How to Reset Ring Doorbell in 3 Easy Steps

The Ring Doorbell has certainly revolutionized how we secure homes. With unique video capabilities that allow you to talk to and record whoever is at your door, the ring doorbell is the epitome of security and convenience in one object.

As with many smart devices, its features rely on its ability to connect to Wi-Fi and transmit video. Sometimes the video transmission capabilities get disrupted when the system has bugs. It could be your ring doorbell no longer connects to the Wi-Fi, has lost sound, or has night vision.

Your first instinct could be to engage a professional but try resetting the ring doorbell before doing it. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to reset the ring doorbell.

When to Reset Ring Doorbell

Resetting a ring doorbell leaves the device in a near-new state. You erase all the videos, recordings, and existing settings, which means you should only do it when:

• The ring doorbell can’t connect to Wi-Fi
• There’s a power outage
• Features can’t work properly
• Selling, disposing, or giving away the ring doorbell
• Removing the device from your Ring account

Resetting isn’t always necessary!

How to Reset Ring Doorbell

The reset process differs by model. Ring doorbell comes in different models (Ring Doorbell, Ring Doorbell 2, and Ring Doorbell Pro and Elite), and each has slightly different reset instructions.

How to Reset Ring Doorbell 1

These steps should help you reset Ring Doorbell 1:

• Ensure the device is hardwired or you’ve inserted the battery
• Undo the screws using a screwdriver to remove the doorbell from its bracket
• Find an orange button (below the camera)
• Press and hold it for 15-20 seconds 
• Release the button 
• Check the ring light to ensure its flashing, indicating the doorbell is resetting
• The light will go off when the reset is complete

How to Reset Ring Doorbell 2

You reset Ring Doorbell 2 by:

• Remove the doorbell from the mounting bracket
• Find a black button on the front part of the doorbell
• Press it for 15-20 seconds
• Release the button
• The light on the front of the doorbell flashes for a few minutes then goes off when the reset is complete
• When done, the Ring Doorbell should be back to factory settings
• Repeat the steps if it doesn’t reset

How to Reset Ring Doorbell Pro

Here’s how to reset the Ring Doorbell Pro:

• Ensure the device is hardwired and turned on before resetting
• Unscrew the doorbell from its brackets
• Find a black button on the right side of the camera
• Hold it for 15-20 seconds and release
• The Ring light flashes and goes off when the reset is complete

Note that Ring Doorbell Pro doesn’t have a rechargeable battery as Ring Doorbells 1 and 2. As such, it’s powered through an Ethernet connection through hardwiring. Often, the Ring Doorbell Pro operates just fine for some time and then stops working. Some telltale signs that this could be the problem are:

• The doorbell shuts off randomly
• Live video footage freezes when streaming
• Blurred night vision, or it doesn’t work
• Sometimes the internal doorbell produces a muffled ring
• The doorbell hardly maintains a stable Wi-Fi connection

How to Solve the Problem

Some ways of solving this problem include:

• Check if the Ring Doorbell is charged
• Check its status on the Ring app by opening the Device Health section. If the device is offline, find out if the Wi-Fi hardware has problems
• Check if the device is set up correctly
• Remove the battery and re-insert it. Find out if the device reconnects to your wireless network
• If the Ring Doorbell Pro 2 still doesn’t work, increase its power using the Ring Pro Power Kit or Pro Power Kit V2

How to Reset Ring Doorbell Elite

Remove the device’s faceplate to find the reset button. It’s usually a black button located on the top right side of Ring Doorbell Elite:

• Press it for 15-20 seconds and release it
• It should flash a few times to signal a rest
• The doorbell should be back to factory settings

Resetting to Disconnect Your Account

You may also be resetting the Ring Doorbell to sell or give it to another user. In this case, you don’t have to do anything to the doorbell. 

Simply disconnect it from your account on the Ring app to allow a new user to register it. Note that disconnecting it from your app erases all the recorded footage, so the new user can’t view previous recordings.

Be sure to save any footage you wish to keep before removing it from your app because there’s no way to restore the deleted footage when the device is reconnected. To remove Ring Doorbell from your Ring account you:

• Open the Ring Doorbell app
• Click on the gear icon at the top right corner
• Tap the ‘Remove the device’ icon at the bottom
• A pop-up message will appear on the screen, prompting you to delete
• Now the Ring Doorbell device is ready for setting up with another account.

Troubleshooting Ideas

Sometimes a Ring Doorbell doesn’t always need resetting. Troubleshooting may be all the device needs. Here are some tips:

Can’t Connect to Wi-Fi

A Wi-Fi connection allows you to receive notifications and stream live footage directly on your phone. Sometimes your internet connection works just fine, but the Ring Doorbell still can’t connect. It displays a dark screen instead of video footage in front of the camera. Several reasons explain why this happens, such as:

• Temporary power loss
• A disconnection in the router’s wires
• A change in Wi-Fi password
• When the doorbell’s battery is depleted
• The power surge that disconnects it from the Wi-Fi router

How to Solve the Problem

You may need to reset the doorbell’s Wi-Fi. Here’s how to do it:

• Check if the connection is turned on
• Remove the bell from the mounting bracket using a screwdriver
• Open the Ring app on your phone
• Tap on the name of the doorbell being reset
• Click on Device Health and select Wi-Fi network
• Follow the steps on the screen to reset the Wi-Fi settings
• Take your Ring doorbell and find the reset button. Depending on the model, it could be at the side, back, or front
• Press the reset button once
• Proceed following the instructions on the Ring app to connect the doorbell to the Wi-Fi network
• If your Wi-Fi connection is working, the doorbell should connect in a few minutes

Sometimes the distance between the router and the Ring Doorbell is long, making the connection unstable. If that’s the case, it’s best to disconnect it and move the router near. If it doesn’t connect, check if there’s power or if the battery is charged.

Ring Doorbell Keeps Ringing

The primary reason Ring Doorbell would keep ringing is constant use. You could be pushing it many times, leaving the button stuck, so it keeps ringing. Press and release the button to ensure it’s unstuck. 

If that’s not the problem, check the notification settings to determine if it’s active. If there’s still no problem, reset following the steps highlighted above, disconnect the doorbell, and replace the button.

Connection Message

You might be receiving a prompt showing, ‘unable to connect to wireless network.’ Some ways of solving this problem include:

• Checking whether the device is connecting to the correct wireless network, e.g., 2.4 GHz
• Resetting the Ring Doorbell following the steps highlighted earlier
• Check whether your Wi-Fi connection is on channels 1-11. Ring Doorbells aren’t compatible with channels 12 and 13.

Final Thoughts

Now you know how to reset Ring Doorbell. Simply press and hold the reset button for a few seconds to initiate the reset process. 

Alternatively, find out if it has one of the highlighted problems and apply the troubleshooting tips highlighted. And if you’re using the Ring Doorbell Pro, check if it exhibits any of the problems discussed.

I hope this guide helps you reset your ring doorbell and troubleshoot other problems. Check out Gadget Buyer for more hacks and advice to fix tech problems.

PS – If you have a Ring device, you should consider turning off this feature immediately for better data security! Learn More (link to article)