Follow these steps to help resolve issues with your Ring Alarm Outdoor Contact Sensor (2nd Generation).
The light patterns on your Outdoor Contact Sensor will help you identify if it’s working well, or if there’s something wrong. The LED indicator on your Outdoor Contact Sensor might:
- Blink green three times when it is ready to connect to the network.
- Blink green one time when it is connected and communicating with your Base Station.
- Blink red one time when it is unable to communicate with the Base Station.
Ring Alarm Outdoor Contact Sensor (2nd Generation) won’t connect
Try these steps, one at a time, and see if any of them resolve the issue before moving on to the next step. If the light flashes green one time, it is back online and working.
- Move the Contact Sensor closer to the Alarm or Alarm Pro Base Station.
- Add a Range Extender between the Contact Sensor and the Base Station. The Range Extender helps extend and expand the Base Station’s Z-Wave network, allowing for greater range and signal strength for all compatible devices at your location.
- Remove the back cover, remove all batteries, wait a few seconds, then reinsert them.
- If nothing works and there is no light on the Outdoor Contact Sensor, try replacing the batteries with new ones.
If your Contact Sensor isn’t working or being recognized by your Ring Alarm and the battery power is sufficient, you may have to adjust the position of the magnet and sensor. Move the sensor closer to the magnet or in a more optimal alignment. Click here for tips for installing a Contact Sensor.
Important
Indoor devices, including the Base Station and Range Extender, should always be kept inside your home.
Removing your Ring Alarm Outdoor Contact Sensor (2nd Generation)
To remove the Outdoor Contact Sensor:
- Open the Ring app.
- Tap the menu (☰).
- Tap Devices.
- Tap the Outdoor Contact Sensor under the Sensors section.
- Tap the Device Settings tile.
- Tap Remove Device at the bottom of the screen.
- Confirm device removal by tapping Remove Device on the next screen.
- Tap Got it once your Outdoor Contact Sensor is successfully removed.
Ring Alarm Outdoor Contact Sensor (2nd Generation) still won't connect or adds as a binary sensor
- Remove the Outdoor Contact Sensor from its base. Ensure that the batteries* are installed.
- Open the Ring app.
- Tap the menu (☰).
- Tap Devices.
- Tap Alarm Base Station or Alarm Pro Base Station.
- Tap Base Station.
- Tap the Device Settings tile.
- Tap Advanced Options.
- Tap Z-Wave, then tap Remove Z-Wave Device.
Do NOT tap “Reset Z-Wave Network”.
This will remove your entire Ring Alarm network and you’ll need to reset every device - Tap Remove. The Ring app will say, “Remove device, listening for device to remove.”
- Press and release the pinhole reset button. The device should be removed successfully and can be re-added using the Ring app.
* Always insert replacement batteries correctly, matching the + (positive) and - (negative) symbols on the battery with the symbols on your Motion Detector.
Factory resetting your Ring Alarm Outdoor Contact Sensor (2nd Generation)
Important!
This will remove device settings such as chirps and volume adjustments and reset the device back to the original default settings.
If you've tried all of the above steps and are still having difficulty with your Outdoor Contact Sensor, you may need to perform a factory reset on this device.
- Slide to remove the Outdoor Contact Sensor from its base.
- Press and hold the pinhole reset button using the end of a paperclip or similar tool. The LED light at the front of the device flashes green. Continue holding down the pinhole reset button until the LED light turns red, then release.
- Now re-add the Outdoor Contact Sensor to your Ring Alarm by tapping on Set Up a Device from the main menu, then Security, then Sensors.
- Follow the onscreen instructions. Scan the QR code on the Sensor as instructed or enter the 5-digit PIN code.
- Carefully remove the batteries,* then re-insert them. Press and hold the button on the front of your Contact Sensor for 5 seconds, then slide the Sensor back onto its base. Tap Got It to proceed.
- You’ll receive confirmation that the Outdoor Contact Sensor was added successfully. If not, choose the option to “Try Again.”
While repeating the setup process, when you’re prompted to pull the battery tab, you may have to use a small tool, such as a micro screwdriver, to carefully remove the coin cell batteries from the casing of your Outdoor Contact Sensor, then reinsert them.
If you have tried all of these steps and your Outdoor Contact Sensor still doesn’t work, we recommend reaching out to our customer support team for assistance.
