How to install a Ring video doorbell

Installing a Ring video doorbell is one of the easiest smart home upgrades to tackle (with the possible exception of screwing in a smart lightbulb). Made up of a motion-activated camera with a microphone and speaker, a Ring video doorbell will send alerts to your smartphone and smart speakers to tell you when there’s someone at your door so you can see and talk to them. This is handy for making sure you don’t miss a visitor as well as for keeping an eye on packages if you’re not home.

Getting a Ring video doorbell set up on your front or backdoor should take between 10 and 45 minutes, depending on which of the seven models you decide to go with and whether you choose battery-powered or wired. If you have existing doorbell wires, I highly recommend opting for a wired doorbell. In my testing, they tend to be more reliable because they don’t have to “wake up” their battery to record video.

However, the battery-powered versions — Ring Video Doorbell 4, Ring Video Doorbell 3, and Ring Video Doorbell 2020 — are the easiest to install. The hardwired ones — Ring Video Doorbell Wired, Ring Video Doorbell Pro, and Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2 — are a little more involved, but the process is pretty simple and generally involves low-voltage wiring. If you are uncomfortable with messing with wiring, an electrician can certainly do this job for you, but as long as you can find your breaker and the indoor chime box, the whole thing shouldn’t take more than 30 to 45 minutes.

The only time you might consider an electrician is if you want a wired doorbell and you don’t have an existing doorbell transformer. In that instance, I recommend professional help. A cheaper solution is to buy a Ring plug-in adapter to permanently power your doorbell, but that may require drilling holes through your wall.

Ring provides everything you need to install the doorbell except a drill. The screws and wires are marked with letters to help you select the right ones.

Most Ring doorbells come with everything you need to install them right in the box, including a screwdriver, screws, wall anchors, wire extenders, and wire nuts. In fact, Ring provides everything but the drill (which you only need if you’re dealing with concrete or stucco), although it does include a specialized drill bit. The Ring Pro models as well as the Ring 3 and 4 also come with optional wedge kits to change the angle of the video doorbell. The Ring Wired and Ring 2020 don’t come with these, but you can buy them separately.

The Ring Pro 2 (pictured), Ring Pro, and Ring Wired are all wired doorbells, but they are easy to install.

Ring has four “true wired” video doorbells: the Ring Wired, Ring Pro and Pro 2, and the Ring Elite. The Elite requires professional installation, so we will skip that. But, for the other three, the installation steps are very similar. The Pro models require a 16- to 24-volt doorbell transformer, which Ring also sells. And the Ring Wired requires a transformer between 10 and 24 volts. Here’s how to install these doorbells:

First, check that your existing doorbell is working by pressing the doorbell and making sure you hear the chime. Next, turn off the power to your doorbell at the breaker. Now locate your indoor chime and remove the cover. For the Ring Wired, attach the provided jumper cable. This bypasses the existing chime so it will not ring when your doorbell is pressed. See How to install the Ring Chime later in this article if you need a chime to ring inside your home. For the Pro and Pro 2, install the Chime Power Kit. This helps power the doorbell and ensures your existing chime will ring when the doorbell is pressed To attach either the jumper cable or the Chime Pro Kit, you’ll need to loosen the two screws connected to the Front and Trans terminals on your chime. Loop one end of the jumper cable / Chime Power Kit to Front and the other to Trans, keeping the existing wires in place. It doesn’t matter which goes to which. Tighten the screws. For the Chime Power Kit, you’ll need to mount the white box somewhere inside or outside of your chime box using the attached tape. Now, go outside and remove your old doorbell by unscrewing it from the wall and disconnecting the wires. Tape the wires to the wall so they don’t disappear into the hole. Take the faceplate off the Ring doorbell and hold it up to where you want to install it. Use a pencil to mark the top and bottom mounting holes. If you are placing your doorbell on stucco, brick, or concrete you will need to use the one-fourth-inch masonry drill bit Ring supplies in the box to drill the holes for the provided anchors. If you are installing on wood or siding, you can skip this. Connect the wires coming out of your wall to the terminal screws on the back of the Ring doorbell. If the wires are too short, use the provided extension wires and attach them to your doorbell wires with the wire nuts. Screw the doorbell onto the wall with the included long mounting screws. Reattach the face plate. Secure the special security screw into the bottom of the doorbell using the supplied blue specialty screwdriver (Ring Wired) or the star-shaped end of the provided Phillips-head screwdriver (Ring Pro and Pro 2). Turn the power back on. The LED light on the doorbell should start spinning white, indicating that the setup process has begun.

You can now use Ring’s smartphone app to connect the doorbell to your Wi-Fi network and set up features such as motion detection and alerts.

Battery-powered Ring doorbells work with a built-in or removable battery. They can also be wired to your doorbell wiring to trickle charge the battery. The main advantage of a battery doorbell is that it will continue to record if the power is out and, since you don’t have to connect it via wires, you can put it anywhere you like. The disadvantage is you have to remember to charge it.

Ring has three battery doorbells: the Ring 4, Ring 3, and Ring 2020. While the steps to install these are similar, they are not identical, so I will go over the Ring 2020 separately.

How to install a Ring Video Doorbell 4 or Ring 3

The Ring 4 and 3 have a removable faceplate. First, fully charge the provided battery using the included USB charging cable. Next, remove the faceplate and use the doorbell to mark the positions for the mounting holes with a pencil. Insert the provided mini level in the small hole on the front of the doorbell to make sure the doorbell is straight. If you are placing your doorbell on stucco, brick, or concrete you will need to use the one-fourth-inch masonry drill bit Ring supplies in the box to drill the holes for the provided anchors. If you are installing on wood or siding, you can skip this. Optional: if you have existing doorbell wires, you should attach them to the back of the doorbell at this point, having turned off the power at the breaker before beginning installation. Now, screw the doorbell directly to the wall or doorframe depending on your setup. (The provided mounting plate can be used for wood or vinyl if you prefer.) Insert the fully-charged battery into the bottom of the doorbell. The LED light should start spinning blue. Remove the level and reattach the faceplate. Use the provided security screw to secure the faceplate to the video doorbell with the star-shaped end of the screwdriver.

Complete the setup in Ring’s smartphone app by connecting the doorbell to your Wi-Fi network to enable features such as motion detection and alerts.

How to install a Ring Video Doorbell 2020

The Ring Video Doorbell 2020 attaches to a mounting bracket. Charge the doorbell using the included USB charging cable by plugging it into the port at the back of the doorbell. Once the blue LED is fully lit, it is charged. Remove the mounting bracket from the back of the doorbell and hold it up against the wall where you plan to mount it. Insert the mini level to make sure the bracket is straight, and use the bracket as a template to mark where you need to put the screws If you are placing your doorbell on stucco, brick, or concrete you will need to use the one-fourth-inch masonry drill bit that Ring supplies in the box to drill the holes for the provided anchors. If you are installing on wood or siding, you can skip this. Secure the mounting bracket with the included screws, and remove the mini level. Optional: if you have existing doorbell wires, you should attach them to the back of the doorbell at this point, having turned off the power at the breaker before beginning installation. Attach the doorbell to the mounting bracket by putting the top on first. Use the star-shaped screwdriver to secure the doorbell with the included security screws.

Open the Ring smartphone app to complete the setup, which includes connecting the doorbell to your Wi-Fi network and activating features such as motion detection and alerts.

A Ring Chime lets you hear your doorbell inside your home if you don’t have a wired chime.Image: Ring

Ring sells a Ring Chime ($34.99) and Ring Chime Pro ($59.99). The Chime allows you to hear the alert from your Ring doorbell inside your home, the same way a traditional doorbell chime box does. A Chime Pro does the same thing but also acts as a Wi-Fi extender, which can be useful if your Ring Doorbell has a weak connection to your Wi-Fi. You can use a Chime with a wired or battery-powered Ring doorbell.

Plug the Chime into an electrical outlet between your Wi-Fi router and your Ring doorbell. Open the Ring app on your smartphone. Tap Set up device. Choose Chime or Chime Pro depending on which device you have. Follow the steps in the app. Once complete, connect your doorbell to your Chime by opening the app and tapping Chime Pro. Tap Linked Devices. Find your doorbell in the list and tap Connect to Chime Pro. Follow the steps to complete the connection.