Skip to main content

How to reset a Ring Video Doorbell

The Ring Video Doorbell 4 beside a door.
Erika Rawes/Digital Trends

The latest Ring Video Doorbells offer an excellent pairing of motion sensors with audio and visual communication and a variety of battery options for multiple placement choices. Sometimes they do require a complete reset. Ring Doorbells also come with a basic reset option to put them into a setup mode, which you’ll need to know about when first setting up the doorbell, as well as if you want to do a full factory reset later. Here’s everything you need to know.

Recommended Videos

Difficulty

Easy

Duration

10 minutes

What You Need

  • Ring Doorbell, any model

Ring Doorbells webpage.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

How to reset a Ring Doorbell

Every Ring Doorbell line works a little differently, so it’s important to first find out your model. While they’re all shaped a little differently, they tend to look similar, so it can be difficult to tell at a glance. Instead, look for the product number information on the back of the Doorbell, or log into your Ring app to see what model the Doorbell is listed as.

Setup mode on Ring Doorbell.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Find the Setup mode button

Now that you know what kind of Ring Doorbell you have, it’s time to locate the Setup mode button, which can also be used to fully reset the device. Before you do this, it’s a good idea to make sure the Ring Doorbell’s battery (some models have wired modes, but most offer a battery option) is fully charged for the work ahead. Now, locate the button based on your model:

Ring Video Doorbell (standard versions, 1st and 2nd generation): Flip the Doorbell over and look for an orange button on the back of the device.

Ring Video Doorbell 2 models: Look for the small black button on the front of the Doorbell.

Ring Video Doorbell 3/3 Plus and 4 models: Look for a small black button on the front of the Doorbell.

Ring Video Doorbell Pro and Wired models: Take a look at the right side of the Doorbell Pro. You should see a small button there that you can press.

Ring Video Doorbell Elite models: First, remove the faceplate on the front of the Elite. Then look for a small black button on the upper-right section of the Doorbell, facing forward.

Setup Mode on a Ring Video Doorbell 3.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Reset using the Setup mode button

Now that you’ve found the Setup mode button, it’s time to reset it. Press and release the button — don’t hold it down. You will know when the Ring enters Setup mode because the front light will start spinning.

When the light starts spinning, you should be able to return to your app and start working on connecting your mobile device to the doorbell and continuing the setup process.

Person unmounting a Ring doorbell.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Set up the Ring Video Doorbell again

If you are resetting the Ring Doorbell to try and fix a product issue or connection problem, you will now need to set it up again. To begin, press the Setup mode button once and immediately release it — you don’t want the Doorbell thinking you are trying to reset it again.

The Doorbell will now enter Setup mode, where it creates a small Wi-Fi hotspot. Its front light will start spinning when this happens. If you set up your Ring Doorbell before, this will all be familiar, but you will need to go into your Ring app to connect to this hotspot so the app can guide the Doorbell to your home Wi-Fi and complete the setup.

You can run through this reset procedure as many times as necessary, but it’s not the only solution to Ring Doorbell problems. Remember, sometimes connection problems can be caused by being too far away from your Wi-Fi network or using a dying/malfunctioning battery on the Ring device. If resetting doesn’t work, it’s a good idea to explore other options.

What about a full factory reset?

We also have a guide on a full factory reset to completely wipe your Ring video doorbell and start over again. Here’s the short version: That Setup mode button you had to locate? Press and hold it down for 20 to 30 seconds. Your Ring Doorbell will eventually flash and start restarting. After it’s fully restarted, press the Setup mode button once more to start anew.

If you encounter bugs or problems during setup and operating, a hard reset like this is your best bet to fix these problems.

How to remove your Ring doorbell from your account

If you are planning on giving away or reselling your Ring Doorbell, don’t forget to head into the Ring app and remove it from your account.

Step 1: Select your Doorbell in the Ring app.

Step 2: Tap Settings.

Step 3: Tap Remove device, which will ensure the app will forget the model so it can be safely used elsewhere.

Tyler Lacoma
If it can be streamed, voice-activated, made better with an app, or beaten by mashing buttons, Tyler's into it. When he's not…
Awesome Deal: The new Ring Battery doorbell is only $60 today — $100 normally
Ring Battery doorbell Prime Big Deal Days discount

Look, there are a lot of Prime Big Deal Days discounts floating around. No one would argue otherwise. That includes a ton of fantastic smart home deals. But we can all agree that sometimes, there are deals worth calling out separately when they are really good. That applies to this next deal on the new Ring Battery video doorbell. Normally $100, it's only $60 today, saving you $40 or 40%. It's super easy to install, runs on a built-in rechargeable battery, as the name implies, and offers head-to-toe color night vision support. You can see a lot more of what's going on at your front door. If you don't already have a video doorbell, do not skip this deal folks. It's my favorite thing in my smart home.

 
Why shop this Ring Battery smart video doorbell deal?
A video doorbell, if you're not familiar, allows you to answer your door and talk to whoever is there without ever opening the front door. More importantly, you can connect remotely to the doorbell even if you're not home. That allows you to communicate with mail or package delivery pros, for example. Or, even communicate with someone bringing your Uber or Doordash order. The Ring Battery is a video doorbell that offers all of that, with better features than previous generations. We loved our time with the Ring Battery Pro model at Digital Trends. Reviewer Jon Bitner gave it four and a half stars praising its crisp video resolution, easily removable battery, and versatile installation support.

Read more
Blink Video Doorbells are 50% off this weekend
The Blink video doorbell expands Blinks line of smart home devices.

You can never have enough home security, and there are certainly no shortage of DIY surveillance devices. But if you’re the type of person who likes to keep tabs on package deliveries, front-door visitors, and whatever could be going on across the street, it sounds like you should be looking for security camera deals. Fortunately, we came across a great offer on one of these gadgets earlier today:

Right now, when you order the Blink Video Doorbell on Amazon, you’ll only spend $30. That’s half off its $60 retail price!

Read more
Ring Protect rebrands to Ring Home and adds 24/7 recording
The Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2 installed near a door.

Ring owners seeking to unlock everything their devices have to offer are likely familiar with Ring Protect Plans. By paying a monthly fee, you can access features such as 180-day video history, snapshot capture, and smart alerts. Today, Ring has officially rebranded Ring Protect to Ring Home -- and it’s gained some cool functionality while still retaining the same pricing structure.

Previously offered as Ring Protect Basic, Protect Plus, or Protect Pro, you’ll soon be greeted with Ring Home Basic ($5 per month), Home Standard ($10 per month), and Home Premium ($20 per month). All that’s changed here is the name, as your monthly payments will remain identical to the old Protect Plans. However, you can now add individual services to the Home Standard and Home Premium Plans -- so if you want to tack on a Virtual Security Guard or Alarm Professional Monitoring, you can do so for an extra fee.

Read more