Motion Detection for Ring Devices

Learn about optimizing Motion Alerts, Motion Zones and motion detection for your Ring devices.

Ring devices detect motion events in your surroundings, triggering motion alerts and video recordings. You can use Camera Motion Zones to define specific areas that you want your Ring device to monitor while ignoring everything outside that area.

How to use Motion Wizard to optimize your Motion Alerts

1. Open the Ring app.
2. Tap the menu (≡) on the top left.
3. Tap Devices.
4. Tap the relevant device.
5. Tap Motion Settings.
6. Tap the magic wand icon in the top right corner to launch Motion Wizard.
   • Here you can get help to reduce, increase or improve your Motion Alerts.

How to add or edit Camera Motion Zones

Using Camera Motion Zones: Learn how to add, edit and optimize your Camera Motion Zones with Ring Video Doorbells and Security Cameras, and use Motion Settings in the Ring app to refine your motion alerts.

Using Bird's Eye Zones: Learn how to use Bird's Eye Zones with Ring devices that have 3D Motion Detection.

How to make sure you receive alerts

• Check Motion Detection and Motion Alerts are toggled on.
  • In the Ring app, tap menu (≡), tap Devices, and go to your device dashboard and make sure Motion Detection and Motion Alerts are toggled on.
• Verify your camera is picking up motion.
  
  • Review your Event History on your dashboard to ensure there’s a record of a motion event. If there is no record, your device didn’t capture a motion event.
• Double check your Motion Settings.
  • Ensure your Motion Zones are correctly drawn and that the Motion Sensitivity slider is turned up. Learn more
• Make sure your device is connected to wifi in the Device Health section of the Ring app.
• Make sure you haven’t set a Motion Schedule.
  • In the Ring app, you will see a clock icon next to your Ring device on the main dashboard if there is an active Motion Schedule.
• Make sure you haven’t turned on Motion Snooze.
  • In the Ring app, you will see a crescent moon icon next to your Ring device on the main dashboard if Motion Snooze is active.

If these troubleshooting steps don't work, check your device settings:

• Troubleshoot notification issues with your iOS device
• Troubleshoot notification issues with your Android device

How to fix too many motion alerts or false notifications

• Check your motion zones to see if there is anything that could be triggering a motion alert, such as a car, a moving tree, sunlight coming into the video or shadows moving.
• If you have a Ring Protect subscription, make sure you have enabled the Smart Alerts feature in the Ring app. You can then decide whether to record video and receive alerts when your device detects a person, other motion or, for Video Doorbells only, a package.
• Adjust the Motion Sensitivity slider in the Ring app:

1. Open the Ring app.
2. Tap menu (☰).
3. Tap Devices.
4. Tap the device you want to adjust.
5. Tap Motion Settings.
6. Tap Motion Sensitivity.
7. Adjust the Motion Sensitivity slider.
8. Then Save in the upper right corner.

Note: Higher motion sensitivity will increase the number of alerts you get and drain battery-powered devices faster.

How to temporarily disable motion detection completely

1. Open the Ring app.
2. Tap menu (☰).
3. Tap Devices.
4. Tap the device you want to adjust.
5. Toggle Motion Detection off.
   • You will see a message to check whether you are sure you want to disable motion detection.
6. Tap Disable Motion Detection.
7. To turn it back on, toggle Motion Detection on.

Motion detection range

Motion detection range on Ring devices is up to around 30 feet with the Motion Sensitivity slider at the maximum level. If you turn Motion Sensitivity down, this range will be lower.

If your device has 3D Motion Detection, Bird's Eye View provides an aerial map for motion events around your home. Learn more about Bird’s Eye View.

To make sure you don’t miss important motion detection features and updates, make sure you have the latest version of the Ring app downloaded on your iOS or Android device.

Motion detection and windows

To get proper motion detection, cameras should not be placed facing a window or in front of a glass door.