Ring separates a power cycle from a factory reset. To power cycle a doorbell, camera or Chime, remove the battery pack for ten seconds and reinsert it, or unplug the device for ten seconds and plug it back in. This keeps settings. To factory reset, hold the setup button for twenty seconds, then release; Ring notes that after a reset you might need to set the device up again in the Ring app. A factory reset erases settings, motion zones, linked Alexa routines and shared user access, though it does not delete cloud-stored videos, which stay in your Ring account.
Ring's offline article adds that for a battery doorbell that will not power on, you hold the front doorbell button while resetting for thirty seconds with no charger connected, after charging for thirty minutes.
The checks in more detail
Use a reset when a device stays offline, will not respond, will not finish a firmware update, or you are handing it to a new owner; a device you are selling should be removed from your account first. Note the settings you rely on before resetting, since motion zones and modes will need rebuilding. After the reset, set up the device again from the app, on 2.4 GHz if it struggled before, and check firmware.
Photograph your motion zones and mode settings before you reset, because they take longer to rebuild than the device does to set up. After a reset, give the device a few minutes to finish booting before starting setup, since starting too early fails. If you are resetting to sell or give the device away, remove it from your Ring account first so that the new owner can add it without a support call.
Differential
Likely causes of “Ring doorbells and security cameras will not reset or needs to be reset safely”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
A stuck firmware update
What separates it The device does not respond because a firmware update has become stuck
How to confirm Factory reset the device, which clears the stuck update, and then set it up again in the app
- 2
Repeated offline states
What separates it The device will not stay connected because it keeps dropping offline repeatedly
How to confirm Power cycle the device first, and if it still drops, do a full factory reset
- 3
A new owner
What separates it The old owner's settings remain on the device because it has been passed to a new owner
How to confirm Remove the device from the old account, then reset it so that the new owner can set it up
- 4
A drained battery
What separates it The device will not start because its battery is completely drained
How to confirm Charge the battery first, and then hold the reset button to reset the device
- 5
A corrupt setup
What separates it The device will not join wifi because its setup is corrupt
How to confirm Reset the device and set it up again from the start in the Ring app
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- Which reset method you have already used, such as a power cycle or a factory reset
- The settings that you will lose, such as zones and routines
- The pattern of lights that the device shows
- Whether other people share access to the device
Try in this order
0 of 7 completedNote your settings
ReversibleNote your settings first, meaning the motion zones, the modes and the routines, so you can rebuild them.
Power cycle first
ReversiblePower cycle the device first, by removing power for ten seconds, since that can fix many problems.
Hold the setup button
ReversibleHold the setup button for twenty seconds, to start the factory reset on the device.
Wait for the light
ReversibleWait for the light to show that the reset has started, and then release the button.
Set up again
ReversibleSet the device up again in the Ring app, joining wifi and choosing the settings that you want.
Restore zones and routines
ReversibleRestore the zones and the routines that you noted, since a reset clears them from the device.
Contact Ring
ReversibleContact Ring if it will not reset, and tell them what the lights do when you hold the button.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- Battery
- Remove the battery pack for a power cycle.
- Wired
- Unplug or trip the breaker for a power cycle.
- Other models this page answers
- These steps also fit the Floodlight Cam Wired Pro.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !If the device will not reset, contact Ring Support
- !If it resets but will not set up, use the setup steps
- !If the device is second-hand, contact Ring for ownership
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Power cycle and factory reset.
Reconnect steps, 2.4 GHz, power and reset.
Setup checklist.
Firmware updates.
The company and its products.
Exact questions
Common questions
What is a power cycle?+
A power cycle means removing power for ten seconds and then restoring it, which restarts the device.
Are videos deleted?+
No, a reset does not delete your videos, since they are saved in the cloud on your account.
Are shared users deleted?+
Yes, shared users lose their access after a reset, so add them again afterwards.
Can a reset fix offline?+
Sometimes, a reset can fix an offline device, but try a power cycle and a restart of the router first.