerts – Lets you choose what triggers a notification (person, vehicle, animal, package, etc.).
• Notification Sound – Choose a custom sound or silence it.
• Schedule – Set times when alerts are active (e.g., only at night).

This is the core of how to change notifications on Arlo camera in 2026. Let’s go through each one.

Step 4: Toggle Push and Email Notifications

Start with the big ones: Push Notifications and Email Alerts.

If you want to stop getting alerts entirely, turn off Push Notifications. But I don’t recommend that—just customize them instead.

For most people, I suggest:

• Keep Push Notifications ON (you want to know about real events).
• Turn Email Alerts OFF unless you need a paper trail. Email alerts can flood your inbox and are slower than push.

One thing I love: the 2026 app lets you delay push notifications by 5–30 seconds. This helps avoid false alarms from quick movements (like a bird flying by). Just tap the “Delay” option and set it to 10 seconds. That’s enough time for the camera to confirm it’s not a false positive.

Step 5: Customize Smart Alerts (The Key to Fewer False Alarms)

This is where how to change notifications on Arlo camera in 2026 gets powerful.

Tap Smart Alerts. You’ll see a list of detection types:

• Person
• Vehicle
• Animal
• Package (if you have a package detection zone)
• All Motion (legacy—avoid this if you have Smart Alerts)

Here’s my real-life setup:

• Person: ON – I want to know if someone’s at my door or in my backyard.
• Vehicle: ON – Great for driveway or street monitoring.
• Animal: OFF – My cat triggers this 50 times a day. No thanks.
• Package: ON (but only if you’ve set up a package zone—more on that in a sec).
• All Motion: OFF – This is the “everything triggers” mode. It causes so many false alerts. Turn it off if you have Smart Alerts.

Warning: Don’t turn on “All Motion” if you’ve already enabled Smart Alerts. It duplicates notifications and can overload your phone. I made this mistake once and got 300 alerts in a day. Lesson learned.

Step 6: Set Up Detection Zones (Optional but Highly Recommended)

Smart Alerts work best with detection zones. These let you tell the camera, “Only alert me if something happens here.”

Go back to Camera Settings and look for “Activity Zones” or “Detection Zones” (the name varies slightly by model).

Tap it. You’ll see a live feed of your camera with a grid overlay. Drag the corners to create zones. For example:

• Zone 1: Front porch (for person and package alerts).
• Zone 2: Driveway (for vehicle alerts).
• Zone 3: Backyard (turn off entirely if your dog runs there a lot).

You can name each zone (e.g., “Front Door,” “Garage”) and assign specific alert types to each. This is huge for reducing noise.

I have a camera facing my backyard. I turned off detection in the garden (where my kids play) but kept it on near the back fence. Now I only get alerts for real intrusions, not my 6-year-old chasing butterflies.

Step 7: Adjust Sensitivity and Confidence Level

Still in Camera Settings, look for “Sensitivity” or “Detection Sensitivity”.

This controls how easily the camera triggers an alert. It’s a slider from 1 to 10.

• Low (1–3): Only big movements trigger alerts. Good for busy areas (like a street-facing camera).
• Medium (4–6): Balanced. My go-to for most cameras.
• High (7–10): Catches tiny movements. Use only if you have a very quiet area (like a locked garage).

Also, if your camera supports it (Pro 5, Ultra 2), you’ll see a “Confidence Level” setting. This is how sure the camera must be before alerting you. Set it to 70% or higher to avoid false positives.

I keep mine at 75% for front door cameras and 60% for the driveway (where cars are bigger and easier to detect).

Step 8: Set a Notification Schedule (For Night or Quiet Hours)

Tap “Schedule” under Notifications.

Here, you can set times when alerts are active. For example:

• Weekdays 8 PM – 7 AM: All alerts ON (night security).
• Weekdays 7 AM – 8 PM: Only “Person” and “Vehicle” alerts ON (ignore animals/packages during the day).
• Weekends: Full alerts ON all day.

This is perfect if you’re at work during the day and don’t want to be notified about the mail carrier or delivery person.

You can also set a “Quiet Mode”—just tap “Do Not Disturb” and set a time (e.g., 10 PM to 6 AM). During this time, the camera records but doesn’t send notifications.

I use this for my bedroom camera. I still want recordings, but I don’t need to be woken up by a moth flying past the lens.

Step 9: Customize Notification Sounds (Optional)

Back in the Notifications menu, tap “Notification Sound”.

You can choose from:

• Default chime
• Doorbell ring
• Alarm siren
• Custom sound (you can upload your own—yes, even a meme sound if you’re into that).

I use a gentle chime for person alerts and a louder siren for vehicle alerts (in case a car enters my driveway at night). It helps me react faster based on the sound.

You can also set different sounds for different cameras. My front door gets a doorbell tone; my backyard gets a soft chime.

Step 10: Test Your Settings

After making changes, test them.

Have someone walk in front of the camera (or wave your hand if you’re alone). See if you get a notification. Check:

• Did it come through?
• Was it the right type (person vs. animal)?
• Was it delayed by your chosen time?
• Did it play the correct sound?

If something’s off, go back and tweak. I usually test 2–3 times to make sure it’s consistent.

Pro Tips & Common Mistakes to Avoid

Pro Tip #1: Use the “Activity History” tab in the app to review false alerts. If you see 20 “animal” alerts from your cat, turn off animal detection or adjust the zone.

Pro Tip #2: If you have multiple cameras, use the “Group Notifications” feature. It bundles alerts from the same area (e.g., “Front Door + Driveway”) so you don’t get 10 separate pings.

Pro Tip #3: Enable “Rich Notifications” in your phone’s settings. This lets you see a snapshot of the alert right in the notification—no need to open the app. Saves so much time.

Common Mistake #1: Not updating the app. The 2026 version changed the layout. If you’re using an old version, you might miss new features like “Delay Alerts” or “Confidence Level.”

Common Mistake #2: Ignoring Wi-Fi signal. If your camera has poor signal, it might send delayed or missed alerts. Use the app’s “Signal Strength” tool to check. If it’s weak, move the camera or add a Wi-Fi extender.

Common Mistake #3: Overloading Smart Alerts. Don’t turn on “Person,” “Vehicle,” “Animal,” and “All Motion” at the same time. It causes duplicate alerts and drains your phone battery faster.

Pro Insight: I once set my camera to “High” sensitivity and “All Motion” ON. My phone buzzed every 3 minutes for a week. I thought there was a ghost in my house. Nope—just a spider web swaying in the wind. Now I use zones and confidence levels. Much better.

FAQs About How to Change Notifications on Arlo Camera in 2026

Q: Can I change notifications for all cameras at once?

A: Not directly in the app. You have to adjust each camera individually. But you can use the same settings across cameras (e.g., set “Sensitivity” to 5 for all). Arlo says a “bulk edit” feature is coming in late 2026—fingers crossed!

Q: Why am I not getting any notifications?

A: First, check if Push Notifications are ON. Then, make sure your phone’s app notifications are enabled (go to Settings > Apps > Arlo Secure > Notifications). Also, verify the camera is online and has Wi-Fi. I once forgot to recharge my camera’s battery—no power, no alerts.

Q: Can I get alerts only for packages?

A: Yes! Turn ON “Package” in Smart Alerts and set a detection zone around your doorstep. Make sure the camera can see the delivery area clearly. I get a notification every time a package is left, even if no one’s home.

Q: Do I need a subscription for Smart Alerts?

A: Basic Smart Alerts (person, vehicle) work without a subscription. But advanced features like “Package Detection” or “Pet Recognition” require an Arlo Smart plan ($3.99–$12.99/month). I use the $5.99 plan for my front door camera—worth it for fewer false alerts.

Q: Can I change notification settings from a computer?

A: Yes, but it’s easier on the app. Go to my.arlo.com, log in, and go to “Settings” > “Notifications.” The web interface is more technical, so I recommend using the app unless you’re managing 10+ cameras.

Q: What if I get too many alerts at night?

A: Use the Schedule feature to turn off non-essential alerts (like animals) at night. Or set “Do Not Disturb” mode. I have mine from 11 PM to 6 AM—only “Person” and “Vehicle” alerts come through.

Q: Can I get notifications on my Apple Watch or smart speaker?

A: Yes! The Arlo Secure app supports Apple Watch (iOS) and Google Home/Amazon Echo (Android). Just enable “Wearables” in the app’s notification settings. I get alerts on my Apple Watch when the front door camera sees someone—super handy.

Final Thoughts

Changing notifications on your Arlo camera isn’t just about silencing your phone—it’s about taking control. With the 2026 updates, Arlo made it easier than ever to customize alerts so they’re helpful, not annoying.

Remember: how to change notifications on Arlo camera in 2026 is all about balance. You want to know about real threats without being bombarded by every squirrel or shadow.

Start with the basics: turn off “All Motion,” set up detection zones, and use Smart Alerts. Then fine-tune with sensitivity, schedules, and sounds. Test, tweak, and test again.

And if you’re ever overwhelmed? Just take a breath. I’ve been there. My first setup took me two days of trial and error. But now, my notifications are quiet when they should be and loud when they need to be.

So go ahead—open that Arlo Secure app and make your cameras work for you, not against you. Your phone (and your sanity) will thank you.

And hey, if you ever get an alert for a raccoon doing push-ups in your driveway? Well, at least you’ll know it’s not a burglar. Small wins.

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