Ring Not Working With Google Home? A Guide to Connecting Your Devices
Integrating your Ring security devices with Google Home allows you to use Google Assistant for convenient voice commands. While the integration has some limitations, it can still be a useful part of a connected smart home. If you're having trouble linking your Ring account or your commands aren't working, this guide will help you troubleshoot the connection.
Understanding the Ring and Google Home Integration
First, it is crucial to understand what this integration can and cannot do.
What you CAN do:
- Use Google Assistant voice commands to start a new recording on a Ring camera or doorbell.
- Ask about the health of your Ring devices (e.g., "Hey Google, what's the battery level on my front door camera?").
- Ask about the last time your Ring doorbell was rung.
What you CANNOT do:
- You cannot stream the live video feed from a Ring camera or doorbell to a Google Nest Hub or Chromecast-enabled display. This is a major feature limitation that users should be aware of.
If your goal was to view your Ring camera on a Nest Hub, this is not currently supported. If you are having issues with the supported features, let's proceed with troubleshooting.
Step 1: Linking Your Ring Account in the Google Home App
The entire connection is managed within the Google Home app.
- Open the Google Home app on your smartphone.
- Tap the '+' icon in the top-left corner.
- Select 'Set up device'.
- Under the 'Works with Google' section, tap 'Have something already set up?'.
- Use the search icon to find and select 'Ring'.
- You will be redirected to a Ring sign-in page. Carefully enter your Ring account email address and password. This is the most common point of failure. Use the exact same credentials you use to log in to the Ring app.
- You will be asked to authorise Google to access your Ring devices. Tap 'Authorise'.
If the linking process fails, it's almost always due to an incorrect password or a two-factor authentication issue. Double-check your password and ensure you complete any 2FA prompts that Ring sends you (via text or email).
Step 2: If Devices Don't Appear or Are Unresponsive
If you've successfully linked your accounts but your devices aren't working with voice commands, try these steps.
- Use Specific Names: Make sure your Ring devices have clear, simple names in the Ring app (e.g., "Front Door", "Garden Camera"). Avoid complex names that Google Assistant might misunderstand.
- Sync Your Devices: After linking or renaming a device, it's good practice to ask Google to refresh its device list. Say, "Hey Google, sync my devices."
- Check Device Assignment: In the Google Home app, make sure your new Ring devices have been assigned to a 'Home' and a 'Room'. If they are unassigned, Google may have trouble controlling them.
Step 3: Unlink and Re-Link the Service
If the connection was previously working and has now stopped, or if the initial setup is failing repeatedly, the best solution is often to start over. This clears any authentication tokens or glitches.
- In the Google Home app, tap Settings (the gear icon on the main screen).
- Scroll down and tap 'Works with Google'.
- Under the 'Linked' section, find 'Ring'. Tap on it.
- Tap 'Unlink account' and confirm.
- Once unlinked, go back and follow the steps in Step 1 to add the Ring service again.
Example Voice Commands
Once everything is working, try these specific voice commands:
- "Hey Google, talk to Ring." (This starts the Ring service)
- "Okay Google, ask Ring to start a recording on my garden camera."
- "Hey Google, ask Ring about the health of my doorbell."
By ensuring you have the correct credentials and using the unlink/re-link method for troubleshooting, you can usually resolve any issues preventing you from connecting Ring to your Google Home ecosystem.