Motion Not Detected
Ring Video Doorbell
Severity: ModerateWhat Does This Error Mean?
Ring doorbells not detecting motion are most often caused by Motion Alerts being turned off in the app, the motion zones being too small, or the Motion Frequency being set to Regularly or Rarely. Check the Motion Settings in the Ring app first.
Affected Models
- Ring Video Doorbell (1st–4th gen)
- Ring Video Doorbell Pro
- Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2
- Ring Video Doorbell Wired
Common Causes
- Motion Alerts toggled off in the Ring app
- Motion Sensitivity set too low
- Motion Zones do not cover the area where motion is occurring
- Motion Frequency set to 'Rarely' — long cooldown between alerts
- Phone notifications disabled for the Ring app at the OS level
- Ring device is offline — cannot send any alerts
How to Fix It
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Check that Motion Alerts are enabled.
Open the Ring app → tap the three lines → Devices → select the doorbell → Motion Settings → Motion Alerts. Ensure Motion Alerts is toggled On (blue). This setting is frequently accidentally turned off when users tap around in the app.
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Increase Motion Sensitivity.
Ring app → Devices → doorbell → Motion Settings → Motion Sensitivity. Slide the sensitivity higher. If your doorbell faces a road or moving trees, start lower to avoid constant false alerts. For a quiet area, setting sensitivity to maximum ensures all motion is captured.
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Adjust Motion Zones to cover the relevant area.
Ring app → Devices → doorbell → Motion Settings → Motion Zones. Draw or adjust the zones to cover the area where you want motion detected (front path, driveway, porch). Motion outside the drawn zones is ignored entirely — confirm the zones cover where visitors walk.
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Change Motion Frequency to 'Frequently'.
Ring app → Devices → doorbell → Motion Settings → Motion Frequency. Set to Frequently. The 'Regularly' and 'Rarely' settings introduce a cooldown period between alerts — if someone passes while in cooldown, you receive no alert for that event.
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Check phone notification permissions.
On iPhone: Settings → Notifications → Ring → ensure Allow Notifications is on. On Android: Settings → Apps → Ring → Notifications → ensure All Ring notifications are enabled. Also check that your phone is not in Do Not Disturb mode at the times when alerts are being missed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my Ring doorbell recording video but not sending motion alerts?
If Ring is recording but not alerting you, Motion Alerts is turned off in the app. Recording (saving clips) and alerting (pushing a notification to your phone) are two separate settings. Go to Ring app → Devices → your doorbell → Motion Settings → Motion Alerts and toggle it on. Also check your phone's notification settings for the Ring app — iOS and Android can silently block notifications.