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How to use the Privacy Shield on Arlo cameras

Jon Bitner
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Many Arlo cameras are equipped with built-in privacy shutters, including the new Arlo Essential Indoor Camera (Gen 2). Officially known as a Privacy Shield, this can be activated to physically block the lens of your security camera – ensuring no prying eyes gain a view of your home. But how do you use the Privacy Shield on Arlo cameras? And can it be controlled remotely through the Arlo smartphone app?

Here's a closer look at how the feature works.

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Difficulty

Easy

Duration

10 minutes

What You Need

The Arlo Essential Indoor Camera (Gen 2) with the Privacy Shield enabled.
Arlo

How to use the Privacy Shield on Arlo cameras

The Arlo Privacy Shield can only be activated through the smartphone app. In other words, there's no physical button on the camera that allows you to block its lens. While some might lament the design choice, this is a safety precaution to prevent intruders or strangers from turning the camera off without your permission.

With your Arlo app in hand, here's how to use the Privacy Shield.

Step 1: Go to the Dashboard.

Step 2: To enable the Privacy Shield, select Standby. By default, the Standby mode is designed to pull up the Privacy Shield. For some products, Arm Home will also pull up the Privacy Shield.

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Step 3: To disable the Privacy Shield, select Arm Away.

Step 4: If your camera is connected to a base station, arming or disarming your entire system will perform the same actions as above. If you'd like to just control the camera, you'll need to connect your device directly to your Wi-Fi router and bypass the base station.

Step 5: You can also navigate to the Devices tab and enter a live feed of your property. This will automatically deactivate the Privacy Shield.

Keep in mind that these steps may vary slightly depending on which version of the Arlo app you're running, but the key is to remember that disarming your system will enable the Privacy Shield and arming your system will disable the Privacy Shield. Also, note that the camera makes an audible clicking sound when activating or deactivating (which can disturb sleeping dogs or children).

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Jon Bitner
Jon Bitner
Jon Bitner is a writer covering consumer electronics, technology, and gaming. His work has been published on various websites…
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