Understanding Rich Notifications

Rich Notifications is a Smart Alert feature included in your Ring Protect subscription. It sends you a snapshot image of what’s happening in front of your Ring Security Camera or Video Doorbell so you can easily see what’s going on without needing to open the Ring app.

If you already have the Ring app you'll need to ensure you have the latest version. 

You may also need to update your mobile device's operating system.

What are Rich Notifications?

Rich Notifications are snapshot images that appear with your camera or doorbell notifications that can show you a preview of your event video. With a quick look at your notification, you can know immediately if you need to open up Live View to take a closer look, or if you’d rather wait and review your video later.

When a Rich Notification appears, you can expand the notifications to zoom in and see a bigger version of the image. The process of expanding the image is a little different for iOS and Android.  

On iOS

• Tap and hold the thumbnail to open up the full-frame snapshot.

Note: On iPhones settings, the Low Data Mode toggle needs to remain off in order for Rich Notifications to work. 

On Android

• Drag down the thumbnail to open up the full-frame snapshot.

Note: On Android phones, a setting called Background Data needs to be toggled on in order for Rich Notifications to work.  

In some cases, in order to ensure you receive notifications as fast as possible, you may receive multiple notifications. A regular notification to your smartphone will be sent as soon as possible and then that notification will be updated with an image. 

How long does a Rich Notification snapshot last?

Rich Notification snapshots are available on your phone until your notification is dismissed. We do not store Rich Notification snapshots in the Ring app. If your phone has a poor connection, we store the snapshot in the cloud for up to 15 minutes so that we can deliver it to you as soon as you are back online. In some cases of poor connection, you may not receive Rich Notifications. 

Can I turn off Rich Notifications?

Yes. You can activate and deactivate Rich Notifications by doing the following:

1. On the Ring app

   Dashboard

   , tap the three-lines at the upper-left of the screen.
2. Tap

   Smart Alerts.
3. Tap

   Rich Notifications.
4. Activate or deactivate Rich Notifications.

Do I need a Ring Protect plan to get Rich Notifications? 

Yes. Rich Notifications work on devices that are subscribed to an active Ring Protect plan or a free trial. 

Can I get Rich Notifications on my smart watch?

Possibly. Many models of Apple Watch and Android Smart Watches will show Rich Notifications, however smart watches are not officially supported by Ring.