How to Fix Ring Pixelated Video: A Troubleshooting Guide

Is Your Ring Camera's Video a Pixelated Mess? Here’s How to Fix It

There's nothing more frustrating than checking your Ring camera footage only to find a blocky, pixelated image where a clear picture should be. Whether it's your doorbell, spotlight cam, or indoor camera, poor video quality can make it impossible to see important details. This issue is almost always linked to your network connection, but don't worry – it's usually fixable.

This guide will walk you through the most common causes of pixelated video on Ring devices and provide clear, step-by-step instructions to restore that crisp, high-definition picture you expect.

Why Your Ring Video Is Pixelated

Before we dive into solutions, let's understand the root cause. Live video streaming from your Ring camera to your phone requires a stable and strong internet connection. When the connection is weak or interrupted, the camera has to compress the video data heavily to send it, resulting in pixelation, blockiness, and freezing.

You might be experiencing this problem if:

• Your Wi-Fi signal has to travel a long distance to reach the camera.
• Thick walls (brick, concrete) or large metal objects are blocking the signal.
• Your internet service provider (ISP) is having issues.
• Other devices on your network are consuming a lot of bandwidth.

Step-by-Step Troubleshooting for Ring Pixelated Video

Follow these steps in order to diagnose and resolve the issue.

1. Check Your Internet Speed and Wi-Fi Signal Strength

The first port of call is to check the connection quality.

• Run a Speed Test: Stand next to your Ring device and run an internet speed test on your smartphone. Ring recommends a minimum upload speed of 2 Mbps per device. If your speed is below this, the connection isn't fast enough to support clear video.
• Check RSSI in the Ring App: The RSSI (Received Signal Strength Indicator) measures the Wi-Fi signal your Ring device is receiving.
  1. Open the Ring app.
  2. Tap the three lines on the top left.
  3. Select your Ring device.
  4. Tap on Device Health.
  5. Look for the Signal Strength under the 'Network' section.
  • Good to Excellent: -40 to 0
  • Fair: -60 to -41
  • Poor: Below -61

If you have a high RSSI value (e.g., -65), the signal is weak, and this is the likely cause of the pixelation.

2. Improve Your Wi-Fi Signal

If your signal is weak, you need to bring the router and the Ring device closer together or remove obstacles.

• Move Your Router: Try moving your Wi-Fi router to a more central location in your home, away from walls and obstructions.
• Eliminate Interference: Keep your router away from other electronic devices like microwave ovens, cordless phones, and baby monitors, which can interfere with the signal.
• Install a Wi-Fi Extender: If you can't move your router, a Wi-Fi extender or a mesh network system can boost the signal to reach your Ring device effectively. The Ring Chime Pro acts as a dedicated Wi-Fi extender for your Ring devices.

3. Reboot Your Router and Ring Device

A classic tech support solution, but it often works. A simple reboot can clear up temporary glitches.

• Reboot Your Router: Unplug your router from power, wait for 30 seconds, and then plug it back in. Wait for it to fully restart before testing the camera.
• Reboot Your Ring Device:
  • For battery-powered devices: Remove the battery, wait 10-15 seconds, and reinsert it.
  • For hardwired devices: Turn off the power at the circuit breaker, wait for 30 seconds, and turn it back on.

4. Check Your Router's Wi-Fi Channel

Your router broadcasts Wi-Fi on specific channels. If your neighbours' networks are using the same channel, it can cause congestion and interference.

1. Access your router’s settings by typing its IP address (often 192.168.1.1) into a web browser.
2. Log in with your router's username and password.
3. Find the 'Wireless' or 'Wi-Fi' settings.
4. Try changing the channel from 'Auto' to a specific one, such as 1, 6, or 11.
5. Save the changes and see if the video quality improves.

5. Adjust Video Settings in the Ring App

While less common, certain settings could contribute to the issue. Ensure your device is configured for the best quality. Check for any video quality settings within the app and ensure they are set to the highest possible resolution (e.g., 1080p HD).

If you've tried all these steps and your Ring camera's video is still pixelated, it might indicate a more serious hardware issue. In this case, it's best to contact Ring Support directly for further assistance. They can perform more in-depth diagnostics and determine if your device needs a replacement.