If you’re searching for how to reset Ring doorbells, the answer depends on what you’re trying to fix. A restart keeps everything and solves most small problems. A factory reset erases the doorbell’s settings and Wi-Fi, so you have to set it up again in the app. Ring itself lists the factory reset as the last resort for an offline doorbell, not the first step.
This guide covers each option in the order you should try them, with the steps from Ring’s own support pages. If you have a Ring doorbell not working or showing as offline, the second half explains how to get it back online without a full reset.
Quick Answer
- Restart from the app: open the Ring app, go to Devices, select the doorbell, tap Device Health and choose Reboot This Device. It only works while the doorbell is online.
- Power cycle: take the battery out for about 10 seconds, or turn the power off at the switch or breaker for a wired doorbell.
- Reconnect to Wi-Fi: in Device Health, under Network, tap Reconnect or Change Network. Use this after a new router or a new Wi-Fi password.
- Factory reset: hold the setup button for 20 seconds, then release it.
- Selling it or moving out: remove the doorbell from your account in the Ring app. A factory reset alone doesn’t do that.
Restart, Reconnect or Factory Reset: Which One You Need
People use “reset” for four different things on a Ring doorbell, and each one erases something different. Choose the smallest one that solves your problem.
A reboot (restart) turns the doorbell off and on again. A power cycle does the same by cutting its power, which also works when the app can’t reach it. Reconnecting gives the doorbell your Wi-Fi details again and keeps everything else. A factory reset clears the doorbell’s settings and network, so it’s as if you just took it out of the box.
What none of these does is remove the doorbell from your Ring account. Ring is clear on this: to release a device, you have to remove it in the Ring app. Cancelling your plan, taking the doorbell off the wall or deleting the app doesn’t release it either.
How to Restart a Ring Doorbell
If you’re wondering how to restart Ring doorbells, the easiest way is the reboot option in the Ring app. Ring recommends it for distorted audio, beeping, recordings you can’t open, pink or discolored video, and night vision that turns on during the day.
- Open the Ring app and tap the menu (☰).
- Tap Devices and select your doorbell. Make sure it’s connected to Wi-Fi.
- Tap the Device Health tile.
- Scroll down to Reboot This Device and confirm.
- Give it a few minutes to start up again.
If the App Can’t Reach It
If your Ring doorbell is not working at all or shows as offline, the app can’t send the reboot command. Restart it by cutting the power instead:
- Quick Release Battery Pack (such as the Battery Doorbell 2K Plus or Battery Doorbell 4K Pro): slide the battery out, wait about 10 seconds and put it back.
- Built-in battery (such as the Battery Doorbell 2K): Ring says to briefly press and hold the setup button. It’s on the back, so you’ll need to take the doorbell off its mounting bracket first.
- Wired doorbells: turn off the power at the light switch or circuit breaker that feeds the doorbell, wait a few seconds and turn it back on. The doorbell restarts when the power comes back.
How to Factory Reset a Ring Doorbell
A factory reset is the right step when you’ve tried a restart and a reconnect and nothing changed, or when you’re giving the doorbell to someone else.
Find the Setup Button
Before you can follow the steps on how to reset Ring doorbells, you need to find the setup button. Ring places it in one of three spots, depending on how the doorbell is powered:
| Doorbell type | Where the setup button is | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Built-in battery | On the back of the doorbell | Battery Doorbell 2K |
| Removable battery | Under the faceplate, on the front | Battery Doorbell 2K Plus, Battery Doorbell 4K Pro |
| Wired | Under the faceplate, on the right side | Wired Doorbell 2K, Wired Doorbell 2K Plus, Wired Doorbell 4K Pro |
If you’re not sure which model you have, the Ring app shows it: go to Devices, select the doorbell, tap Device Settings, then Device Health, and look for Product Name under Device Details. Ring renamed many of its doorbells in 2026, so an older box may use a different name.
Hold It for 20 Seconds
Press and hold the setup button for 20 seconds, then release it. Ring uses the same 20 seconds for its doorbells, cameras and Chimes, so ignore older guides that say 10 or 15. If it’s a Ring camera that’s offline or not recording, our Ring camera troubleshooting guide covers the camera-specific checks.
The light shows when the reset is running. On battery doorbells, the blue circle flashes slowly. On wired doorbells, the blue light flashes and then a white light circles clockwise.
Ring says you might need to set the doorbell up again in the Ring app afterwards. Press the setup button once to put it in setup mode (a white light spinning in a circle) and follow the prompts in the app. Setup mode times out after 10 minutes, so have your Wi-Fi password ready before you start. Ring also keeps its own reset and power cycle page with the button locations.
Before You Sell It or Move Out
If you’re leaving the doorbell behind or selling it, remove it from your account first. Only the account owner can do this:
- In the Ring app, tap the menu (☰), then Devices, and select the doorbell.
- Tap Device Settings, then General Settings, then Remove Device.
- Choose Keep Events to deactivate it and still watch your saved videos until they expire, or Delete Events to delete it along with its Event History.
Either way, the next owner can then set it up on their own account. Removing the doorbell doesn’t cancel your Ring plan, so cancel that separately if you no longer need it. Our guide on whether you need a subscription for Ring explains what the plans include.
If you bought a used Ring doorbell and it says it’s registered to someone else, ask the previous owner to transfer it. If you can’t reach them, start the setup in the Ring app and tap Request Ownership. The previous owner then has up to 15 days to respond before a doorbell is removed from their account, and Ring support can’t make it faster.
Ring Doorbell Offline? How to Get It Back Online
When a Ring doorbell is offline, you don’t get live view, alerts or recordings. The app shows an offline icon on the doorbell’s camera tile, and tapping it shows an error code and Ring’s own suggested steps. Work through these before you factory reset.
1. Reconnect It in the App
Tap the menu (☰), then Devices, select the doorbell and open Device Health. Under Network, tap Reconnect or Change Network and follow the prompts. You’ll need to press the setup button on the doorbell, so do this at the door. This is the fix after you change your router or your Wi-Fi password.
2. Check the Wi-Fi Signal at the Door
Device Health also shows the doorbell’s signal strength (RSSI). Ring rates it like this:
| RSSI | Ring’s rating | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| 0 to -60 | Great | Strong performance |
| -60 to -70 | Okay | Could be improved |
| -70 to -80 | Poor | Delays and interruptions |
| -80 or worse | Very poor | Intermittent service or falling offline |
A front door is often far from the router, and brick, stucco or metal walls make the signal weaker. Ring suggests moving the router closer or switching to a mesh system. A Chime Pro used to be the other fix, because it doubles as a Wi-Fi extender for Ring devices, but it is no longer sold new and its replacement, the Chime Plus, doesn’t extend Wi-Fi. A Chime Pro you already own still works, and our Ring Chime vs Chime Pro comparison explains what changed. Our guide on why smart cameras keep going offline covers the Wi-Fi side in more detail.
3. Use a 2.4 GHz Network
Ring recommends connecting the doorbell to a 2.4 GHz network instead of 5 GHz, because 2.4 GHz reaches farther through walls. Some models only work on 2.4 GHz: the Wired Doorbell 2K, Battery Doorbell 2K and Peephole Cam 2K. Ring also suggests setting the doorbell up on a guest network as another option.
4. Restart the Router
Unplug your router and modem for 30 seconds, then plug them back in. Ring also lists two less obvious causes: a router firewall set too high, and more than one router in the house. If you added a second router, keep just one or ask your internet provider how to set the second one to bridge mode.
5. Check the Power
- Battery doorbells: charge the battery fully. In winter, Ring’s batteries stop charging below freezing, so a doorbell that charges from your doorbell wires or a solar panel can still run flat. Ring’s advice is to bring it inside and charge it with a USB cable. Our guide on how to charge a Ring doorbell battery has the steps for each model.
- A battery that ran completely flat: Ring says to charge it for 30 minutes from a USB wall charger. If it still won’t turn on, hold the front doorbell button while you do the factory reset, for 30 seconds, with the charger disconnected.
- Wired doorbells: a red light flashing at the bottom means the doorbell isn’t getting enough power. Most of Ring’s wired doorbells need a 16 to 24 VAC transformer, so an older, weaker transformer can make it keep dropping offline. Our guide on how to install a video doorbell explains how to check it.
If Setup Fails After a Reset
If setup doesn’t complete after a factory reset, the light on the doorbell tells you why:
- White light flashing on the right side: it couldn’t connect to your Wi-Fi network. Ring mentions distance and special characters in the network name.
- White light flashing on top: the Wi-Fi password was wrong. Passwords are case sensitive.
- White light flashing on the left side: it connected to Wi-Fi but couldn’t reach Ring’s servers, so check that your internet is working.
- Four corner lights flashing blue: setup worked.
If the doorbell still won’t stay connected after all of this, contact Ring support, especially if it’s under warranty. If it’s an older model and you’re thinking of replacing it, our guide to the best Ring doorbells compares the current lineup.
The Bottom Line
That’s how to reset Ring doorbells without erasing more than you need to. Start with a reboot in the app, or a power cycle if the app can’t reach the doorbell. If it’s offline, reconnect it and check the signal and power before anything else. Keep the 20-second factory reset for when nothing else works, and remove the doorbell from your account before you sell it or move out.
Where is the reset button on a Ring doorbell?
Ring calls it the setup button. On doorbells with a built-in battery it’s on the back, on models with a removable battery it’s under the faceplate on the front, and on wired doorbells it’s under the faceplate on the right side.
How long do you hold the button to reset a Ring doorbell?
Hold the setup button for 20 seconds, then release it. Ring uses the same 20 seconds for its doorbells, cameras and Chimes. Afterwards you might need to set the doorbell up again in the Ring app.
Can I restart my Ring doorbell from the app?
Yes, as long as it’s online. Open the Ring app, go to Devices, select the doorbell, tap Device Health and choose Reboot This Device. If it’s offline, cut its power instead: take the battery out or turn off the breaker.
Does a factory reset remove a Ring doorbell from my account?
No. Ring says you have to remove the doorbell in the Ring app to release it. Go to Device Settings, then General Settings and Remove Device. Removing it doesn’t cancel your Ring plan.
Why does my Ring doorbell keep going offline?
The usual causes are a weak Wi-Fi signal at the door, a new router or Wi-Fi password, a 5 GHz network, or not enough power. Check the signal strength in Device Health, reconnect the doorbell, and make sure the battery is charged or the transformer is strong enough.
Written by Evan Mercer
Founder & Lead Researcher, Smart Home Matrix
Evan digs through spec sheets, firmware changelogs, and thousands of owner reviews so you don’t have to. Every guide starts with a compatibility check and ends with picks he would install in his own home. Read more about Evan and this site, or see exactly how we choose products.