Ring's app uses the time zone of the location set up in the account and shows timestamps in your current local time when you travel, and it cannot be changed manually. For the alarm, that means Event History times follow your phone while modes and schedules follow the location, so a schedule set at home fires at home time regardless of where you are. A wrong-looking time is usually the location's address, the phone's time zone or automatic time setting.
The checks in more detail
Check that the alarm's location address is correct, since it sets the time zone and also matters for monitoring dispatch. For status errors, such as the alarm showing armed when it is not, or sensors showing open, refresh the dashboard, check the base station is online and read the sensor's last update time; a sensor that is offline keeps its last state, which is why it can look stale. After a power outage or reboot the app may show old states until sensors report again.
If a sensor stays wrong, open and close it, replace its battery, retry the connection or reconfigure it in Advanced Options. If the app and keypad disagree, the base station may have lost connection, so run the offline steps. Contact Ring Support with a screenshot showing the time and event. Photograph the app next to the keypad display when they disagree, since the pair of images shows support exactly which side is out of date. A status that flips between online and offline is a connection problem, so follow the offline steps rather than the time steps.
Compare a sensor's last update time with the base station's, since a big gap points at that sensor rather than the app. When a status looks wrong, wait one minute and refresh before acting, because sensors report on a cycle and the app may simply be catching up. A time that is exactly one hour wrong for part of the year points at daylight saving time handling on the phone or the location settings, and switching the phone to automatic time normally corrects it at once.
Differential
Likely causes of “Ring Alarm Pro Base Station shows the wrong time, state or sensor reading”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
The location address
What separates it The times look off because the address of the alarm's location sets the time zone
How to confirm Check the location address in the account, since the time zone follows it
- 2
The phone time setting
What separates it The time is wrong on the phone because its own time setting is not correct
How to confirm Set the phone to update its time automatically, and check that the time zone is right
- 3
A stale sensor state
What separates it A sensor shows open or armed wrongly because its state on screen is stale
How to confirm Refresh the dashboard, then open and close the sensor to make it report its true state
- 4
An offline sensor
What separates it The last state remains on screen because the sensor is offline
How to confirm Use Retry Connection in the app, or check the sensor's battery, to bring it back online
- 5
A power outage
What separates it The status is old after a restart because sensors have not yet reported since the outage
How to confirm Wait a few minutes for the sensors to report to the base station after the power returns
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- The time shown in the app compared with the real time
- The address that is set for the alarm
- When the sensor last updated its state
Try in this order
0 of 7 completedCheck the location address
ReversibleCheck the location address in the app, since it is the source of the time zone for the alarm.
Set phone time automatically
ReversibleSet the phone to update its time automatically, and check that its time zone is correct.
Refresh the dashboard
ReversibleRefresh the dashboard and look at the sensor states, since an old view can show a state that has changed.
Open and close the sensor
ReversibleOpen and close the sensor to force it to send an update to the base station.
Replace the battery
ReversibleReplace the battery in the sensor if it is weak, because a weak battery causes stale states.
Retry the connection
ReversibleRetry the connection through the advanced options in the app, if the sensor still shows offline.
Contact Ring
ReversibleContact Ring with a screenshot, showing the time or status that looks wrong in the app.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- Location
- Time zone follows the location address.
- Status
- A stale sensor keeps its last state.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !If status stays wrong after resetting the sensor, contact Ring Support
- !If times stay wrong after fixing the address, contact Ring
- !If the keypad and app disagree, check the connection
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Base station and Z-Wave reconnect steps.
App overview.
Arm and disarm.
Modes.
The company and its products.
Exact questions
Common questions
Where does the time zone come from?+
The time zone comes from the alarm's location, which you set up in the account.
Can I change it?+
No, you cannot change it directly, and you can only change it by changing the location.
Why do times differ when I travel?+
When you travel, the app shows your phone's local time, so times can look different from home.
Why does a sensor look stale?+
A sensor looks stale when it is offline, so check its battery and its connection.
Does the address matter for monitoring?+
Yes, the address matters for monitoring, since the service uses it to send help to the right place.
Can outages cause old status?+
Yes, a power outage can leave old status on screen until the sensors report again.