Troubleshooting Ring Alarm Glass Break Sensor

Follow these steps to help resolve issues with your Ring Alarm Glass Break Sensor.

LED light patterns on your Glass Break Sensor 

The LED light patterns on your Glass Break Sensor indicate its current connection status. When you press the setup button on the front of the device, you will see one of the following patterns: 

• Three green flashes, a pause, followed by three green flashes:

  The sensor is ready to connect to your Base Station. 
• One green flash:

  The sensor is connected and communicating with your Base Station. 
• One red flash:

  The sensor is unable to communicate with your Base Station. 

How to reconnect your Glass Break Sensor when it will not connect 

Try these steps one at a time. If the LED flashes green one time after any step, the sensor is back online and working. 

1. Press the setup button on the front of the device. 
2. Move the Glass Break Sensor closer to the Base Station. 
3. Add a Range Extender between the Glass Break Sensor and the Base Station. 
4. Remove the back cover, remove all batteries, wait a few seconds, then reinsert them. 
5. Replace the batteries with new ones if there is no LED light on the Glass Break Sensor after completing the previous steps. 

How to test your Glass Break Sensor 

Ring does not recommend breaking glass to test the Glass Break Sensor. 

Glass Break Sensor uses technology to accurately detect the sounds of different types of breaking glass and reduce false alarms. Playing an audio recording of breaking glass is not a reliable test method. It can be difficult to replicate the sound of actual breaking glass using a phone, tablet, or stereo system. When glass breaks, there is often an initial “thud” at impact followed by a high-energy shattering sound. Professional-grade glassbreak simulators exist and are designed to accurately represent the sound profile of breaking glass. Ring does not offer this tool and recommends following manufacturer-provided operating instructions when using a third-party glassbreak simulator. 

How to test with a third-party glass break simulator 

1. Open the Ring app. 
2. Tap the menu (☰). 
3. Tap

   Devices

   . 
4. Tap the Glass Break Sensor under the

   Sensors

   section. 
5. Put your Ring Alarm system in

   Disarmed

   mode. This prevents a call from the monitoring center if breaking glass is detected. 
6. Change the Glass Break Sensor’s

   Power Save Mode

   setting to

   OFF

   . This enables the sensor to detect in

   Disarmed

   mode. 
7. Follow the device-specific operating instructions when using the third-party glass break simulator. Make a “thud” sound by pounding on the wall near the Glass Break Sensor before activating the simulator. 

Important: Change the Power Save Mode setting back to its previous state after testing is complete. 

How to fix your Glass Break Sensor when it is not detecting breaking glass 

If your Glass Break Sensor is not detecting breaking glass, check the following: 

1. Confirm the sensor is located within 25 feet of glass windows and doors, ideally 7 feet off the ground. Actual range and performance can vary due to usage, environment, and other factors. 
2. Confirm no other items are directly blocking the sensor. 
3. Check the modes in which the sensor is armed and monitored. Check if

   Power Save Mode

   is turned on in

   Mode Settings

   . If

   Power Save Mode

   is on and the system is not in an armed and monitored mode, the sensor will not detect breaking glass. 
4. Confirm the batteries are inserted correctly. Match the + and − symbols with the markings on your sensor. 

How to remove your Glass Break Sensor 

If you no longer want to use your Glass Break Sensor, or it is not working properly and you want to remove it, follow these steps: 

1. Open the Ring app. 
2. Tap the menu (☰). 
3. Tap

   Devices

   . 
4. Tap the Glass Break Sensor under the

   Sensors

   section. 
5. Tap

   Device Settings

   . 
6. Tap

   Remove Device

   at the bottom of the screen. 
7. Tap

   Remove Device

   on the next screen to confirm. 

After removal, the Ring app will confirm the device was removed. Leave the battery out until you are ready to reconnect your Glass Break Sensor to your Base Station. 

How to fix your Glass Break Sensor when it will not connect or adds a binary sensor 

If your Glass Break Sensor will not connect or adds a binary sensor, remove it from the Z-Wave network and re-add it using the Ring app. 

1. Remove the Glass Break Sensor from its base. Confirm the batteries are installed. 
2. Open the Ring app. 
3. Tap the menu (☰). 
4. Tap

   Devices

   . 
5. Tap

   Alarm Base Station

   or

   Alarm Pro Base Station

   . 
6. Tap

   Base Station

   . 
7. Tap

   Device Settings

   . 

Then remove the device from the Z-Wave network: 

1. Tap

   Advanced Options

   . 
2. Tap

   Z-Wave

   , then tap

   Remove Z-Wave Device

   . 
3. Tap

   Remove

   . The Ring app will display “Remove device, listening for device to remove.” 
4. Press and release the pinhole reset button on the Glass Break Sensor. The device should be removed successfully and can be re-added using the Ring app. 

Important: Always insert replacement batteries correctly, matching the + (positive) and − (negative) symbols on the battery with the symbols on your Glass Break Sensor. 

How to troubleshoot a Glass Break Sensor stuck in tampered status 

If your Glass Break Sensor is stuck in tampered status, work through the following checks in order. 

Confirm the mounting hardware and bracket 

1. Confirm you are using the included screws (3x21mm) and anchors (5x25mm) to mount the Glass Break Sensor. 
2. Check that the mounting bracket is not warped, bent, or damaged. If the mounting bracket appears slightly bent, loosen the screws. 
3. Check that the Glass Break Sensor’s lock icon lines up with the line on the mounting bracket. 

Check the tamper switch 

1. Remove the cover and check whether the tamper switch is attached. If the tamper switch is missing, contact Ring Customer Support. 
2. Confirm the plastic tab on the mounting bracket that pushes down on the tamper switch is not damaged. 

Test the Glass Break Sensor 

1. Press the User Button, which is the circular button with the LED ring on the top of the Glass Break Sensor. 
2. Check the LED response: 

• One flash:

  The sensor is communicating properly. Continue to monitor the device. If the issue persists, contact Ring Customer Support. 
• Three flashes:

  The device cannot communicate, and its last known status was tampered. Follow the steps below to resolve. 

How to resolve a tampered Glass Break Sensor that shows three flashes 

1. Remove the Glass Break Sensor from the mounting bracket. 
2. Move it within 3 to 5 feet of the Base Station. 
3. Press the User Button, which is the circular button with the LED ring on the top of the Glass Break Sensor. 
4. Return the Glass Break Sensor to its mounting location. 
5. Check the device dashboard in the Ring app for any alert about poor signal strength. If there is a signal strength alert, reinstall the Glass Break Sensor in a location with better signal. 
6. Confirm the tamper status has cleared. 

If the device still does not communicate successfully, remove the device from the Ring app and try a factory reset. 

How to factory reset your Glass Break Sensor 

If you have tried all of the troubleshooting steps above and your Glass Break Sensor is still not working, you can factory reset the device. This removes the device from your Base Station and resets it to its default settings. 

1. Remove the back cover and locate the small pinhole inside the battery compartment labeled

   RESET

   . 
2. Insert a paperclip or similar tool into the pinhole and hold it down for 10 seconds. The LED on the front of the device will quickly flash green for 10 seconds. 
3. Remove the paperclip when the flashing stops. The LED will turn solid red for 3 seconds, confirming the factory reset is complete and the device has been removed from the network. 
4. Remove the batteries from the Glass Break Sensor until you are ready to re-add it to your Base Station. 

If you have tried all these steps and your Glass Break Sensor still does not work, contact Ring Customer Support for assistance. 

Frequently asked questions 

Does the Glass Break Sensor detect all types of breaking glass? 

Glass Break Sensor is designed to detect the sound profile of breaking glass, which includes an initial impact “thud” followed by a high-energy shattering sound. Audio recordings of breaking glass played from a phone, tablet, or stereo system are not reliable substitutes and might not trigger detection. 

What is Power Save Mode on the Glass Break Sensor? 

Power Save Mode is a battery-saving setting that disables detection when the Ring Alarm system is not in an armed and monitored mode. If Power Save Mode is on and the system is disarmed, the Glass Break Sensor will not detect breaking glass. You can change this setting in Mode Settings in the Ring app. 

What happens if my Glass Break Sensor is installed more than 25 feet from a window? 

The Glass Break Sensor might not reliably detect breaking glass if it is installed more than 25 feet from glass windows and doors. Performance can also be affected by environmental factors such as room layout, wall materials, and ambient noise levels. If detection is inconsistent, try moving the sensor closer to the glass. 

What should I do if the Glass Break Sensor mounting bracket does not fit the included screws? 

The Glass Break Sensor includes 3x21mm screws and 5x25mm anchors designed for standard drywall mounting. If your mounting surface requires different hardware, use screws and anchors rated for that surface type while keeping the bracket flush and level to avoid tamper alerts.