Milestone Systems, a world leader in open platform video management software, today announced XProtect 2026 R2 and the fall 2026 updates to Arcules. Together, the releases help organizations turn growing numbers of cameras, devices, sites and operational data into clearer, more manageable operations across on-premises, cloud and hybrid deployments.
As video environments expand, the challenge is less about accessing more video data and more about helping operators understand what is happening while giving administrators efficient ways to manage the systems behind it. XProtect 2026 R2 adds context around incidents and simplifies administration of growing installations, while Arcules strengthens resilience, operational insight and secure communication across cloud and hybrid environments.
“Our customers are managing more cameras, more sites and more information than ever, and they need that complexity to work for them rather than against them,” said Andrew Burnett, CTO, Milestone Systems. “With XProtect 2026 R2 and the latest Arcules updates, we’re giving operators clearer context when incidents happen and giving administrators simpler ways to keep growing systems secure, current, and reliable, however they choose to deploy.”
Seeing Incidents in Context
Maps in XProtect add location context to video security, bringing cameras, alarms, connected devices, and live video together in geographic and floor plan views. Maps is designed for complex environments such as campuses, hospitals, and airports, where hundreds or thousands of cameras can make it difficult to pinpoint an incident. It helps operators see where an event is happening, identify nearby cameras, and open live video directly from the map, supporting faster response and stronger situational awareness. Maps will be available in future XProtect Smart Client releases.
New Sticky Notes keep important operational knowledge where operators work. Users can attach a note to each camera view in XProtect Smart Client to capture site-specific information, shift handover details, or operating instructions, with color coding to signal priority. Administrators manage and configure notes centrally through the XProtect Management Client, helping teams maintain continuity from one shift to the next.
Simpler Management for Growing Systems
XProtect 2026 R2 also reduces the administrative effort of running large, distributed installations. Server Logs centralizes audit, system, and rule logs generated across the XProtect environment, giving administrators a consistent way to review activity, troubleshoot issues, and support compliance reporting. It also integrates with preferred monitoring and third-party log management systems.
Permission Inheritance lets newly added cameras and devices automatically receive the access permissions already assigned to their group, so administrators define rules once and apply them consistently as the system grows.
Extending the Value of XProtect with Milestone Care
The value of XProtect continues well beyond initial deployment, and Milestone Care helps customers protect and extend that investment by keeping their systems current with the latest releases. XProtect Remote Manager, available through Care Plus, gives partners and end customers secure, browser-based oversight of multi-site XProtect deployments. It delivers system health updates in seconds so teams can prioritize the actions that keep their systems running at their best.
Arcules Strengthens Resilience and Insight in the Cloud
For Arcules customers, Cloud Backup for Edge Gateways provides off-site video retention by uploading a lower-resolution secondary stream to the cloud, improving resilience while minimizing bandwidth and storage requirements. A new integration with
Triton Sensors extends video security with environmental and occupancy awareness. It brings sensor data together with video and event data so users can create alarms, rules, and video-linked sensor events from a single platform. Additional Arcules updates include:
Secure Device Communication automatically encrypts communication between gateways and supported cameras using HTTPS, protecting video and credentials without additional configuration.
Faster Local Video Streaming speeds stream startup and delivers smoother multi-camera viewing and playback, including in complex network environments.
Arcules-XProtect Operational Enhancements bring safer upgrades, improved diagnostics, and role-based alarm access to hybrid environments.
As a continually updated cloud service, Arcules delivers new capabilities automatically and does not require Milestone Care.
Together, these releases reflect Milestone’s continued investment in helping customers operate with greater clarity and confidence. To learn more about how XProtect 2026 R2 and Arcules can bring greater clarity to your video operations, visit the Milestone website.