How To Cancel Arlo Subscription

Arlo has a great ecosystem of cameras and security devices. But their recent subscription price hike (especially for the single-camera plan) brings it into questionable territory. If you’re thinking of canceling your subscription, I’ve got you covered.

I’ve compiled this quick guide so you can cancel your Arlo subscription in just a few simple steps. But I’ve also included pro tips for protecting your privacy, avoiding any data loss, and using these smart devices without a subscription.

How Can I Cancel My Arlo Subscription?

You can cancel your Arlo subscription by logging into your account on the Arlo website. It’s not possible to do it via the iOS app, but it can be done on the Android Arlo Secure app as well. Simply navigate to Subscription settings, review the details and click on ‘Cancel Subscription’. 

But before you rush off to cancel, keep reading as I break down the important details you wouldn’t want to miss (and lose significant data).

A Detailed Breakdown of Canceling Your Arlo Subscription

1) Prepare to Cancel Your Arlo Account

Before you actually cancel your subscription, there are a few things you can do to help make a smoother transition. 

• Download any important recordings: Arlo deletes all cloud recordings within 48 hours of your subscription end date. So depending on how much time is left on your subscription, it’s best to review your library and download any important videos beforehand. I’ll explain this process later on.
• Make sure you have your login details: You’ll need to access your Arlo account on the website to cancel, so double-check that you have your username and password handy. If you have 2FA enabled, you’ll need access to that as well.
• Check your billing cycle: Take note of when your current billing cycle ends. If you cancel mid-cycle, you’ll still have access to your subscription benefits until the end of that cycle. This can give you some extra time to download recordings and make other arrangements.

2) Cancel Your Arlo Account via the Website

When you’re ready to cancel, you’ll need to log in to your Arlo account on the website. Here’s what you need to do:

1. Go to in your web browser and sign in with your Arlo account credentials.
2. Click on ‘Settings’. If you don’t see it, then look for an icon with your name, click on that, and there’ll be a drop-down with ‘Settings’.
3. Inside the Settings menu, click on the ‘Subscription’ tab. Here, you should be able to see your current plan and billing information. 
4. Click on ‘Cancel Subscription’. You can then follow the on-screen instructions to confirm your cancellation, select a reason for it, and proceed. 

And that’s it! Your Arlo subscription will be canceled, and you’ll receive a confirmation email soon. Your subscription benefits will stay active until the end of your current plan. 

Why Can’t I Cancel Using the Arlo App? 

Unfortunately, you can’t cancel your Arlo subscription directly through the Arlo mobile app on iOS. You CAN cancel it via the Arlo Secure app on Android, but it seems they didn’t build this feature for iPhones. 

So if you’re an Android user like me, you can still use the app, and follow the same steps as above. You’ll find the option in the Settings under Subscription. 

Otherwise, it’s best to just navigate to the website on any desktop/laptop. You can do this on your mobile browser too, but change the settings to ‘View desktop version of website’. 

3) What Happens When You Cancel Your Arlo Subscription?

You probably already know this, but here’s a quick recap of what’ll happen when you cancel your Arlo subscription (and the current plan expires) : 

• No more cloud recordings: Without a subscription, your cameras will no longer record and store footage in the cloud. As I mentioned earlier, you have a maximum of 48 hours from the subscription end date to download any existing recordings before they’re deleted permanently. You could still use a local storage option to continue using the cameras. 
• Reduced video quality: Arlo allows up to 4K video recording with its plans, but if you don’t have a plan, you’ll be limited to a lower-quality video resolution depending on the hardware of your camera. You can still view live streams though. 
• Limited Notifications and Motion Detection: Your Arlo cameras’ motion detection and smart notifications will become limited, resorting back to their basic functionality. So you won’t get as much detail or rich information in them, and detection may not work for all categories (like human, pet, vehicle, parcel, etc.). 
• No 24/7 Monitoring or Emergency Response: If you had an Arlo Secure Plus or Safe & Secure Pro plan, you might have gotten used to having a support team ready at all times. But now it’ll be up to you to monitor your home and call emergency services if needed. 

Now, it’s also important to note that canceling your subscription won’t automatically delete your Arlo account (I’ll discuss this later) or erase any device settings. You can still manage the basic features through the app and website. 

Discover smart cameras that react to sounds! They add security by responding to noises, making them helpful for keeping homes safe.

4) Canceling an Arlo free-trial

Arlo generally includes free trials with its products, ranging from 30 to 90 days (a select few even had 1 whole year). So, if you’re still within this initial trial period and want to cancel your subscription, you’ll need to do so before the trial ends if you don’t want to be charged.

Following the earlier steps, log in to your account at Arlo’s website and head to the subscription page. Here, you should see a ‘Cancel Trial’ option instead of ‘Cancel Subscription’. 

So click on ‘Cancel Trial’ and follow the next instructions to cancel it. Keep in mind that, usually, Arlo will remove all premium benefits immediately after cancellation instead of waiting for the term to end (since it’s a free trial). 

I’d recommend canceling only after thoroughly testing the service and being sure you don’t need it, or canceling it the day before it’s supposed to charge you. 

Things get a bit complicated if you already have a paid subscription for some cameras and a free trial going on for other cameras. I’ve seen some people report that they couldn’t find any option to cancel their free trial, so in this case, you’ll have to cancel your paid subscription as well. 

5) How to delete your Arlo account

If you’re not planning on using your Arlo cameras anymore and want to completely remove your account and all associated data, you’ll need to delete it manually. Here’s how: 

• Log in to your my.arlo.com account as before. Make sure your subscription or free trial is canceled as per earlier steps. There can’t be any active plan.
• Next, take screenshots or download anything you’d like to preserve as a record. Remember, the deletion is permanent, so you can’t recover anything. 
• Head to Settings and scroll down all the way to ‘Data Privacy’.

• Under ‘Account’, you’ll see an option for ‘Delete Arlo Account’. Click on this.

• It’ll give you a warning and explain that everything will be deleted.
• Once you’re ready, click on ‘Permanently Delete Arlo Account’.

Once the process is complete, you’ll get a final email confirming this. If you face any errors or don’t get an account deletion email, you should contact Arlo Support. 

If you’re not sure about deleting the account altogether, you can make use of the other data privacy tools in this section, like ‘Erase Arlo Cloud’, ‘Reset and Erase All Arlo Devices’, and log out of your Active Device Sessions. 

6) Troubleshooting Arlo Subscription Cancellation Problems

While canceling your Arlo subscription is usually a smooth process, things do go wrong every now and then. So here are some of the common issues and fixes you can try:

• Can’t find the cancel button: If you’re having trouble locating the “Cancel Subscription” button on the website, make sure you’re logged in to the correct account and have navigated to the “Subscription” tab in the Settings menu. If the button still isn’t appearing, try clearing your browser cache and cookies, or use a different web browser. If you have an Android device, try logging in there and checking the Subscription page. 
• Subscription still active after canceling: If you’ve canceled your subscription but it still appears to be active, don’t panic. It’s likely that you canceled during the middle of your billing cycle. In this case, your subscription will remain active until the end of the current cycle, at which point it will automatically expire. If you’re sure it should be canceled but it’s still active and you’re being billed for it, then contact Arlo Support. 
• Difficulty reinstating a canceled subscription: If you change your mind after canceling and want to reactivate your subscription, just log in to your Arlo account and navigate to the Subscription settings. You can purchase a new subscription here. If it doesn’t work, try a different web browser. 
• Unable to reach Arlo support: Unfortunately, Arlo support isn’t always the easiest to get a hold of. The phone line and live chat often have long wait times, so it’s best to send them an email detailing everything. You can also try reaching out on their social media channels and posting on the Arlo Community forum. 
• Contact your credit card provider: If you get billed on your card even after you’ve canceled your subscription and there’s no response or support from Arlo, it’s best just to contact your credit card company, dispute the charge, and request a chargeback. They can contact Arlo from their end and sort it out. 

If you find yourself in a sticky situation, don’t worry, work through the troubleshooting steps one by one, and remember you can always escalate the issue and get it resolved. 

Important Notes about Cancelling Arlo Subscription

Downloading Cloud Recordings Before Canceling

As I mentioned earlier, it’s really important to download any cloud recordings from Arlo before you cancel your account. While they give you 48 hours to download after cancelation, it’s best to be on the safe side and avoid any potential issues. To download your recordings:

• Log in to your Arlo account on the website and navigate to the Library. 
• It’ll show you your recordings by date. Choose the dates you want. 
• Select a video and look for a ‘Select All’ option. You can use this to select and download a batch of videos at once. 
• Sometimes, the ‘Select All’ option may not be visible, so check your browser permissions and allow pop-ups. If you still don’t see it, check if you can download them on your Arlo Secure app. 
• Repeat this process until you’ve downloaded everything you need to keep. 

It’s a good idea to backup any important footage to an external hard drive, as well as a cloud storage provider like Google Drive or Dropbox. 

Arlo’s Refund Policy 

Generally, when you cancel an Arlo subscription, you get to use it for the remaining period. In these cases, there’s no refund, as you’re getting the service you paid for. Arlo did automatically provide prorated refunds in the past, but it seems they recently changed their policy. 

In any case, if you don’t want to use the subscription anymore, you should reach out to Arlo Support, explain the situation, and make a case for a refund. It’s not guaranteed (since their TOS is a bit unclear), but I recommend escalating the issue and trying to get a prorated refund. Keep any documentation handy to help make the process a bit quicker. 

Local and Alternative Storage Options

Just because you’re canceling your Arlo subscription doesn’t mean you have to stop using your Arlo cameras altogether. There are several local and alternative storage options that allow you to continue recording and accessing your footage without a cloud subscription:

• Local storage with an Arlo base station: If you have an Arlo base station or SmartHub, you can use a USB drive to store your recordings locally. Simply insert a compatible USB drive into the base station, set it up in the Arlo app, and your cameras will record directly to the drive instead of the cloud. You can access these recordings through the Arlo app or by connecting the USB drive to your computer.
• Arlo Q series local storage: If you have an Arlo Q Plus camera, you can use the built-in microSD card slot for local storage. Insert a microSD card (up to 128GB) into the camera, and it will record directly to the card. You can view these recordings through the Arlo app or by removing the microSD card and inserting it into your computer.
• Free cloud storage plan: Depending on your Arlo camera model, you may be eligible for a free cloud storage plan after your subscription ends. For example, some older Arlo cameras, like the Pro 2, come with a basic plan that includes 7 days of rolling cloud recordings for up to 5 cameras. While not as comprehensive as an Arlo Secure subscription, this can be a good option if you don’t need advanced features or extensive video history.

So it’s nice to have some ways to still make use of your Arlo cameras. You can of course go further and look at Home Assistant integration and even DIY-modify the cameras to suit your purpose better. 

FAQs

Conclusion

I hope this guide helped you cancel your Arlo subscription successfully. Don’t forget to download your important recordings and save any important information in the account. You can still use these nifty cameras without a subscription, but if you’d prefer to move to another service, consider deleting your Arlo account to protect your privacy.