Deactivating a Ring Doorbell or Security Camera

Deactivate and repurpose existing Ring Doorbell or Security Cameras by transferring ownership to new Neighbors without losing access to your history and videos*. Save and share Ring videos or update Video Storage Time to ensure you always have access to your Event History Timeline.

* Ring Alarm and all Ring Alarm accessories require a subscription for in-app features and digital notifications, including digital arming / disarming and integration with other Ring, Echo, Alexa, and third party products. Subscription sold separately. View ring.com/protect-plans for pricing and details.

Types of Events include:

What to know about device deactivation

Please note that a Ring device cannot be transferred to another owner until the device has been deactivated or removed from the Ring app. 

• Deactivating a device and removing a device are two different actions.
  • Deactivating

    a device allows you to retain your videos and event history.
  • Removing

    a device from your Ring account will cause you to immediately lose access to all video recordings.
• You cannot deactivate or remove a Ring device via your account on ring.com. You must use the Ring app.
• Only the

  owner of a Ring device

  can deactivate it.
• You won’t be able to control or change any of the device settings after your device is deactivated.
• Your videos are stored in the cloud only with a

  Ring Protect Plan

  , and the storage time may vary based on your

  Video Storage Time settings

  . For example, in the U.S., video are stored in the cloud by default for 60 days (with an upper limit of up to 180 days).
  • Example:

    If a video was recorded March 1 and the Video Storage Time is set to 60 days, then the video will expire and delete on April 30.
  • If a video was recorded March 1 and the Video Storage Time is set to 60 days, then the device was deactivated on April 1, the video would still expire and deleted on April 30.
    • Each video has its own storage time period the begins when it's recorded.
      • The Video Storage Time is based on the day the video was recorded, not the day the device was deactivated.
    • If you want to change your Video Storage Time,

      adjust your settings in the Ring app

      BEFORE you deactivate your device.
• After you have deactivated your device, once your videos and Events have expired, the Ring Video Doorbell or Security Camera will be no longer appear in your Ring account or the Ring app.
• You can

  bulk download videos

  * until they expire by logging in to your account via Ring.com. You can download videos individually in the Ring app.
• Shared Users

  can also

  download videos

  * before they’ve expired according to your subscription plan’s retention period.

* Ring Alarm and all Ring Alarm accessories require a subscription for in-app features and digital notifications, including digital arming / disarming and integration with other Ring, Echo, Alexa, and third party products. Subscription sold separately. View ring.com/protect-plans for pricing and details.

How to deactivate a Ring Doorbell or Security Camera

To deactivate your Ring Doorbell or Security Camera:

1. Tap the

   menu (☰).
2. Tap

   Device.
3. Tap the device you would like to deactivate.
4. Tap

   Device Settings.
5. Tap the

   General Settings

   tile.
6. Tap

   Remove This Device

   .
7. Tap

   Keep Events

   — which includes video recordings.
8. Tap

   Deactivate Device

   .