Setting up and using Ring

This smart video doorbell enables you to see who’s at the door even when you’re out and about. And it’ll record everything…

01 Set up the app

The first thing to do is pair your Ring with the Ring app. So download it from either the App Store, Google Play or the Windows Store and install it on your device of choice. Open it up and use the intuitive setup wizard to pair your doorbell and give it a name (such as ‘Front Door’ or ‘ Porch’). You’re now ready to attach it to your door (or indeed wherever you prefer your doorbell to be).

02 Wire it in…

If you already have a doorbell, you can easily wire in Ring and replace it. Follow the detailed video on Ring. com, but essentially all you need to do is screw the bracket onto your wall and attach your doorbell’s existing terminals to the ones on the Ring bracket. Ring even includes a small spirit level and a double-headed screwdriver so you can set everything up easily.

03 …or use it standalone

If you don’t currently have a doorbell you can still use Ring. All you need to do is screw it onto the wall in the same way as in step 02 – but instead of using your power it’ll use the device’s internal battery. This does mean that every so often you’ll need to disconnect it and charge it via Micro USB. Obviously this can be a little annoying as Ring takes around four hours on average to charge.

04 Add a Chime

Chime is a Ring accessory that gives you – yep, you’ve guessed it – a chime for your doorbell. Ring is a smartphone- controlled device that will send you a notification every time your doorbell is rung; but you may not have your phone with you when you’re busy in the house or garden. So it’s a good investment – and especially good if you don’t currently have a doorbell.

05 Sign up!

If you want to continue to be able to view who’s been at your door via your phone after 30 days, you’ll need to sign up to Ring’s Cloud Video Recording service. You can do this directly from the app and it’ll cost you £2.50 per month or £24.99 annually. We know, it’s one more cloud service cost that you could do without, but it’s inexpensive for the functionality it provides.

06 Smartphone control

As well as alerting you when someone rings the doorbell, you can also set up Ring to monitor motion using the Ring app. This is great if you live somewhere quiet; not so useful if you live on a street with a lot of footfall (you don’t want a notification every time a dog pees up the lamp post outside). Luckily you can adjust the radius of the motion-sensing using the Ring smartphone app.