The Ring doorbell is a popular gadget that brings your doorbell right on your smartphone. It allows you to view the video feed from the door camera, detects motion, offers two-way talk with any person in front of the door, and obviously gets personalized notifications.
Saving the recorded footage requires a Ring subscription, but still live streaming from the doorbell is free. The subscription is affordable and worthy if you are concerned about your main door’s security.
It happens quite often that the live video feed (known as the Live View) doesn’t work well or doesn’t load up at all. In this article, we will discuss the reasons that could cause this issue and how to fix it quickly.
As you know, the Ring doorbell is a smart device that needs to be connected to the internet all the time. Basically, it relies on your home’s WiFi connection for it to work properly and send out live images and notifications.
This means that, if you cannot access the Live View on your Ring Doorbell or see the saved videos, most likely the cause is poor network connectivity. In other words, your Ring doorbell cannot connect to the WiFi router, or the internet doesn’t work at all, or it works but it’s very slow.
The first thing you need to do to solve the “Live View not loading issue” is by rebooting your router, checking out if the internet works in your location, or bringing the router close to the doorbell. For more tips, read the instructions below.
Why Ring doorbell Live View is not working?
Ring Doorbell is not online
The Ring doorbell needs to be constantly connected to the internet in order for it to function properly. If the unit is not connected to the internet, most of its features will not work at all, including the Live View. How can you see the Live View on your phone when the doorbell is not getting any internet?
From our experience, this is the most common reason that makes the Ring’s live view not load up. The unit is simply not connected to the internet. In this case, you may need to check the internet connection and ensure that it works.
Slow or unreliable internet connection
In some cases, the Ring doorbell is actually connected to your WiFi router, but this connection is not stable, or it’s slow, or it goes in and out. If the connection is unstable, then the Live View will take a long time to load up or it will buffer continuously.
If the connection is going in and out, getting disconnected all the time, then the Live View will not show it all. You’ll get a failed message. For the Live View to work smoothly, the Ring doorbell needs a reliable internet connection. If your WiFi is slow, either upgrade the plan or try to bring the router closer to the doorbell.
Insufficient power on the Ring doorbell
The Ring doorbells run on both built-in batteries and directly from a power supply line. They have two power sources to create redundancy and to ensure the doorbell will work even if the power is disconnected.
Some users don’t install the backup built-in battery and rely solely on the power supply. When there’s a power outage, the camera will turn off, and obviously, you can’t see the Live View on the phone app.
In certain cases, the power supply is damaged and doesn’t deliver enough juice to the doorbell. One of the main symptoms is the doorbell rebooting constantly. Ensure that the power supply is fully functional.
Faulty unit
It may happen that there’s nothing wrong with the internet connection or the power supply, the unit is just faulty. A doorbell with a faulty camera, cannot transmit any live view to the phone.
You might check the camera’s lens as well, sometimes there’s dirt on it, or something else blocking the sensor from capturing any image. Inspect the doorbell closely and ensure there’s nothing obstructing the lens.
Faulty wiring
As in any other electronic device, any bad wiring may cause the Ring doorbell not to work. Loose wires or bad terminated cables may cause the camera to freeze or show choppy images.
Inspect the run and see if there is any damaged wire or loose connection. Try to test out the wire on another device. A faulty wire may stop the doorbell from ringing or connecting to the internet.
How to fix Live View Not Working on Ring doorbells?
Make sure the internet is fast and consistent
The Ring doorbell needs an internet connection and this connection needs to be fast and consistent. Any disconnections or hiccups, you will have issues with the doorbell. So, ensure that the WiFi in your home is working fine.
The Live View of the Ring cannot work if there’s no internet. How can you get the camera’s live picture on the phone if the unit is not exposed to the internet? This is the main reason why live views don’t work.
Simply check your connection and ensure the internet works and is stable. Check it via your phone or laptop, open up some random websites, and run WiFi tools to diagnose the signal coverage and strength.
Fix Router Position and Traffic
Sometimes you may have internet but the WiFi coverage is weak in the area where the Ring doorbell is located. An unstable connection will make the Live View to be choppy or not show up at all.
The WiFi router (or access point) should be close to the Ring doorbell to ensure a strong and stable internet connection. Test out the strength of the signal or bring the router closer just to see if there’s any difference.
Another issue is related to WiFi interference. If many WiFi routers are covering the area (for example your neighbors) using the same WiFI band, then there might be interference that makes the signal unstable.
If you live in a crowded spot with a lot of WiFi routers around, try to set the router on the 5GHz band and see if the connection is better. Some routers have a feature that automatically sets the signal on the best WiFi band, check if yours supports it and use it.
Fix any wiring or power issues
Live View will not work if there are issues with faulty wires or insufficient power. Start by checking the wire runs and ensure that there’s no damage.
Take a look at the termination, they need to be done correctly. If you can’t inspect the cabling yourself, you may need to hire an electrician.
Another thing is the power supply. Power outages and abnormal voltage fluctuations may cause the doorbell not to work properly. Sometimes the device will go on loop rebooting or randomly turn off.
It’s always recommended to install the backup battery on the camera and to be protected in case there’s an issue with the power supply.
Some users choose to use the internal battery as the primary power source and the external (grid) power just to ensure consistent power delivery.
Either way, a bad power supply or setup may cause power issues on the doorbell, hence the Live View will not work. Ensure your cabling and power supply works properly
Conclusion
The troubleshooting options we have listed should be able to fix your Ring Doorbell Live View not working issues. Sometimes the problem will not be solved and you cannot see the Live View no matter what you try on it.
At this point, it’s better to contact Ring support and let them deal with the issue. Provide the required information and their professional team will get it fixed. If the unit is unrepairable, they should warranty it and provide you with a replacement.
