What are activity zones and how do I create them?

An activity zone focuses motion detection on a specific area within your camera’s field of view. When your Arlo camera detects motion, it determines whether the motion occurred within the activity zone(s) that you created. If motion is detected within an activity zone, the Arlo app notifies you, and the recording is uploaded to your video Library.

What you need

If you’re subscribed to Arlo Smart, you can use activity zones with the following cameras:

  • Ultra series
  • Pro series
  • Essential wire-free series
  • Essential Video Doorbell series
  • Go, Wire-Free, Q, Q Plus, Baby

If you’re not subscribed to Arlo Smart, you can connect the following cameras to continuous AC power to use activity zones:

  • Pro 4
  • Pro 3 and Pro 3 Floodlight Camera

Set up activity zones

Depending on your camera model, you can create up to three or five activity zones per camera, with up to four or eight anchor points to determine the size and shape of the zone.

To create activity zones:

  1. Launch the Arlo app or log in to my.arlo.com.
  2. Tap or click the settings (gear) icon under that camera that you want to create an activity zone for.
    Note: If you are creating an activity zone for a camera that is compatible with Auto Zoom and Tracking, ensure that Auto Zoom and Tracking is turned off. Activity zones can be impacted when Auto Zoom and Tracking is enabled.
  3. Tap or click Activity Zones.
  4. Tap or click the + icon at the upper-right corner.
    1. To resize the activity zone, drag the corners of the zone.
    2. Tap or click and hold within the activity zone to reposition it.
    3. To customize the activity zone name, tap or click the pencil icon.
  5. Enter a name for the activity zone and tap or click Done.
    Your settings are saved.