ecobee has a getting-started article and a compatibility check for the doorbell. Before installing, check that your home's transformer and chime work with it, turn off the circuit, disconnect the old doorbell and label its wires. Follow the wiring diagrams article for your setup, with or without an in-home chime, and consider the Chime Adapter if the in-home chime needs it. Mount the doorbell, restore power and watch the lights and voice prompts, which guide you through setup and show its state.
The checks in more detail
Open the ecobee app, add the doorbell and join your wifi, then follow prompts to name it and set up features such as the Activity Zone, chime settings and detection. If the doorbell was registered to someone else, they must unregister it or transfer ownership using ecobee's register and transfer articles. The doorbell can connect to compatible ecobee thermostats for live view, and can be added to Apple HomeKit or linked to Alexa.
If setup stalls, restart the router, move closer to the doorbell for the setup, check the power and try again. If it repeatedly fails, factory reset it using the lights and sounds guide. Test the doorbell press, live view and an alert after setup. Have the wifi password written down before you begin, since typing from memory is a frequent cause of failed setup. If setup works on another phone, the first phone's permissions were the cause.
Do setup during the day when you are not rushed. Complete wiring, power, wifi and the app in order, checking each before the next, since skipping ahead makes errors hard to attribute to their cause. The doorbell talks you through setup with voice prompts, so keep the phone near the door and listen for each prompt rather than tapping ahead, which is the usual way steps get missed.
Differential
Likely causes of “ecobee Smart Doorbell Camera will not complete setup or pairing”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
Incompatible wiring
What separates it The doorbell gets the wrong voltage or the chime does not work because the wiring is not compatible
How to confirm Run ecobee's compatibility check for your transformer and chime, and change the wiring if it fails
- 2
A previous owner's registration
What separates it The doorbell cannot be registered because it is still registered to a previous owner
How to confirm Ask the previous owner to transfer it or unregister it, then register it on your own account
- 3
A weak wifi signal
What separates it Setup stalls because the wifi signal at the front door is weak
How to confirm Improve the signal at the door with an extender or a mesh node, then try the setup again
- 4
A missing Chime Adapter
What separates it The in home chime stays silent because the Chime Adapter is missing
How to confirm Add the Chime Adapter so that the in home chime sounds when the doorbell button is pressed
- 5
A stuck setup
What separates it Setup cannot finish because the doorbell is stuck partway through
How to confirm Factory reset the doorbell as the lights and sounds article describes, then begin the setup again
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- The exact message or voice prompt that the doorbell gives during setup
- Whether the doorbell is registered to any account
Try in this order
0 of 7 completedCheck compatibility
ReversibleCheck compatibility for your transformer and chime, using ecobee's own compatibility check before you begin the install.
Turn off the circuit
ReversibleTurn off the circuit at the breaker and label the wires, so that you can connect them correctly later.
Wire it per the diagram
ReversibleWire the doorbell according to the diagram, choosing the version for use with or without a chime.
Restore power and watch lights
ReversibleRestore power and watch the lights, and listen for the voice prompts that guide you through setup.
Add it in the app
ReversibleAdd the doorbell in the ecobee app and join it to your wifi network when the app asks for it.
Set zone and chimes
ReversibleSet the Activity Zone and the chimes after setup, and choose the detection types that you want.
Test press, live view and alert
ReversibleTest the button press, the live view and an alert after setup, to check that each one works.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- Setup
- Guided by lights and voice prompts.
- Integrations
- HomeKit, Alexa and ecobee thermostats.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !If setup fails after a reset, contact ecobee support
- !If a previous owner registered it, ask them to unregister
- !If the wiring is unusual, ask a qualified electrician to check it before you continue
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Features, integrations and chime.
Wiring.
Light and voice patterns.
Register and unregister.
The company and its products.
Exact questions
Common questions
Do I need a compatibility check?+
Yes, check compatibility first, because the transformer and chime must suit the doorbell.
What is the Chime Adapter for?+
The Chime Adapter lets the doorbell sound the in home chime when the button is pressed.
Can I use it without an in-home chime?+
Yes, it can work without an in home chime, if you use a plug in transformer to power it.
Who can register it?+
The account of the current owner can register it, and a previous owner must unregister it first.
Does it voice prompt setup?+
Yes, it plays voice prompts during setup, which tell you what step you have reached.
Can I add it to HomeKit?+
Yes, the doorbell supports Apple HomeKit, so it can be added to the Home app after setup.
Should I test after setup?+
Yes, test after setup, to check that the button, live view and alerts all work as expected.