Ring camera not detecting motion? How to fix it

⚡Fast fix

• Turn on Motion Detection in the Ring app.
• Make sure the camera has a strong Wi-Fi connection.
• Clear anything blocking the camera's view.
• Reset the camera in the Ring app or by removing the power source for 20 seconds.

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You're leaving for a week-long vacation and want to make sure your house is secure while you're away. Not to worry—your Ring® camera detects when there's motion nearby and sends you an alert through the Ring app.

Sometimes, however, the camera fails to detect motion when it should. A few different issues could be the cause of a Ring camera not detecting motion properly, but how do you know which one—and how to fix it?

At Asurion, our experts have seen it all, and we're here to help you troubleshoot everyday tech issues, like your Ring camera not detecting motion. Follow this guide to fix Ring motion alerts, so you always know what's happening around your camera.

Review motion settings in the Ring app

If your Ring camera isn’t detecting motion, start by checking its settings in the Ring app.

1. Open the Ring app on your mobile device and go to the main dashboard.
2. Find the camera that isn’t detecting motion and tap More (•••).
3. Select Device settings.
4. Make sure Motion detection is turned on.

If Motion Detection was turned off, that’s why your camera wasn’t reporting motion.

Once Motion Detection is on, tap Motion settings to fine-tune how your camera works. From here, you can:

• Adjust the motion sensor range.
• Redraw motion zones.
• Add motion schedules.

Keep in mind that motion alerts and motion recordings are not the same. Motion alerts send a notification to your phone when movement is detected. Motion recordings are video clips of that activity, and reviewing past recordings requires a paid Ring Home plan.

Also, check that nothing is blocking your camera’s view. Be sure your motion zones cover all the areas you want to monitor. If motion happens outside the selected zones, you won’t receive an alert.

Fix Wi-Fi and connectivity issues

The Wi-Fi connection may be to blame if your Ring camera is not detecting motion. Your camera relies on a strong Wi-Fi connection to transmit motion alerts and videos to your mobile device. Without this connection, the camera's motion detection may appear to be not working. Weak Wi-Fi can delay or even prevent motion detection alerts.

Try placing the router closer to the camera for a stronger connection. Remove any objects that could interfere with the Wi-Fi signal to the camera, such as large furniture or other internet-enabled devices.

Make sure the camera is connected to a 2.4 GHz band, not a 5 GHz one. You can check this and the signal strength in the Ring app's device health section.

1. Open the Ring app.
2. Find your camera and select More (•••) next to it for more options.
3. Choose Device Health.
4. Under the Network section, look at Signal Strength.

Ideally, the signal strength (RSSI) should be between -60 and 0, which appears green in the app. Disconnect and change the Wi-Fi network on a Ring doorbell camera, if necessary.

If you can't get a strong Wi-Fi connection in the areas you want to monitor, consider doorbell cameras that work without Wi-Fi.

Adjust camera placement and angle

Camera placement may be the cause of your motion detection issues. Often, if the camera is positioned too high, too far away from the desired motion zone, or at an incorrect angle, it won't detect motion properly.

Lighting and obstructions also play a role. If there's direct sunlight "blinding" part of the camera's view or a complete shadow obscuring motion, you may not receive motion alerts for those areas. Similarly, if a large object blocks the camera's view, it won't detect motion behind it.

To test your Ring camera's motion zones, open your Ring app and view the live feed at different times of day. Can you see everything clearly without any obstructions or lighting issues? You can even have someone else move around in front of the camera to check which areas are outside your motion zones.

Update firmware or reset the camera

Periodically, Ring sends out firmware updates to keep your security camera operating as smoothly as possible. Your Ring camera should install firmware updates automatically, but you can also check if there's an update available in the Ring app.

Installing the update (if available) may resolve the camera's motion detection issue.

Your next step to fix a Ring doorbell should be to reboot or power cycle it. The reboot gives the camera a chance to fix any background issues or temporary glitches. In the Ring app, select the device, then Device Health > Reboot This Device.

If you don't see this option, you can also reboot the camera manually by removing the battery or unplugging it for 20 seconds before reconnecting.

As a last resort, you can delete the camera from your account, perform a factory reset, and reinstall it from scratch.