Troubleshooting your Contact Sensor (2nd Gen)

Understand Contact Sensor (2nd Gen) light patterns, troubleshoot connection issues, perform a factory reset and more.

Learn more about troubleshooting tampered Contact Sensors

Ring Alarm Contact Sensor (2nd Gen) is offline or unresponsive

To get your Contact Sensor to respond or come back online:

• Move the Contact Sensor closer to the Alarm or Alarm Pro Base Station.
• Add a

  Range Extender

  between the Contact Sensor and the Base Station. The Range Extender helps extend and expand the Base Station’s Z-Wave network, allowing for greater range and signal strength for all compatible devices at your location.
• Briefly press the button on the front of the device. If you see:
  • Three green blinks:

    The Contact Sensor is ready to connect to the Base Station.
  • Single green blink:

    The Contact Sensor is connected and communicating with your Base Station.
  • Single red blink:

    The Contact Sensor is unable to communicate with the Base Station.

If your Contact Sensor isn’t working or being recognized by your Ring Alarm and the battery power is sufficient, you may have to adjust the position of the magnet and sensor. Move the sensor closer to the magnet or in a more optimal alignment.

View tips for installing your Contact Sensor

Removing your Ring Alarm Contact Sensor (2nd Gen)

To remove your Ring Alarm Contact Sensor (2nd Gen):

1. Remove the batteries from the Ring Alarm device.

2. Open the Ring app to the main dashboard.

3. Tap the Alarm tile under Devices.

4. Tap your device's Settings.

5. Tap the Device Settings tile..

6. Tap

   Advanced Options

   .
7. Tap

   Z-Wave

   .
8. Tap on

   Remove Z-Wave Device

   .
9. When the app says

   Listening for Device

   , put the Ring device into exclusion mode.
   • Tap the pinhole reset button.

The Ring app will let you know the device was removed. You should leave the battery out until you are ready to reconnect your Contact Sensor (2nd Gen) to your Base Station.

Ring Alarm Contact Sensor (2nd Gen) still won't connect or adds as a Binary Sensor

1. Open the Ring app to the main dashboard.

2. Tap the Alarm tile under Devices.

3. Tap Connected Devices.

4. Tap on the Alarm sensor you are trying to reconnect.

5. Tap the Device Settings tile..

6. Tap

   Advanced Options

   .
7. Tap

   Remove Failed Device

   .

The process of removing your coin cell batteries may differ depending on the type of Contact Sensor (2nd Gen) you’re using. You may need to use a Phillips #2 screwdriver to remove the battery security plate. You may need to use a small tool, such as a micro screwdriver, to carefully remove the batteries from their casing.

Always insert replacement batteries correctly, matching the + (positive) and - (negative) symbols on the battery with the symbols on your Contact Sensor.

Factory resetting your Ring Alarm Contact Sensor (2nd Gen)

If you've tried all of the above steps and are still having difficulty with your Contact Sensor, you may need to perform a factory reset on this device. There are a few reasons why a factory reset might be necessary:

• The Contact Sensor is still waiting or attempting to connect to the Ring app.
• The Ring app is prompting you to perform a factory reset.

To perform a factory reset:

1. Slide the Contact Sensor off its base. Ensure that the batteries are installed and that you are within three to five feet of the Base Station.
2. Use a pin, paperclip, or sim card ejector to press and hold the pinhole reset button.
3. After the LED light turns off, release the reset button.
4. Re-add the Contact Sensor to your Ring Alarm using the Ring app.

While repeating the setup process, when you’re prompted to pull the battery tab you may have to use a small tool such as a micro screwdriver to carefully remove the coin cell batteries from the casing of your Contact Sensor, then reinsert them.