Arlo cameras store footage for 24 hours without a subscription, then delete it automatically

If you do not pay for an Arlo subscription, your camera records video to the cloud, but that footage disappears after one day. Once the 24-hour window closes, the video is gone permanently — there is no local storage backup unless you buy additional hardware. This means you can review what happened today, but you cannot go back to footage from last week or last month.

The 24-hour window resets each time new motion is detected or you manually record. So if your camera records at 3 p.m. on Monday, that clip stays until 3 p.m. on Tuesday. If motion triggers again at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, that new clip stays until 2 p.m. on Wednesday. You are not losing everything at midnight — you are losing the oldest footage as new footage arrives.

Key Takeaways

  • Without a subscription, Arlo cameras keep video for exactly 24 hours from the time it was recorded, then delete it automatically.
  • The 24-hour retention applies only to cloud storage; Arlo does not offer free local storage on the camera itself.
  • A subscription extends retention to 30 days (Arlo Secure) or longer, depending on the plan you choose.
  • If you need footage older than 24 hours without paying, you must use a separate recording device or external storage system.

What happens to footage after 24 hours

Arlo's servers automatically delete any video older than 24 hours if you have no active subscription. This is not a pause or a hold — the file is removed from Arlo's system entirely. You cannot recover it through the Arlo app, the web portal, or by contacting Arlo support after the window closes.

The deletion is permanent because Arlo uses this policy to manage storage costs for free users. Storing video indefinitely would require server space that Arlo would have to pay for, so the company passes that cost to subscribers instead. Free users get a brief window to download or review footage, but not to build an archive.

How to save footage before it deletes

If you want to keep a video longer than 24 hours, you must download it to your phone or computer while it is still available. Open the Arlo app, find the clip you want to save, and select the download option. The video will be stored on your device as a file you own, separate from Arlo's servers.

Downloading works for individual clips, but it is not practical if you need to save hours of footage regularly. You would have to manually download each video every day, which becomes tedious quickly. This is why most people who need longer retention either pay for a subscription or use a different camera system.

Subscription plans and how they extend retention

Arlo Secure is the standard subscription and extends retention to 30 days. Arlo Secure Plus adds 24/7 recording and emergency response features, and also keeps footage for 30 days. Both plans cost money per month and cover all cameras on your account.

Arlo also sells Arlo Secure with 24/7 Professional Monitoring, which includes the 30-day retention plus a monitoring service that responds to alerts. The exact price varies by region and whether you commit to a yearly plan. Check Arlo's website or the app for current pricing in your area.

If 30 days is not enough, some Arlo cameras work with the Arlo Smart Hub with local storage — a separate device that records directly to a hard drive you install. This gives you much longer retention (depending on drive size) without relying on cloud storage limits. However, this requires buying the hub as additional hardware.

Why Arlo limits free storage to 24 hours

Arlo limits free users to 24 hours because storing video costs money. Every clip you record takes up space on Arlo's servers, and Arlo has to pay for that server space. By deleting footage after 24 hours, Arlo keeps its costs down for free users and encourages people to pay for longer retention if they need it.

This is standard practice across the security camera industry. Ring, Wyze, and other camera makers also delete free footage after a set period — usually 24 to 30 days. The difference is that some competitors offer longer free retention (Wyze offers 14 days), while others are shorter. Arlo's 24-hour window is on the shorter end, which is why many people find a subscription necessary.

Alternatives if you do not want to pay for a subscription

If you want longer retention without a subscription, consider cameras that offer local storage built in. Wyze cameras store footage to a microSD card you insert into the camera itself, giving you weeks or months of video depending on card size — no subscription required. Reolink cameras also support local storage and do not require a subscription for basic recording.

Another option is to use Arlo cameras with the Arlo Smart Hub with local storage mentioned earlier. You buy the hub once and install a hard drive, then the camera records to that drive instead of (or in addition to) the cloud. This costs more upfront but gives you control over how long you keep footage.

If you already own Arlo cameras and want to avoid subscription costs, you can also use them for real-time monitoring only — watch the live feed when you want to check on something — and accept that you cannot review past footage. This works if you mainly care about seeing what is happening right now, not building a record of events.

How to check your remaining storage time in the Arlo app

Open the Arlo app and tap the camera you want to check. Look for the video library or recordings section — this shows you clips that have been recorded. The app displays the date and time each clip was recorded, so you can see how old the footage is. Clips older than 24 hours will no longer appear in the list.

The app does not show a countdown timer for when footage will delete. You have to track the time yourself based on when the clip was recorded. If a clip was recorded at 3 p.m. on Monday, it will be gone by 3 p.m. on Tuesday. After that time, it will not appear in your library anymore.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I recover footage that was deleted after 24 hours?

No. Once Arlo deletes footage from its servers, it is permanently gone. Arlo does not keep backups of deleted free-tier footage, and support cannot recover it. If you need to save video long-term, download it before the 24-hour window closes.

Does the 24-hour limit apply to all Arlo camera models?

Yes. All Arlo cameras without a subscription retain footage for 24 hours. This includes Arlo Pro, Arlo Ultra, Arlo Essential, and older models. The retention period is the same regardless of which camera you own.

If I cancel my subscription, do I lose all my stored footage?

Yes. When your subscription ends, Arlo deletes all footage older than 24 hours. Any clips from more than one day ago will be gone. Only the most recent 24 hours of video remains, and that will also delete after one more day passes.

Does Arlo offer a free trial of the subscription?

Arlo sometimes offers free trial periods for new customers, but this varies by region and promotion. Check the Arlo app or website to see if a trial is currently available in your area. Trial periods are usually 30 days, after which you must pay or revert to 24-hour retention.

Can I use a microSD card with Arlo cameras to store footage locally?

Most Arlo cameras do not have a microSD card slot. Only the Arlo Smart Hub with local storage option lets you record directly to a hard drive. If you want microSD card storage, you would need to switch to a different camera brand like Wyze or Reolink.