Using Camera Motion Zones

Camera Motion Zones can help you better detect motion in the areas that matter the most to you, and reduce the number of undesired motion alerts (such as cars driving by). 

If you are using a battery-powered Ring device, you may need to turn on Advanced Motion Detection. Here's how:

1. Open the Ring app to the main dashboard.

2. Tap more (•••) on the camera you want to access.

3. Tap your device's Settings.

4. Tap

   Motion Settings.
5. Tap

   Advanced Settings.
6. Tap

   Advanced Motion Detection.
7. Toggle the switch on.

How to add a Camera Motion Zone

1. Open the Ring app to the main dashboard.

2. Tap more (•••) on the camera you want to access.

3. Tap your device's Settings.

4. Tap

   Motion Settings.
5. Tap

   Camera Motion Zones

   .
6. Tap

   Add Zone

   .
7. Drag the points to set your boundary and tap

   Save

   .

How to edit Camera Motion Zones

1. Open the Ring app to the main dashboard.

2. Tap more (•••) on the camera you want to access.

3. Tap your device's Settings.

4. Tap

   Motion Settings.
5. Tap

   Edit Zones

   .
6. Tap the Zone you want to adjust
7. Drag the points to set your boundary and tap

   Save

   .

Tips to optimize your Camera Motion Zones

Make your Ring device's view as clear as possible.

Motion detection can sometimes trigger undesired alerts because of moving trees, lightning, the rising or setting sun, reflections off a shiny object, headlights, shadows, and more. To reduce these types of alerts, adjust your Motion Zones, remove shiny objects, cut back tree branches that create moving shadows, or angle your device to avoid the sun.

Look for high traffic areas.

The standard maximum detection range for Ring devices is 30 feet, but larger objects in the distance, such as vehicles, can still cause a motion alert. Note any high traffic areas, such as busy streets or sidewalks. If you receive too many motion alerts from your Ring device, you can adjust your Motion Zones to exclude these areas.

Exclude areas you don’t need to monitor.

Note the potential paths people take to approach your device. Then redraw your Motion Zones to exclude areas where you rarely see people such as behind locked gates, hedges, or walls.

Learn more about Motion Detection

More Motion Settings in the Ring app

Motion Scheduling

Schedule timeframes in which you can turn off alerts. For example, if you know your garbage always gets picked up between 7:30 and 7:45AM on Tuesdays, you can schedule your motion detection alerts to turn off during that time.

During the time that motion alerts are turned off due to motion scheduling, you can’t turn on motion alerts manually without cancelling the motion schedule.

Note: This feature will only affect notifications coming from the Ring app, not from an Alexa-enabled device. Your Ring device will still record if motion is detected.

Learn more about Motion Schedules

Motion Sensitivity Slider

Fine tune the area your devices cover. Higher motion sensitivity will increase the number of alerts you get and drain battery-powered devices faster.

To adjust the Motion Sensitivity slider:

1. Open the Ring app to the main dashboard.

2. Tap more (•••) on the camera you want to access.

3. Tap your device's Settings.

4. Tap

   Motion Settings.
5. Tap

   Motion Sensitivity

   .
6. Adjust the

   Motion Sensitivity Slider

   .
7. Tap

   Save

   .

Note: If you only enable person detection on a plug-in or wired device, you may not be able to adjust the Motion Sensitivity slider.

Motion Frequency

Motion Frequency for battery-powered Ring devices allows you find the right balance between volume of alerts and battery life preservation.

• Frequently:

  Motion detection always stays active, shortest battery life.
• Regularly:

  Motion detection takes a short break after each motion alert. Medium battery life.
• Periodically

  : Motion detection takes a longer break after each alert. Maximum battery life. 

Smart Alerts

If you have a compatible Ring subscription, Smart Alerts let you refine your motion alerts to distinguish between people and other motion.

Learn more about Smart Alerts