Nighttime recording is one of the most critical features of your Arlo Pro 5S, but when it stops working, your property is left unprotected after dark. Whether your camera captures nothing at all, produces completely black footage, or only records sporadically, this guide walks you through proven fixes for the Arlo Pro 5S not recording at night issue. Most problems stem from incorrect night vision settings, power-related limitations, or motion detection configuration errors that you can resolve in minutes.
Check Night Vision and Infrared Settings
The Arlo Pro 5S relies on infrared LEDs for nighttime recording. If these aren't functioning properly, you'll get dark or missing footage even when motion occurs.
1
Open the Arlo App and Access Camera Settings: Launch the Arlo Secure app, tap your Pro 5S camera, then tap the gear icon for Device Settings. Navigate to Video > Night Vision to verify the current configuration.
2
Verify Night Vision Is Set to "Auto": Ensure Night Vision is enabled and set to Auto rather than Off. When set to Auto, the camera automatically switches to infrared mode in low light. If manually disabled, the Arlo Pro 5S not recording at night problem will persist regardless of other settings.
3
Inspect the Infrared LEDs for Physical Damage: In a dark room, observe the front of your camera through your smartphone's camera (which can detect infrared light). You should see faint purple glows from the LED ring when night vision activates. No glow indicates hardware failure requiring replacement.
4
Remove Obstructions and Clean the Lens: Spider webs, dirt, or protective film left on the lens can block infrared light. Gently clean the lens with a microfiber cloth and ensure no objects sit within 6 inches of the camera that might cause IR reflection.
Optimize Motion Detection for Low-Light Conditions
Even with working night vision, your Arlo Pro 5S may fail to record if motion detection thresholds are too high or activity zones are misconfigured for nighttime scenarios.
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Adjust Motion Sensitivity Above 50 Percent: In Device Settings, go to Motion Detection and increase sensitivity to 70-80 percent. Low-light environments reduce the contrast the camera detects, so higher sensitivity compensates for dimmer conditions that trigger the Arlo Pro 5S not recording at night behavior.
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Disable or Redefine Activity Zones: If you created activity zones based on daytime lighting, those zones may become inaccurate at night. Either delete custom zones temporarily to test full-frame detection, or redraw them using the night vision preview to match actual infrared coverage.
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Switch from "People Only" to "All Motion": The AI-powered people detection struggles more in infrared mode. Test whether recording resumes at night with All Motion enabled. If it does, the algorithm may need firmware updates rather than representing a true hardware problem.
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Verify Recording Rules and Modes: Open Mode > Armed or your custom mode, then edit the rule for your Pro 5S. Confirm that "Record Video" is selected as the action and that the schedule hasn't automatically switched to a mode with disabled recording during nighttime hours.
Warning: Do not perform a factory reset until you've exhausted all other troubleshooting steps. Resetting erases all custom modes, activity zones, and geofencing rules. Document your settings with screenshots before resetting, and note that you'll need to physically resync the camera to your base station or Smarthub afterward.
Address Power and Environmental Factors
Battery level and temperature dramatically affect nighttime performance. Infrared LEDs draw significant power, and cold weather reduces battery efficiency.
9
Charge Battery Above 25 Percent or Switch to Wired Power: When battery drops below 25 percent, Arlo cameras may disable power-intensive features like night vision to preserve operation. Charge fully or connect the magnetic charging cable to eliminate power as a variable in the Arlo Pro 5S not recording at night issue.
10
Update Firmware Through the Arlo App: Go to Settings > My Devices > [Your Camera] > Device Info > Firmware. Install any available updates, then wait 5 minutes for the camera to reboot fully before testing night recording again.
Still Need Help With Your Arlo Device?
If these steps didn't resolve the not recording at night issue, our certified technicians can help.
Why does my Arlo Pro 5S show black video only at night?
Black nighttime video typically means the infrared LEDs aren't illuminating the scene. Check that Night Vision is enabled in Auto mode, clean the lens of obstructions, and verify the LEDs activate by viewing the camera through your phone's camera in darkness. Persistent black footage with no LED glow indicates hardware failure.
Can cold weather cause my Arlo Pro 5S to stop recording at night?
Yes, temperatures below 32°F (0°C) reduce lithium-ion battery capacity significantly. The camera may preserve power by disabling night vision or stopping recording entirely. Bring the camera indoors to warm above 50°F, charge fully, then reinstall. For permanent cold-weather installations, use Arlo's outdoor charging cable or solar panel to maintain consistent power.
How do I test if my Arlo Pro 5S night vision is actually working?
After dark, walk in front of the camera while monitoring live view in the app. Working night vision shows grayscale footage with visible detail. Alternatively, cover the light sensor (small dome near the lens) with your thumb during daylight—this forces night vision activation. If the image doesn't switch to grayscale with IR illumination, night vision hardware has failed.