Is Your Ring Camera Not Detecting Motion?
When your Ring security camera fails to detect motion or send you alerts, it creates a critical blind spot in your home security. You rely on these notifications to know what's happening on your property. If they stop coming, the system isn't doing its job.
This guide will walk you through the most common reasons why your Ring device might not be detecting motion and how to resolve each one.
## First, Understand Your Ring Camera's Motion Sensor
Most battery-powered Ring devices (like doorbells and Stick Up Cams) use Passive Infrared (PIR) sensors to detect motion. These sensors are triggered by the heat signatures of moving objects like people and animals.
Wired Ring devices (like Floodlight and Spotlight Cams) often use more advanced, customisable motion detection that analyses changes in the video feed. Regardless of the type, the troubleshooting steps are largely the same.
## Step-by-Step Guide to Fixing Motion Detection
Let's work through the potential issues, from the most common and simple to the more complex.
### 1. Check Your Device Mode
Ring's "Modes" feature is a common culprit. Modes (Disarmed, Home, Away) are universal settings that control the behaviour of all your Ring cameras at once.
- Open the Ring app.
- On the main dashboard, look at the top to see which Mode is active: Disarmed, Home, or Away.
- If the Mode is set to "Disarmed", motion detection is likely turned off for your cameras by default.
- Tap "Home" or "Away" mode to activate your motion sensors. You can customise how your cameras behave in each mode by going to the main menu -> "Settings" -> "Modes".
### 2. Verify Motion Settings for the Specific Device
Even if your Mode is correct, motion detection could be turned off for an individual camera.
- From the app dashboard, select the camera that isn't working.
- Tap "Motion Settings".
- Ensure the "Motion Detection" toggle at the top is switched ON. If it's off, the camera will not detect any motion.
### 3. Review Your Motion Zones
Motion Zones tell your camera where to look for movement. If they are not configured correctly, your camera may not be watching the right area.
- In "Motion Settings", tap "Motion Zones".
- You should see at least one active, coloured zone. If the screen is grey, you may not have a zone set up.
- Ensure the zone covers the entire area where you expect to detect motion (e.g., your walkway, not just the wall next to it).
- If you have a battery device, make sure you are not trying to detect motion too far away, as PIR sensors have a limited range.
### 4. Check Your Wi-Fi Connection
A camera with a poor or non-existent Wi-Fi connection cannot send you alerts.
- Go to the device's main page in the Ring app.
- Tap "Device Health".
- Look for "Network Signal Strength" (RSSI).
- A good RSSI value is typically between 0 and -60. If your number is -65 or higher (e.g., -70, -80), your signal is weak, which can cause intermittent performance and missed notifications. You may need to move your router closer to the device or use a Wi-Fi extender like the Ring Chime Pro.
### 5. Disable Any Motion Schedules
You might have a schedule set up that's pausing alerts.
- Go to "Motion Settings" and tap on "Motion Schedules".
- Check if any schedules are active that coincide with the time you noticed the missed motion.
- You can disable the schedule by toggling it off to see if this resolves the issue.
### 6. Power Cycle the Camera
A simple reboot can often clear up software glitches.
- For battery devices, remove the battery, wait 30 seconds, and reinsert it.
- For wired devices, unplug it from the power source for 30 seconds or turn it off at the circuit breaker.
After the device restarts, walk in front of it to test whether motion detection is working again. By systematically checking these settings, you can almost always find the reason your Ring camera isn't detecting motion and get your security back on track.