Stop Doorbird False Notifications: A Practical Guide

How to Stop False Notifications From Your Doorbird Device

A video doorbell is meant to provide security and convenience, but receiving a constant barrage of false notifications can make it feel more like a nuisance. If your Doorbird is alerting you to every passing car, swaying tree branch, or even "ghost" motion, it's time to fine-tune its settings.

This guide will show you how to effectively reduce or eliminate false alerts from your Doorbird by correctly configuring its motion sensor, setting up schedules, and understanding what causes these phantom events.

## Identifying the Cause of False Alerts

The first step is to understand why your Doorbird is sending you these unwanted notifications. The most common culprits include:

• Overly Sensitive Motion Sensor: The default setting might be too high for your environment, causing it to pick up subtle movements.
• Poorly Defined Detection Area: If the motion sensor is monitoring a busy street or a neighbour's garden, you will get constant alerts.
• Environmental Factors: Moving shadows from clouds, trees swaying in the wind, and even heavy rain can be misinterpreted as motion.
• Light Changes: The headlights of a car sweeping across your property at night are a frequent cause of false alerts.
• Insects and Animals: A spider building a web directly in front of the lens or a neighbourhood cat can trigger the sensor.

## Step-by-Step Guide to Reducing False Notifications

Follow these steps within your Doorbird app to regain control over your alerts. You will need your administrator login details to access these settings.

### Step 1: Configure the Motion Sensor Area

This is the most critical setting to adjust. You need to tell your Doorbird exactly where to look for motion and what areas to ignore.

1. Open the Doorbird app and go to Settings → Administration.
2. Log in with your admin credentials.
3. Select Motion Sensor.
4. You should see a live view from your camera with a grid overlay. You can draw one or more areas on this grid. Only motion inside the area(s) you draw will trigger an alert.
5. Best Practice: Draw the zone tightly around the areas that matter, such as your walkway, porch, or driveway entrance. Crucially, exclude any public pavements, roads, or foliage that moves with the wind.
6. Save the settings once you have defined your desired area.

### Step 2: Adjust Motion Sensor Sensitivity

Once you have the area set, the next step is to adjust the sensitivity. This determines how much movement is required to trigger an event within your defined zone.

1. In the same Motion Sensor settings area, you will find a Sensitivity slider.
2. A higher value means more sensitivity to smaller movements. A lower value requires more significant motion.
3. If you are getting alerts from shadows or leaves, reduce the sensitivity.
4. If the sensor is failing to pick up actual visitors, increase the sensitivity.
5. This often requires some trial and error. Make a small adjustment, save it, and monitor the results for a day before adjusting again.

### Step 3: Set Up Schedules

Schedules don't stop motion events from being recorded, but they do stop the notifications from being sent to your phone at certain times. This is perfect for when you're home and don't need to be alerted to every movement.

1. In the Doorbird app settings, find the Schedules for motion section.
2. You can create a schedule that defines which days and times you want to receive motion alerts. For example, you might disable them during the day when you are home but enable them overnight and when you are typically away from the house.
3. You can create separate schedules for doorbell pushes, allowing you to always receive those alerts.

## What About "Ghost Rings"?

A "ghost ring" is when the doorbell chimes but no one has pressed the button. This is different from a motion alert and is often caused by electrical issues.

• Check Wiring: Ensure the two wires connected to your Doorbird are secure and not frayed or touching each other.
• Moisture: Make sure the connections are protected from rain and moisture, which can cause a short circuit.
• Power Supply: An unstable or incorrect power supply can sometimes cause the device to behave erratically. Verify your transformer meets the power requirements for your Doorbird model.

By carefully configuring the motion detection area, sensitivity, and notification schedules, you can make your Doorbird a much more effective and less intrusive security device.