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Using the SOS Button in the Ring App

Customers can use the SOS button to request emergency dispatch from both the Ring app dashboard and Live View. Access the SOS button as a stand-alone feature by subscribing to a Ring Home Premium plan, or as a part of our Alarm Professional Monitoring2 or Virtual Security Guard3 add-on services (sold separately) when you subscribe to a Ring Home Premium Plan1.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the SOS button?

The SOS button is an icon in the Ring app that offers an additional way to request immediate assistance to your Ring Alarm or camera’s location in an emergency. The SOS button is a shield-shaped icon on both the app dashboard and in Live View that, when tapped, allows you to:

  • Request immediate police, fire department, or medical dispatch to your device’s location in an emergency. You must have a Ring Home Premium Plan subscription (sold separately), or have added on Alarm Professional Monitoring
    2
    to your Ring Home Standard or Premium plan, or have SOS for cameras to request assistance.
  • Sound the siren (requires a Ring Alarm or Alarm Pro Base Station) as a deterrent if you see any suspicious activity, without requesting dispatch.

Note: If you are a camera-only user, a siren does not sound. You must have a Ring Alarm that has been set to link your compatible cameras to siren when the Base Station sirens.

How do I use the SOS button?

When you use the SOS button and slide one of the emergency request sliders, the Ring app sends an immediate signal to the monitoring center and requests local emergency dispatch.

  1. From the dashboard or Live View, tap the red SOS icon in the upper right corner of the screen.
    • To request police or fire dispatch, slide the police, fire, or medical icon across the screen.
    • To sound the siren, tap the blue Sound Siren Only button.
  2. The screen will display a 5-second countdown. You can cancel the request for help within these 5 seconds.
  3. After 5 seconds, the Ring Alarm Base Station and Keypad siren will sound (for police or fire). The screen displays a message notifying you that help has been requested.

The monitoring center will call your first emergency contact, and if the call is answered, the contact can either confirm the emergency or cancel the request. If no one answers, the monitoring center will dispatch the police, the fire department, or emergency medical services to the Ring Alarm location. After requesting emergency help, the monitoring center will call your other emergency contacts.

Important: An SOS signal can only be canceled by answering the first call. If the call is not answered, canceling SOS using the app will not cancel the request for police, fire, or medical responders.

Understanding SOS for Alarm users

If you request a police or fire response, the siren will sound on your Ring Alarm or Alarm Pro Base Station and Keypad. If you request a medical response, your Ring Alarm or Alarm Pro Base Station will announce that a medical emergency response has been requested.

Understanding SOS for camera users

If you don’t have an Alarm, you can request emergency dispatch but your camera device(s) will not sound a siren.

How do I use the SOS button for cameras?

  1. From the dashboard (top right of screen, red shield with an exclamation mark) or Live View (bottom left of the screen, red shield with exclamation mark), tap the SOS icon:
    • To request help, slide the police, fire, or medical icon across the screen.
    • To sound the siren, tap the Sound Siren Only button.
  2. The screen will display a 5-second countdown. You can only cancel the request within these 5 seconds.
  3. After 5 seconds, the Ring Alarm siren will sound for police and fire (requires a Ring Alarm Base Station). If you requested a medical response, the Base Station will announce that a medical emergency response has been requested. The app screen displays a message notifying you that help has been requested.

If I use the SOS button can I then cancel the emergency dispatch?

While SOS should only be used in an emergency, you have 5 seconds to cancel. After the request for dispatch has been sent, if your first emergency contact answers the monitoring center call, they can cancel.

Can I use the SOS button if I have the Ring Home Basic Plan or if I am self-monitored?

No. The SOS button is only available if you have:

  • A Ring Alarm or Alarm Pro with a Ring Home Premium subscription, and have added on Alarm Professional Monitoring (sold separately).
    2
  • A Ring Home Premium subscription, and have added on Virtual Security Guard (sold separately).
    3
  • A Ring doorbell or camera with a Ring Home Premium subscription and you are enrolled in SOS for cameras.

Password Note: Doorbell and camera users, your verbal password requirement may vary depending on your preferences when you enrolled in SOS.

Learn more about Ring Home Premium.

Ring app SOS false alarm tips

Before you use SOS during an emergency, its important to understand how you can avoid false alarms:

  • If you SOS in your camera Live View, please try to visually confirm that it’s a real emergency before your trigger SOS.
  • If your burglar alarm is already going off and you are unable to visually confirm an emergency, do
    NOT
    use SOS. When the monitoring center calls, you can tell them exactly what kind of help you need.

Last updated 1 week ago

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    1 See Ring Home Plan Subscriptions for more information.
    2
    Professional Monitoring is an add-on plan that first requires a compatible Ring Home subscription. Both sold separately. Service available within the U.S. (all 50 states, but not U.S. territories) and in Canada (excluding Quebec). Ring does not own its monitoring center. Smoke and carbon monoxide monitoring is not available for business or commercially zoned addresses. See Ring Alarm licenses at: ring.com/licenses. Additional fees may be required for permits, false alarms, or Alarm Verified Guard Response, depending on your local jurisdiction.
    3
    Virtual Security Guard sold by Rapid Response. Virtual Security Guard is an add-on plan that requires a compatible Ring Home subscription and an eligible device. All sold separately. Virtual Security Guard available within the U.S. (all 50 states, but not U.S. territories). Purchasing Virtual Security Guard will give you access to Ring Smoke and CO Monitoring (not available for business or commercially zoned addresses) and Ring Alarm Professional Monitoring, both of which are sold by Ring and may also be purchased as separate add-on plans. Ring does not own its monitoring center. See Ring Alarm licenses at: ring.com/licenses. Additional fees may be required for permits, false alarms, or Alarm Verified Guard Response, depending on your local jurisdiction.
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