The Ring Video Doorbell lets you see who's knocking on your door, right from your phone. It brings convenience, security and always-on video access to everything happening outside your front door.
It's all as simple as taking the phone out of your pocket and running the dedicated app to see what's going on. However, the introduction of the Apple Watch has made life much easier for many iPhone users. But, does it work well with the Ring Doorbell app?
In this article, we will discuss Ring Doorbell compatibility with Apple Watch.
How to Get Ringtone Notifications on Apple Watch
While the iPhone makes it incredibly easy to change your notifications, the Apple Watch complicates things a bit. Although the App Store has a Ring Doorbell app for its phones, it doesn't have a designated app for the Apple Watch. But that doesn't mean you can't receive Ring Doorbell notifications on your watch. In this section, we will explain all the steps to activate these notifications.
Enable ringtone notifications in iPhone settings
To enable notifications on your Apple Watch, you must start by working on your iPhone. First follow these steps:
- Download the Ring Doorbell app from the App Store.
- Log in to the app and tap "Allow" on the Notifications pop-up window. Notes: If you miss this popup, you can enable notifications using this path: Settings > Notifications > Ringtone > Allow Notifications.
Enable notifications in the Apple Watch app
Next, we'll make sure your Apple Watch receives the same notifications as your iPhone. Here's how:
- Using your iPhone, open the Apple Watch app. Notes: If you're having trouble finding your Apple Watch app, you can swipe left on your iPhone and type "Apple Watch" in the search menu at the top.
- Tap the Apple Watch app, then "Notifications."
- Scroll down to "Ringtone" and make sure the notifications switch is on (it will be green).
That's all we can say about it! We've included more information about the Ring Doorbell and Apple Watch below.
Can it make video?
Apple Watch allows its users to watch videos. To play the video someone sent you, you just need to tap on it. But, can you access live video footage from your Ring Video Doorbell? No you can not. Your Apple Watch can't provide live video content. Not for now, at least.
However, it can display the videos stored in your iPhone memory. Well, not by directly accessing the Photo app. Obviously the Apple Watch does not offer this option, but a workaround exists.
You can access messages stored on your iPhone with your Apple Watch. This means you can actually send the video you recorded to yourself - just type "Me" in the "To:" section when you start a new message. This will allow you to play the video on your Apple Watch.
You might be wondering what this has to do with the Ring Video Doorbell. While you can't view the live footage that the Ring app feeds to your phone, the app does come with a recording option. So technically you can record a video, send it to yourself in a message, and then view it later on the Apple Watch. It's not an ideal solution, but it's as close to viewing Ring Video Doorbell live footage on your smartwatch as you can get for the foreseeable future.
Troubleshooting ringtone notifications
By following the steps above, you should be good to go. But what can you do if you are still not receiving notifications? In this section, we'll walk you through some basic troubleshooting steps to get everything working properly.
Every time someone rings the Ring Video Doorbell at your door, you'll receive a notification on your phone. By default, this should also send the notification to your Apple Watch. Moreover, the app sends notifications when there is a movement in the particular area you have selected, so you will also be notified about it.
All notifications you receive on your iPhone should be reflected on the Apple Watch. However, you should give a check, just to be sure. To access global notification settings on iPhone, go to Settings, then locate Notifications and press it. This will show you a list of all apps installed on your device. Go to the Ring app and tap it. From this menu you can customize your settings.
Next, check that notifications are enabled in the Ring Doorbell app. To do this, tap "Devices" in the menu on the left side of the app. Next, make sure "Ringer Alerts" and "Motion Alerts" are turned on (the switch will be blue).
Assuming you have all notifications turned on, you'll also want to make sure your Ring device is connected to Wi-Fi and that your Wi-Fi is working properly.
Finally, you may need to update your Apple Watch, iPhone, or both. An outdated operating system can cause technical issues, including those involving notifications and connectivity.
The wrong side
The main issue with the Ring Video Doorbell system is that it doesn't have a dedicated Apple Watch app. This not only means you can't access live video from the Ring Doorbell, but also notifications won't show what you're being notified about. You will only know that you have received a notification on your phone.
This means you'll know your Ring Doorbell has been triggered, but you'll need to use your iPhone to figure out why. Unfortunately, the company hasn't given us any up-to-date information on when the Ring Doorbell will offer more functionality on the Apple Watch.
Frequently Asked Questions
We get a lot of questions about the Apple Watch and the Ring Doorbell. We have included this section to answer more of your questions.
Can I answer the Ring Doorbell with my Apple Watch?
Unfortunately no. The only way to answer your doorbell is to use the Ring app. As this app is not available on watchOS, you cannot use this feature.
I received a preview image on my Apple Watch, but it's no longer there. What happened?
Although Ring has not released any official word on this topic, there are numerous online forums and customer complaints regarding the temporary feature. Unfortunately, it was removed with an app update and it's unclear if it will return as a standard feature available to every Apple Watch user.
Safety first
Despite the mentioned inconvenience, the Ring app works seamlessly with iOS devices. And, let's be honest, you probably carry your phone everywhere, anyway. All you really need is a notification to remind you to take the phone out of your pocket and answer. The Apple Watch video option would be nice but, as of now, it's still not available.
Have you ever used the Ring Video Doorbell? What do you like about it? What do you think is missing? Let everyone know in the comments.
