How to Use Alexa Greetings

Alexa Greetings is an optional voice service available to Ring Plan subscribers (in the US) with compatible versions of Ring Wired Doorbell Plus (formerly Video Doorbell Pro) and all versions of Ring Wired Doorbell Pro (formerly Video Doorbell Pro 2). It allows Alexa to greet visitors, take messages and provide instructions on where to deliver packages on your behalf. Tap to learn more about Ring Plans.

You can enable or disable Alexa Greetings at any time in the Ring app by going to your Ring Wired Doorbell Plus or Ring Wired Doorbell Pro device dashboard and tapping on Smart Responses settings. To use Alexa Greetings you will need the latest version of the Ring app.

When Alexa Greetings is enabled and a visitor presses your Ring Wired Doorbell Plus or Ring Wired Doorbell Pro, after a preset delay selected by you (ranging from 0-20 seconds), your visitors will hear: “Hi, this is Alexa. May I know the purpose of your visit?”

Benefits of Alexa Greetings

Alexa Greetings assists in two specific situations: package deliveries and taking a message. For example, if the visitor is there to deliver a package, Alexa can provide instructions on where to leave the package. If their visit is not related to one of these two situations, or Alexa cannot identify these two situations, Alexa will respond: “Sorry, I can’t help you with that.”

Alexa Greetings videos

Alexa Greetings videos will be tagged as an Alexa Greetings event in the Ring app or on your Ring.com account. Since a Ring Plan is required for this feature, you can review, delete, download or share Alexa Greetings videos as you would other Ring video recordings in the Ring app or on your Ring.com account. Tap to learn more about Ring Plans.

How to set up Alexa Greetings in the Ring app 

1. Open the

   Ring app.
2. Tap the

   menu (≡)

   on the left side of your Dashboard in the

   Ring app

   .
3. Tap

   Devices.
4. Select your

   Ring Wired Doorbell Plus

   or

   Ring Wired Doorbell Pro.
5. Tap

   Smart Responses

   tile.
6. Tap

   Alexa Greetings.
7. Tap

   Continue.
8. Tap

   Enable Feature

   to turn on Alexa Greetings.
   • Customize how long your doorbell should wait for Alexa to answer the door with wait time options from “Right away” to 20 seconds.
   • You can also specify a location for couriers to leave packages. If you do not specify a location for couriers to leave packages, Alexa will inform the courier to “Please put it out of plain sight."

You can stop an Alexa Greeting and answer with Live View by tapping the green button or microphone button to speak, or by saying “Alexa, stop” to the doorbell directly.

How to link Alexa Greetings with modes^{1 2}

To set Alexa Greetings to turn on or off automatically when your Ring devices are in Home, Away or Disarmed mode:

1. Open the Ring app.
2. Tap the

   menu (☰)

   .
3. Tap

   Devices.
4. Tap the device you want to configure.
   • You must have enabled Alexa Greetings before in order to link this feature with modes.
5. Tap

   Mode Settings
6. Select the

   Mode

   you want to link to Alexa Greetings.
7. Tap your device again.
8. Under Smart Response Settings, toggle

   Alexa Greetings

   on or off as desired.
9. Repeat this process for at least one more of the modes so that Alexa Greetings is toggled on for at least one mode and is toggled off for at least one mode.

Using Modes in the Ring app requires a subscription (sold separately).

Alexa Greetings and Ring Wired Doorbell Plus compatibility

If you purchased your Ring Wired Doorbell Plus in 2017 or afterwards, you’ll most likely be able to use Alexa Greetings. To see if your Ring Wired Doorbell Plus is compatible, you can check the serial number on the back of the device.

Devices with serial numbers that begin with BHL2 and BHL3 are able to use Alexa Greetings. Devices that have serial numbers beginning with BHL1 are not able to use Alexa Greetings because of some hardware limitations.

The serial number is at the bottom of the label, under the barcode and begins with the letters S/N: followed by BHL1, BHL2 or BHL3. See image below.

Frequently asked questions

How is Alexa Greetings different from how my Ring Wired Doorbell Plus or Ring Wired Doorbell Pro works now?

Currently, when a Ring Video Doorbell senses motion, you are notified via the Ring app and can speak with whoever is at your door using Two-Way Talk. When Alexa Greetings is enabled, after the doorbell button is pushed and following the preset delay, Alexa begins speaking to your visitor, asking the purpose for their visit. Then Alexa either takes a message, or directs delivery drivers where to leave packages.

How can I review and manage my Alexa Greetings videos?

You can review your Alexa Greetings video history and delete your Alexa Greetings videos in the Ring app or by logging into your Ring account on Ring.com the same way you can review and delete any Ring video.

How long are Alexa Greetings interactions stored?

Video recordings from an Alexa Greetings interaction are stored in the cloud for up to 180 days and requires a Ring Plan (sold separately).

What data does Ring store from the Alexa Greetings interactions?

Alexa Greetings is available exclusively on the Ring app for Ring Plan subscribers in the US. As with other Ring video recordings, Ring will store the Alexa Greetings interactions for up to 180 days. You can manage Alexa Greeting videos in the Ring app or on Ring.com. You can use the same email address and password that you use for the Ring app on Ring.com.

Will Alexa Greetings interactions show up in my history feed of the Alexa app?

No.  

Is Alexa greetings available in Europe?

No. Currently Alexa Greetings is only available in the US.