Why Is My Ring Device Not Recording?
Your Ring doorbell or camera is designed to automatically record video when motion is detected or when you answer a ring, providing a valuable record of activity around your home. If you've discovered that your device has stopped recording these crucial events, it's a significant issue that needs to be addressed immediately. An empty event history means you have no footage to review in case of an incident. This guide will walk you through the most common reasons why a Ring device fails to record and provide clear, step-by-step solutions to get it working again.
The Most Common Causes for Recording Failure
Let's look at the primary reasons why your recordings might be failing. In almost all cases, it's one of the following four issues.
1. Ring Protect Plan Subscription Has Expired
This is the number one reason for a sudden stop in recordings. Live streaming is free on all Ring devices, but recording and storing video in the cloud requires an active Ring Protect subscription. If your trial period has ended or your subscription has expired due to a billing issue, your devices will immediately lose their ability to save videos.
2. Motion Detection is Disabled
It's possible that motion detection has been accidentally turned off for your device. This can happen through the main toggle in the app or via the 'Modes' settings (Disarmed, Home, Away). If the camera is not instructed to watch for motion, it will not know when to start recording.
3. Poor Wi-Fi Connectivity
For a video to be saved, it must be successfully uploaded from your Ring device to Ring's cloud servers. If your camera has a weak or intermittent Wi-Fi connection, this upload can fail. The motion might be detected, and you may even get a notification, but the video file itself never makes it to the cloud, resulting in a failed recording.
4. Incorrect Device Settings or Modes
The 'Modes' feature in the Ring app is a powerful way to control all your devices at once, but an incorrect configuration can disable recording. For example, if your 'Home' mode is configured to disable motion detection on an indoor camera, that camera will not record as long as the system is in 'Home' mode.
Step-by-Step Guide to Fixing Recording Issues
Let's systematically troubleshoot the problem.
Step 1: Check Your Ring Protect Subscription Status
Before you do anything else, verify your subscription.
- Log in to your account on the Ring.com website (not the mobile app).
- From the main dashboard, click on Protect Plan.
- Here, you will see the status of your subscription. It will show if it is active, expired, or if there is a billing problem.
- If the subscription has lapsed, you will need to renew it to restore recording functionality. It may take a few minutes for the service to be reactivated on your devices after payment.
Step 2: Verify Motion Detection Settings
Once you've confirmed your plan is active, check the settings in the Ring app.
- Open the Ring app and select the camera that is not recording.
- Tap on Motion Settings.
- Ensure the main Motion Detection toggle is switched on.
- Also, check your Motion Zones to ensure they are active and correctly drawn over the areas you want to monitor.
Step 3: Check Your Device's 'Modes' Settings
Next, let's see if your Modes configuration is the culprit.
- In the Ring app, tap the Mode icon (Disarmed, Home, or Away) on your main dashboard.
- Tap on Settings in the top right.
- Select Modes and then review the settings for each mode ('Home' and 'Away').
- For each mode, tap on 'Devices' and select your camera.
- Ensure that Motion Detection is not disabled for that camera in the modes you regularly use.
Step 4: Investigate Your Wi-Fi Connection
If your subscription and settings are correct, the problem is likely your network.
- In the Ring app, go to the device that is not recording.
- Tap on Device Health.
- Look at the Network section and check the Signal Strength (RSSI).
- An RSSI value between -60 and -90 indicates a poor signal that could definitely cause video uploads to fail. An ideal signal is -40 or better.
- If the signal is weak, you will need to improve the connection. Try moving your Wi-Fi router closer to the device, or install a Ring Chime Pro, which acts as a Wi-Fi extender specifically for your Ring devices.
Conclusion
A Ring camera that doesn't record is a critical issue, but it's one that can almost always be fixed by checking a few key areas. By first confirming your Ring Protect subscription is active, then verifying your in-app motion and modes settings, and finally ensuring your device has a strong Wi-Fi signal, you can resolve the vast majority of recording-related problems. This will restore your camera's most important function and ensure you always have a record of what's happening at your home.