To factory reset your Ring Video Doorbell 2, keep a charged battery installed, remove the faceplate, hold the front setup button for 20 seconds, then release it. Afterward, set up the doorbell again in the Ring app if required.
A factory reset is different from restarting the doorbell, changing its Wi-Fi network, or removing it from your account. If you only need to restore a connection or restart an unresponsive doorbell, try the reboot or network controls first.
The short version
- Factory reset: Hold the setup button beneath the front faceplate for 20 seconds, then release it.
- Restart instead: Reboot through the Ring app while online, or remove the battery for 10 seconds.
- Reconnect afterward: Complete setup in the Ring app using a 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi network.
- Ownership: A hardware reset does not release the doorbell from its registered owner's account.
| Action | Where to do it | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Factory reset | Front setup button, held for 20 seconds | Resets the hardware for setup again |
| Remote reboot | Device Health in the Ring app | Restarts an online doorbell |
| Battery power cycle | Removable battery beneath the faceplate | Restarts without Wi-Fi or a factory reset |
| Reconnect Wi-Fi | Network > Reconnect | Restores the network connection |
| Change Wi-Fi | Network > Change Network | Saves a replacement network |
| Repeat setup | Set Up a Device in the Ring app | Connects the doorbell after resetting |
| Join the setup network manually | Phone Settings > Wi-Fi | Connects your phone during setup |
| Remove and retain recordings | Remove Device > Keep Events | Releases ownership while retaining eligible recordings |
| Remove and delete recordings | Remove Device > Delete Events | Removes the device and access to its event history |
| Transfer to someone else | Location Transfer Ownership controls | Deactivates the device on your account |
| Request ownership | Setup prompts in the Ring app | Starts a request for a previously registered device |
| Approve an ownership request | Ring app or emailed request link | Authorizes transfer to the requester |
| Grant configuration access | User Permissions in the Ring app | Gives another user access to device controls |
| Install the Ring app | Ring's official app download page | Provides setup and device controls |
Check the model and prepare the doorbell
Confirm that you have a Ring Video Doorbell 2 before opening it. In the Ring app, open the menu, select Devices, and choose your doorbell. Find its Device Health tile, then check Product Name under Device Details.
Video Doorbell 2 has a removable battery and a front setup button beneath its faceplate. Video Doorbell (2nd Generation) is a different model with an internal battery and a rear setup button, so check the model before following the reset steps.
Have the Ring screwdriver ready and make sure a charged battery is installed. Allow any firmware update to finish before removing power or pressing the setup button. Doorbell 2 still uses its battery when connected to existing doorbell wiring, which trickle-charges the battery.
Factory reset with the setup button
Remove the security screw at the bottom of the doorbell using the Ring screwdriver, then remove the faceplate. Locate the setup button on the front beneath the faceplate, hold it for 20 seconds, and release it. Use the same procedure when your Doorbell 2 is connected to existing doorbell wiring, keeping its charged battery installed.
After the reset, complete setup in the Ring app if required. You do not need to delete the doorbell from your account before a troubleshooting reset. If setup reports that another person owns the device, use the ownership process below because another reset will not release that registration.
Set up the doorbell again
If you need the mobile app, get it through Ring's official app download page, follow the appropriate store link, and install Ring - Always Home. Tap Open and sign in to use the setup controls.
Open the Ring app and tap Set Up a Device at the bottom of the dashboard, then scan the doorbell's QR code. If scanning fails, tap Set up a non-Ring device or choose manually to continue. Select or create a location and give the doorbell a name.
When the app prompts you, press and release the setup button, then tap Light is Spinning White. This brief press enters setup mode and is separate from the 20-second factory-reset hold. On an iPhone, tap Join; on Android, allow the automatic connection or tap Connect when prompted.
Select your home Wi-Fi network, enter its password, and tap Continue. Choose a 2.4 GHz network because Video Doorbell 2 requires that Wi-Fi band. Finish the remaining app prompts.
If your phone does not connect to the doorbell automatically, open your phone's Settings > Wi-Fi. Select the network whose name begins with Ring- or Ring Setup, followed by letters and numbers, then return to the Ring app to finish setup. That temporary network connects your phone to the doorbell during setup; joining it does not perform another reset.
Restart without a factory reset
For a restart while the doorbell is connected to Wi-Fi, open the Ring app's menu > Devices and select your doorbell. Open Device Health, scroll to Reboot This Device, and confirm. Allow a few minutes for the doorbell to restart.
An offline Doorbell 2 cannot use that remote reboot control, but you can restart it by removing its battery. Remove the bottom security screw and faceplate, press the battery's metal release tab, and slide the battery out. Leave it out for 10 seconds, then slide it back in until it clicks.
Reattach the faceplate and security screw after reinserting the battery. This power cycle restarts the doorbell without performing a factory reset and works without Wi-Fi. Use the battery procedure even when your Doorbell 2 is hardwired, since its wiring charges the battery.
Reconnect or change your WiFi network
To reconnect an offline doorbell, open the Ring app's menu > Devices, select the doorbell, and open Device Health. Under Network, tap Reconnect and follow the prompts. You can also tap the offline icon on the device tile to open guided troubleshooting.
When you need to save a replacement network, use Device Health > Network > Change Network. Follow the prompts to select your replacement 2.4 GHz network and enter its password. Reconnecting or changing Wi-Fi does not factory reset the doorbell.
Give someone access to device settings
If someone else needs to help configure your doorbell, you can adjust their access through Ring's user permissions in the latest mobile app. From the owner account, open the menu, then Settings or Control Center, and select User Permissions.
Select an existing user, choose the location, and select Advanced. Tap Continue, review the permissions, then tap Save. Ring lists adjusting device settings among the permissions for Advanced users and Professional installers, but does not separately specify reboot or Wi-Fi change rights. Use the owner account for releasing ownership.
Remove the doorbell before giving it away
A factory reset alone does not release account ownership, so use the owner account when preparing the doorbell for someone else. Open the Ring app's menu > Devices, select the doorbell, then go to Device Settings > General Settings > Remove Device. Choose the recording option that matches what you want to retain.
To retain existing recordings, tap Keep Events, then Deactivate Device. Those recordings remain available until they expire with the required subscription. To remove the device and lose access to its event history, choose Delete Events instead.
You can also start a transfer through the Ring app's menu > Settings. Under Location Details, select Transfer Ownership > Create Request > Transfer devices to someone else. Select your doorbell and tap Continue, enter the recipient's email or skip it if unknown, then review and tap Continue again. The transfer deactivates the doorbell on your account.
Resolve a previous owner registration
If your doorbell is still registered to a previous owner who is unavailable, open Set Up a Device in the Ring app and scan the QR code. Follow the prompts, select Request Ownership, then choose Only This Device. Wait for Ring's confirmation before completing setup; the doorbell can remain on the previous account for up to 15 days during the request process.
If you are the registered owner receiving a request, open Ring's notification or the link in its email to review it. In the app, open the menu > Settings, select Transfer Ownership under Location Details, and open New transfer request. Select the doorbell, tap Continue, and tap Transfer to approve it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does removing a Ring Doorbell 2 cancel its subscription?
Removing the doorbell from your account does not cancel its subscription. You need to handle subscription cancellation separately from resetting or removing the device.
Can Alexa factory reset or reboot my Ring Doorbell 2?
Ring does not document an Alexa command that factory resets or reboots Doorbell 2. Its documented Alexa doorbell commands cover viewing and answering the doorbell.
Can I reset the doorbell through the Ring desktop app or website?
The Ring desktop app is no longer available, and Ring does not offer a documented browser factory-reset or reboot control. You also cannot remove devices directly on Ring.com, although an emailed ownership request can open a website approval screen.
Will deleting the Ring app release the doorbell for a new owner?
Deleting the app, physically uninstalling the doorbell, or canceling a subscription does not release its ownership. You need to use account removal or the ownership transfer process instead.
What phone software do I need for the current Ring app?
You need iOS 17 or higher, or Android 9 or higher, for the current Ring mobile app. Ring also provides an Amazon Fire store link on its official download page.
What happens when a Shared User removes the doorbell?
As a Shared User, you can use Device Settings > General Settings > Remove Device to remove your own access. That action does not reset the doorbell or release the owner's registration.