Does Your Ring Camera Offer 24/7 Recording?
A common question from new Ring users is, "Why can't I see what happened between motion events?" Many people assume that their security camera is recording all the time. However, with most Ring devices, this is not the case. Ring's primary philosophy is built around event-based recording.
This guide explains why most Ring cameras don't record 24/7, which models are the exception, and what you need to enable the feature.
Event-Based Recording vs. 24/7 Recording (CVR)
It's important to understand the two main types of recording.
- Event-Based Recording: This is the standard for most Ring devices. The camera remains in a low-power standby mode until its sensors detect a motion event or someone presses the doorbell button. It then "wakes up," records a clip of the event, saves it to the cloud (with a Ring Protect plan), and then goes back to standby.
- 24/7 Recording (Continuous Video Recording - CVR): This is what many people think of as traditional CCTV. The camera is always on and always recording, streaming a continuous feed to the cloud. You can then scroll back through a seamless timeline to view any moment, whether a motion event was triggered or not.
Why Most Ring Devices are Event-Based
The main reason for this design choice is battery life. The vast majority of Ring's most popular products, like the Ring Video Doorbell and Stick Up Cam Battery, are battery-powered. Continuously recording and uploading video would drain a battery in a matter of hours, making it impractical. Event-based recording allows these devices to operate for weeks or months on a single charge.
Even for powered devices, event-based recording significantly reduces bandwidth usage and the amount of cloud storage required, which helps keep subscription costs down.
Which Ring Devices DO Support 24/7 Recording?
While most models are event-based, Ring does offer 24/7 recording on a select few of its higher-end, powered devices. Continuous Video Recording is a premium feature that requires the device to be constantly connected to a power source.
As of recent updates, the devices that typically support this feature include:
- Ring Video Doorbell Pro
- Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2
- Ring Floodlight Cam
- Ring Spotlight Cam Wired/Mount
- Other specific powered-only models.
Crucially, no battery-operated Ring device supports 24/7 recording, even if it is connected to a solar panel or hardwired charger. The internal hardware is designed for battery conservation.
Requirements for Enabling 24/7 Recording
If you have a compatible, powered Ring device, there are two things you need to enable 24/7 recording:
### 1. A Compatible Device
As listed above, you must have a wired, plugin device that supports the feature. Check the product specifications on Ring's website if you are unsure about your specific model.
### 2. A Ring Protect Subscription
This feature is not available for free. You need an active Ring Protect Plus or Ring Protect Pro subscription plan. The basic plan does not include 24/7 CVR.
### How to Enable the Feature
If you meet both requirements, you can enable CVR in the Ring app:
- Open the Ring app and go to the dashboard.
- Tap the gear icon for your compatible, powered camera.
- Go to Device Settings.
- Tap on Video Recording Settings.
- You should see an option for 24/7 Recording or Continuous Video Recording. You can toggle it on from here.
For most users, Ring's advanced motion detection and event-based recording are more than sufficient. But if you require the absolute peace of mind that comes from a complete, uninterrupted timeline, you'll need to invest in one of Ring's premium powered devices and a corresponding subscription plan.