Geofence is a virtual boundary you can draw around the Location your Ring devices are set up using the Ring app. Drawing a Geofence helps automate certain features from your Ring devices that you may find useful. For instance:
- When you come home and enter the Geofence, your Ring app can automatically snooze alerts from all your Ring devices.
- When you exit a Geofence, the Ring app can remind you to set your Mode* to "Away" – or, a state in which your designated Ring cameras actively detect motion and more.
*Ring Alarm and all Ring Alarm accessories require a subscription for digital notifications, in-app features, digital arming/disarming, and integration with other Ring, Echo, and third party products. Subscription sold separately. View ring.com/protect-plans for pricing and details.
How do I enable my Geofence settings in the Ring app?
- Open your Ring app.
- Tap the three lines (☰) in the top left corner.
- Confirm that the Location you want to set up a Geofence for is at the top – then tap Settings.
- Tap Geofence.
- On the next screen, tap Turn On Feature. You'll then arrive at a page titled This feature relies on location data. Tap Continue.
- You will see a map of your Location and surrounding neighborhood, as well as a circle – that's your Geofence. Drag to adjust the circle if needed, then tap Confirm.
Note: Adjusting the position of the geofence on the map will not affect your address settings for that Location. - On the following page, you'll have the option to Snooze your devices – or to turn off motion alerts for a set period of time. For instance, you can Snooze your Video Doorbell so that your phone doesn't buzz with motion alerts when you approach your door.
Set your Snooze Time, select any devices you want Snoozed – then tap Continue. (If you only have a Ring Alarm and/or Ring Smart Lighting, you will not see this option during setup.)
Note: Compatible Ring devices that are Snoozed when you re-enter your Geofence will not send alerts to that particular mobile device. They will still record if you have a Ring Protect Plan subscription1, and other compatible, non-Snoozed Ring devices will still send alerts. - Tap Continue.
- Select whether you'd like Arm Reminders and/or Disarm Reminders.
These will alert you to change your Mode* when you exit or enter your Geofence. - Tap Continue.
- Tap Finish & Save.
- Now the Ring app will ask you for permission to access your phone’s location to power the Geofence feature. Tap Go to Settings to continue.
- Follow the steps provided to you, depending on your device type.
- On Android: Depending on your version of Android, either tap “Always” or tap the text option to go to Android settings, then Permissions, then Location, then tap “Allow all the time.”
- On iOS: Tap “While Using.” Later, you’ll see a new prompt; tap “Always allow.”
- You can also manually make this selection after setting up Geofence by going to iOS Settings, then the Ring app, then Location, and then tapping “Always.”
- Note: If you do not allow location permission, Ring’s Geofence feature will not work.
*Ring Alarm and all Ring Alarm accessories require a subscription for digital notifications, in-app features, digital arming/disarming, and integration with other Ring, Echo, and third party products. Subscription sold separately. View ring.com/protect-plans for pricing and details.
Important Notes on Using Geofence
If you've set up Snooze: When you re-enter the Geofence, the Ring app on your mobile device will not receive motion alerts related to the Ring devices you've Snoozed. However, if you have a Ring Protect Plan subscription, your devices will still record motion events. Also, other mobile devices can still receive motion alerts* for those events. Snooze only affects the mobile device that it was activated for.
If you have set up Arm or Disarm Reminder*: Like Snooze, these reminders are relevant only to the phone or tablet where they were configured. No other phones or tablets (whether logged in as you or as a Shared User for the Location) will receive an Arm or Disarm Reminder* of your exit or entry. Additionally, Mode Reminders are not affected by the location of other phones or tablets with access to that Location.
What does providing “Always” or “Allow all the time” access to my location mean?
Even if the Ring app isn't visible on your screen, it'll be able to sense when your mobile device crosses the geofence boundary.
Even if the Ring app isn't visible on your screen, it'll be able to sense when your mobile device crosses the geofence boundary.
My phone is alerting me that Ring is using my location in the background. What does this mean?
The Ring app will use location data from your mobile device to determine if that mobile device has entered or exited the Geofence you defined.
Your mobile device may provide location updates to the Ring app that are not related to your Geofence. In these cases, the data is discarded by the Ring app and no action is taken by the feature.
If you don't want the Ring app to have any access to your mobile device’s location you can always deactivate location settings for the Ring app.
- In iOS, go to Settings > Ring > Location, and change to “Never.”
- On Android, the settings may vary by model, but will be similar to Settings > Apps > Ring > Permissions > Location > “Deny.”
We also recommend you deactive the Geofence feature to prevent in-location permission errors.
Can other Ring users see the location of my mobile device because I activate Geofence?
No, your location remains private from other Ring users.
Will my Ring devices continue to detect motion and record video* even when a Ring device has been Snoozed?
Yes. Just like manually enabling Snooze for a Ring camera, your devices will continue to record* as usual and, if you have a Ring Protect Plan subscription, you can view those videos in the Ring app. The Ring app on the iOS or Android device for which you have activated Geofence and Snooze will simply not receive motion alerts for the duration of the Snooze period.
After setting up Geofence, what if I go into iOS or Android settings and change Ring’s location access from “Always” or “Allow all the time” to something else?
Your selected Ring devices will no longer be Snoozed when you enter the geofence, and you will not be reminded to change Modes* (Subscription required, sold separately). No other user of the Geofence for that Location will be affected.
When you open the Ring app, you will see an alert with a link to help you re-activate the appropriate location sharing setting. To keep location sharing off and prevent this alert from appearing, deactivate Geofence.
Can Geofence do more than just Snooze alerts and remind me to change Modes?
No, those are its core functions.
Do Shared Users have any control over the Geofence?
Shared Users cannot see or access other users’ Geofence settings. However, Shared Users can turn on Snooze and get Mode Reminders* for their own mobile device by setting up Geofence for themselves.
This will not have any impact on other users (including the Owner or any Shared Users) who use Geofence on the Ring app, or their respective iOS/Android devices.
What happens if an Owner and Shared User both live in the same Location where a Geofence has been drawn?
Once an Owner sets up the Geofence for a Location in the Ring app, then any Shared User can activate the Geofence feature for themselves for that same Location.
The Geofence entry or exit of one user does not notify nor impact the experience of another neighbor. Similarly, if one user chooses to deactivate Geofence for a Location in the Ring app on one mobile device, no other devices or users are impacted.
Click here for more information on Shared Users
How do I change the placement of a Geofence?
If you're the Owner of a device for a Location, . In Geofence Settings, tap on the map. Then, re-position your geofence to the desired area on the map, and tap "save."
This setting will affect all iOS and Android devices that currently use that Location's geofence.
What does it mean to “Deactivate Geofence?” Where do I do this?
Disabling Geofence only applies to the particular iOS or Android device on which it is deactivated. It does not impact the placement of the Geofence. Disabling Geofence on one phone or tablet does not affect the Owner or any other Shared Users, their iOS/Android device that has Geofence activated, or their own Geofence-specific settings.
To deactivate a Geofence for a Location:
- Open the Ring app.
- Tap the Menu (☰) in the upper left. (You can not modify Geofence settings from the “All Cameras” view.)
- Tap Settings.
- Tap Geofence.
- Tap Turn off Geofence.
Having issues with Geofence? Click here for ways to address them.
