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YOUR Ring doorbell is packed with genius features – so check your settings today.
There are loads of tricks that you might be missing out on.
But if you’ve already paid for a Ring doorbell, you might as well make the most of it.
Ring trick #1 – Quick Replies
The Amazon Ring doorbell can deliver preset messages and record visitors, a bit like an answering machine.
It’s called Quick Replies, and is available in the US, UK and Ireland.
You’ll find it very useful if you’re away from home and you can’t answer the door using the Ring app.
You can turn it on at any time in the Ring app for iPhone on iOS or Android.
Once activated, visitors who press your doorbell will hear a preset message of your choosing.
Your gadget can tell callers to wait while you get to the door, leave a package outside, or simply buzz off.
Once they’ve listened, the visitor has the option to leave a message that you can listen to through the Ring app.
To try out the tool for yourself, open the app and tap the three lines on the top left of your display.
Tap Devices and select the doorbell that you want to set up.
Tap the Smart Responses tile and then toggle the Quick Replies switch so it’s in the blue “on” position.
Tap Quick Reply Message and select a message. You’ll hear a recording of what the message sounds like.
You have the option to pick a year-round message or seasonal greeting that’s relevant to the time of year, such as Christmas.
You can also pick a delay time, so the message plays either right away or up to 20 seconds after the doorbell has been rung.
Tap Save to complete the setup.
Quick replies is available with select Ring video doorbells. Here’s the full list of compatible devices:
- Video Doorbell (2nd Generation)
- Video Doorbell 2
- Video Doorbell 3
- Video Doorbell 3 Plus
- Video Doorbell 4
- Ring Video Doorbell Pro
- Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2
- Ring Video Doorbell Wired
- Ring Video Doorbell Elite
- Ring Door View Cam
You can turn Quick Replies off at any time.
Ring trick #2 – Bird’s Eye Zones
Some Ring doorbell models have access to a special feature called Bird’s Eye Zones.
Part of the problem with an Amazon Ring doorbell is that it can be a little overactive.
You might find that you get motion detection alerts even when someone isn’t actually on your property.
But for some Ring doorbell models, you have an option to solve that woe.
“Bird’s Eye Zones allows you to create customised aerial-based motion zones, using radar technology, that can work with your camera’s motion zones for more precise alerts,” Amazon explained.
“So you can get notified about activity in your front garden, not the pavement.
“If your radar-enabled device detects motion in a Bird’s Eye Zone and also in one of your camera’s motion zones, a motion event will be triggered.
“If a motion isn’t detected by both views, the motion will be ignored, so that you get the notifications that matter the most to you.”
You can use Bird’s Eye Zones on the following Ring devices: Video Doorbell Pro 2, Floodlight Cam Wired Pro, and Spotlight Cam Pro.
First go into your Ring app and then tap the gear icon in the corner of your chosen device.
Now tap 3D Motion Settings > Bird’s Eye Zones > Set Up Feature.
Choose the location where your doorbell is installed, tap Continue, and then mark the location of your device.
Now tap Continue and then adjust your device angle to match the camera.
You may also need to select the mounting height of the device if you’re using a Floodlight Cam Wired Pro.
Once you continue on, you’ll be able to tap Set Up Zones to customise the Bird’s Eye Zones.
Tap Edit Zone and then adjust it by tapping it and dragging the circles.
Finally tap Done, name the zone and save your settings.
Ring trick #3 – Reduced Spam
If you’ve got the doorbell too high on your door, it could be extremely frustrating.
It’s especially important if your house faces out onto a road.
If your Amazon Ring doorbell is constantly notifying you about passing cars, you’ve probably got the doorbell too high.
“One of the biggest mistakes people make is mounting their Ring Video Doorbell too high in the mistaken belief that they need to do this in order to catch people’s faces,” Ring said.
“In fact, viewing faces is not a problem if the Ring Video Doorbell is mounted at the correct height of approximately 120 cm (47-48 inches) above the ground.”
Your Ring doorbell has a very wide field of view.
But the infrared motion sensors have much higher vision.
“These are heat sensors that detect motion by monitoring heat within the detection area,” Amazon explained.
“Since people are hotter than the surrounding areas, as a person enters the detection area the heat measurements change.
“The motion sensors register this change as movement and send out an alert.”
These motion sensors detect movement up to 180 degrees horizontally.
And they capture motion between distances of 1.5 metres and 5 metres (about 5 to 16 feet) outwards.
“They’re also more sensitive to horizontal movement across the detection area than vertical,” Ring warned.
“Mount the Ring Video Doorbell too high and you’re more likely to catch the heat of passing cars than the heat of incoming visitors.”
So grab your tape measure and make sure that your doorbell isn’t too high.
You can also use the Motion Zone feature in your Ring app to set the exact field of vision for the motion sensors.