Arlo Camera Offline? 7 Fixes From Arlo's Own Troubleshooting Guide
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The quick answer
Most Arlo cameras show offline because of low battery or a weak connection. Arlo says to keep the battery charge above 25%, since low power causes Wi-Fi dropouts. The fastest fix: open the battery compartment, remove the battery for ten seconds, put it back in, and check the charge in the Arlo app. If it is under 25%, charge it before doing anything else.
Fix 1: Check the battery or power connection
Start with power, since it is the most common cause. If your Arlo camera has a removable battery, make sure it is seated properly in the compartment. Keep the charge above 25%, because low battery power causes intermittent streaming and unstable Wi-Fi, and Arlo sends a low battery notification when the charge drops to 15%. If your camera is wired or on a solar panel charger, check that every connection is tight and the outlet or panel is actually receiving power. Stick with Arlo-compatible charging cables and avoid third-party cables, which Arlo specifically warns against.
Fix 2: Turn the camera off and back on
A clean restart clears most temporary glitches. If your camera uses a removable battery, take it out for ten seconds, then put it back in. If it is a wired camera, unplug the power cable for ten seconds, then plug it back in. For the Arlo Wired Floodlight Camera, press and hold the Pairing button for at least 5 seconds, then release. Important: do not hold the button for more than 15 seconds, or you will trigger a factory reset instead of a reboot.
Fix 3: Check your router and SmartHub
If several of your devices are having internet trouble at once, the problem is probably the router, not the camera. Arlo's guidance: unplug your router, wait 30 seconds, and plug it back in. If it still will not connect, call your internet service provider. If you use an Arlo SmartHub or Base Station, check its status too, because a camera cannot stay online when its hub is offline.
Fix 4: Move the camera closer
Distance kills the connection. Move the camera closer to your Wi-Fi router, SmartHub, or Base Station and see if it comes back online. Thick walls, brick, and metal siding all shorten the effective range. Even as a test, bringing the camera into the same room as the router for a few minutes will tell you whether range is the issue.
Fix 5: Rule out Wi-Fi interference
Arlo gives specific spacing rules here. Keep the camera at least 10 feet (3 meters) away from your Wi-Fi router, SmartHub, or Base Station, and at least 6.5 feet (2 meters) away from other Arlo devices. If you have other Wi-Fi gadgets or electrical equipment nearby, try unplugging them one at a time to see if one of them is the culprit. You can also change the wireless channel on your router to a less crowded one, which can reduce interference and improve signal strength.
Fix 6: Confirm the camera knows your Wi-Fi network
If you recently changed your router, changed your Wi-Fi password, or moved the camera to a new house, the camera may be trying to join a network that no longer exists. In that case you need to update the Wi-Fi network information on the device. Arlo has a separate guide for changing the Wi-Fi network on a device, which walks you through reconnecting it to the right network.
Fix 7: Check temperature and Arlo's service status
Extreme heat or cold can shut an outdoor Arlo camera down temporarily. If that happens, the Arlo Secure app shows a warning and the camera comes back on its own once it returns to a safe operating temperature, so give it time. Also check Arlo's service status page at status.arlo.com to make sure there is not a cloud outage on their end, which would make cameras appear offline even though your hardware is fine.
Last resort: factory reset and reinstall
If you have tried everything above and the app still shows the camera offline, remove the device from the Arlo Secure app, perform a factory reset, and reinstall it to your account like a new device. This wipes all settings, so only do it after the earlier steps fail. Arlo documents the exact reset procedure for each model, so follow the steps for yours.
When it is actually broken
Settings and signal fixes cover almost every offline case. Suspect the hardware instead if the camera shows no LED and will not boot even with a fully charged battery, the battery drains from full to empty in about a day no matter where the camera is placed, or the camera died right after a firmware update and will not recover after a factory reset. Another real red flag: multiple cameras failing at exactly the same time with no network change, which can point to a bad firmware push rather than your setup. In any of those cases, contact Arlo support before buying a replacement, since there may be a known issue or warranty coverage.
Thinking of replacing it?
If your camera keeps going dark, a camera that records locally and does not depend on a subscription cloud might be more reliable. See our picks for cameras with local storage and the best security cameras with no subscription, or read our guide to replacing your security system after you cancel. Start at securitycompasshq.com if you want the full picture.
Sources: Arlo's official knowledge base article "My Arlo camera is offline; how can I troubleshoot it?," accessed 2026-10-07.
