How to Reset Ring Doorbells

Last Updated: December 14, 2020
Matthew Wilson

The various Ring Doorbells on market are fantastic tools for securing your family and your home. Not only will the Ring Doorbell keep you safe, you can interface with the doorbell via your mobile phone or computer.

While this is all good and grand, how does one go about resetting their Ring Doorbell if something runs afoul? Or perhaps you’re looking to completely get rid of your Ring system, in which case you would want to wipe and delete your Ring account. This is important for keeping your information secure so let’s jump right into how you can reset your doorbell.

Contents

How to Reset Ring Doorbells & Other Tips

Reset Ring Doorbell 2 to Factory Defaults

Sometimes your Ring Doorbell can malfunction for reasons unbeknownst to yourself or even to those with some technical know-how. You know, it happens. In the event that you can’t get your smart security device back online or back on its feet working, you may have to consider a factory reset of your Ring device.

Factory resets are great for solving problems without clear solutions or even a clear eye on the problem, but you will lose all of your data affiliated with the connection of this specific Ring Doorbell to your account. So let’s see these factory reset steps for the Ring Doorbell 2.

To factory reset Ring Doorbell 2, you’re first going to want to locate the main black button on the front of the device. This is the main button of the device, so you should know exactly where this is – it’s the button that serves as the doorbell. Once located, these are the steps you need to follow to factory reset the device:

Steps:

Press and then hold the black button on the front of the device
Hold the button for 15 seconds, and then release the button
After the hold and release of the button, the front light on the device should begin to flash, which indicates that the reset has successfully been initiated
Now wait and allow the device to complete the reset itself (it may take a minute or so for the device to reset)
Once the reset has completed, you want to put the device into setup mode. This is done by simply pressing the same black button you used to reset the device
Complete the setup process

Once you’ve completed the setup process, you will have successfully hard reset your device to factory settings and then have subsequently set it back up with your proper account settings. This will reconnect the device and re-affiliate it with your account.

This should have solved any issues you may have been facing with the device prior to resetting it back to factory settings. If it hasn’t you may want to consider contacting Ring support or buying a new device altogether. While not common, sometimes the devices are unsalvageable even after factory resets.

Reset Ring Doorbell Pro to Factory Defaults

The reset steps for the Ring Doorbell Pro are rather similar to the Ring Doorbell 2.

Again, if you have any Wifi connectivity issues or any other issue with your Ring Doorbell, a factory reset may be the best way to resolve the issue if the problem isn’t all that obvious.

So what are the steps to hard reset Ring Doorbell Pro? Let’s dive into it:

Steps:

Press and hold the button on the right side of the Ring Doorbell Pro (DIFFERENT than the button used on Ring Doorbell 2)
Hold the reset button for roughly 30 seconds and then release it
This should spur the flashing light on the front of the Ring Doorbell which indicates to you that your Ring has initiated the reset protocol
As the flashing indicates reset has begun, wait for the reset process to run and complete, which should take roughly a minute or so, just like the Ring Doorbell 2
Once the reset has completed, you want to put the device into setup mode. This is done by simply pressing the same black button you used to reset the device
Complete the setup process

Once the reset has completed and you’ve initiated and ran the setup process, your Ring Doorbell Pro’s issues should be resolved. If that isn’t the case, you can try to factory reset your Ring again or contact Ring support. In certain rare cases, the Ring Doorbell could be entirely defunct and you may need a new device.

However, hopefully the reset has worked and you have your Ring device back up and running, protecting your family and property. There will be a troubleshooting section at the end of this piece for folks still running into problems.

How to Delete Ring Account

Okay, so perhaps you can’t get your device to work after a reset or you have simply had enough of the Ring Doorbell and all that it provides. In this case, it’s likely you’ll want to delete your Ring account. How to go about this isn’t always the most obvious thing so we’re going to discuss exactly how to cancel a Ring account. Here are the steps to follow to properly delete your Ring account:

Steps:

First and foremost, be sure to backup or take care of important footage you may need before you look to delete your account. Simply downloading this footage to a hard disk should do the job
Next thing to do is to factory reset (steps listed above) and remove the Ring devices affiliated with your account; if you don't do this, these devices will be attached to your account and unable to be repurposed by another account (ie. if you resell your Ring devices afterward)
The third step is to navigate to the site (you must login to continue)
Once you've navigated to the above site, be sure to read the disclaimers. Then click on the blue "Delete my Account" box

The goal was to delete your account and this should have done the job if you’ve followed to steps properly. You shouldn’t have to worry about your personal information being left with Ring and your old Ring devices can now be thrown out or resold – so long as you’ve factory reset them!

How to Change Wifi on Ring Doorbell

Connecting to or changing the Wifi on your Ring Doorbell is an easy task. Sometimes the Wifi can drop or disconnect for non-obvious reasons and you need to change the Wifi or simply disconnect and reconnect. We have you covered with the following steps describing how to connect Ring to Wifi:

Steps:

Begin by opening up your Ring app on your mobile device
Next, you want to look for the Devices list on the left side of your screen and tap on this list
The next step is to select the device you're trying to connect to Wifi from the list
After selecting the proper device, at the bottom of the screen, tap on "Device Health"
This will lead you to a page where you can either tap on "Reconnect to Wifi" or "Change Wifi Network"
You then simply follow the prompts to gain access to your Wifi network

You’re device should now be reconnected to your Wifi or the change to a different network should have taken place. There are scenarios and reports of folks continuing to have the issue of their Ring Doorbell not connecting to Wifi. In this event, you can attempt a factory reset, which is described above. Additionally, you may want to reach out to Ring support or consider replacing the malfunctioning device at your earliest convenience.

For those still facing issues and unwilling to give in, let’s check out some additional troubleshooting options! These options should help in the case that your non-connectivity issue persists.

Ring Doorbell Troubleshooting

So as we’ve noted, some account holders run into the Ring unable to join network issue. You’ve tried to disconnect and reconnect your Wifi; that didn’t work.

You’ve tried removing your device and re-adding it to your account; that didn’t work. You’ve tried the factory reset method; that didn’t work. So what could you possibly try now?

Well, lucky for you, there are a few more options. You can give the following troubleshooting options a go if your issues persist:

1. Adjust the distance between your router and Ring device

This can seem obvious for some folks but not everyone has the same understanding of how Wifi operates. With that being said, the distance between your router and Ring Doorbell will without a doubt play a role in your device’s ability to connect to the Wifi. If at all possible, moving your router closer the Ring device should give it a better chance and connecting to and maintaining that connection with your Wifi.

2. Swap your transformer

Another troubleshooting option you have is replacing the transformer that your Ring device runs off of. Ring devices’ power requirements can range from 16-24 volts but the transformer is only 16 volts. If you plan on, or are, utilizing all of the additional power-needy features such as two-way audio, video, etc., you’ll need a stronger transformer, capable of providing the upper threshold power requirements of the Ring doorbell devices.

3. Modem change

Your third option for resolving network related issues with your Ring device is a modem change. Depending on the age of your modem, and its featured capabilities, you may simply need something more powerful. Latency issues with older modems can lead to disconnection and lack of ability to connect your Ring device entirely.

4. Chime troubleshooting

This next troubleshooting step isn’t related to network connectivity like the previous options. This fourth troubleshooting point relates to the mechanical chime of the Ring devices, or lack thereof. Sometimes the issue of chime irregularity or no ringing at all can be related to tying your Ring doorbell into your pre-existing mechanical/wired chime.

A. The first piece of advice is to ensure you’ve installed the Ring doorbell with the original unit it arrived with. This original unit must be installed into your power-driven chime in order for the Ring doorbell to properly manage chimes. If this piece isn’t installed, the Ring doorbell is incapable of producing sound.

B. The second troubleshooting option for a lack of a chime actually goes the route of the software for Ring, or the Ring App. Inside the Ring App, you’ll want to navigate to the “Device Settings” > “General Settings” > “Doorbell Chime Type”. Now you should be looking for “Mechanical” in the menu. Once there, click on “Ring my in-home doorbell.” This will prompt your home’s properly connected mechanical chime to ring when the Ring doorbell button is pressed.

We’ve covered many of the various problems and strategies to address the problems that can arise with your Ring device right here in this article. Of course, there could always be other solutions out there to specific, circumstantial issues; but the aforementioned troubleshooting and details for resetting your device should resolve any issues you may or may be facing with your Ring device.

Summary

In conclusion, factory resetting your Ring doorbells is a simple, stress-free task. So long as you backup your old, important footage, you should have no problems at all with resetting your devices or cancelling your account.

While the processes for resetting the Ring Doorbell 2 and the Ring Doorbell Pro are quite similar, there are subtle differences in the procedural steps to accomplish a factory reset. Note these differences above and be sure to follow the proper set of steps for the device you own. If you do that, your reset should be all smooth sailing! Good luck with your reset, account cancellation, or Ring device troubleshooting!