Ring's user guide explains that the owner can add shared users and, on accounts with a Ring Alarm, Guest Users. No subscription is needed to add shared users. Shared users get Limited, Standard or Advanced permissions, and installers can get a Professional level. Guest Users can arm and disarm the alarm and lock or unlock connected locks with an assigned code, and can only be added to accounts with a Ring Alarm. Access can take up to fifteen minutes to show.
The checks in more detail
To add someone, open the menu, choose Account, Users and add them by email with a level, and they accept through their own login. Guests use a code on the keypad or in the app, so set codes that are easy to remember but not obvious, and delete a code when it is no longer needed. Alarm Guest Users are for people such as family, cleaners or dog walkers; owners can restrict when a guest may arm.
If someone cannot arm, check their level, their code and that the keypad is online. Only the owner can update firmware or change the network. A factory reset of the base station removes shared access, so re-add users afterwards. Keep a written list of people and codes and review it twice a year, since old codes are the most common quiet gap in an alarm. A guest who cannot arm may simply be entering the code before the keypad wakes, so wake it first.
When a guest leaves, delete the code the same day, since a forgotten code stays valid until you remove it. Share access at the lowest level that lets the person do their job, then raise it only if they cannot, since it is easier to grant than to withdraw. Give each person their own login and code rather than sharing yours, so that Event History shows who armed or disarmed and you can remove one person without disturbing anyone else.
Differential
Likely causes of “Ring Alarm Pro Base Station shared users or family members cannot control it”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
An invitation not accepted
What separates it The user does not appear because they have not accepted the invitation
How to confirm Resend the invitation, and ask them to check their spam folder for the email
- 2
A slow sync
What separates it Access is late because the new user is still syncing
How to confirm Wait about fifteen minutes for the new access to sync to their devices
- 3
The wrong level
What separates it The user has missing controls because their permission level is too low
How to confirm Change their level in the Users settings, so that it gives them the controls they need
- 4
A base station reset
What separates it The access has gone because the base station was reset
How to confirm Add the users again, since a reset removes shared access from the system
- 5
A guest code problem
What separates it A guest cannot arm the alarm because the guest code has a problem
How to confirm Reset the code, and check that the keypad is online and working
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- The permission level that the person was given
- The email address or the code that was used
- Whether the invitation has been accepted
- Whether the keypad shows online in the app
Try in this order
0 of 7 completedOpen Users
ReversibleOpen Users in the app, by going to the menu and choosing Account and then Users.
Add by email
ReversibleAdd the person by email, and choose the level that fits what they need to do.
Ask them to accept
ReversibleAsk them to accept the invitation, and to check their spam folder if it does not arrive.
Wait fifteen minutes
ReversibleWait about fifteen minutes for the access to sync, before you conclude that it has failed.
Set a guest code
ReversibleSet a guest code for people who need to arm the alarm, and review it from time to time.
Change the level
ReversibleChange the level if controls are missing, and check carefully what each level allows people to do.
Contact Ring
ReversibleContact Ring if it fails, and tell them the email that was invited and the level chosen.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- Guests
- Guest Users need a Ring Alarm on the account.
- Codes
- Each guest can have their own code.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !If access never appears, contact Ring Support and give them the email that was invited
- !If a code fails, check that the keypad is online and that the code is still active
- !If the owner cannot be reached, contact Ring with proof that you own the system
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Permission levels.
Arm and disarm.
Alarm reset.
Base station and Z-Wave reconnect steps.
The company and its products.
Exact questions
Common questions
Do shared users need a subscription?+
No, shared users do not need a subscription, and you can add them for free.
What levels exist?+
The three levels are Limited, Standard and Advanced, and each allows different controls.
Can guests arm the alarm?+
Yes, guests can arm the alarm with a code that you give them on the keypad.
Who can add guests?+
Accounts that have a Ring Alarm can add guests, who use codes at the keypad.
How long until access appears?+
Access can take up to fifteen minutes to appear, after the invitation is accepted.
Does a reset remove access?+
Yes, a reset of the base station removes access, so add the users again afterwards.
Should I delete old codes?+
Yes, delete old guest codes, so that nobody keeps access they no longer need.