Troubleshooting and light patterns for Ring Outdoor Contact Sensor

Ring Outdoor Contact Sensor detects when doors, gates, or windows open or close. Use this article to troubleshoot common issues and identify LED light patterns.

Troubleshooting

Issues scanning the QR code

• Make sure your mobile device operating system (OS) is up to date.
• Make sure the camera lens on your mobile device is clean and free of debris.
• Make sure the QR code on Outdoor Contact Sensor is not damaged, dirty, or covered in debris. Wipe it with a damp cloth or paper towel if needed.
• Make sure there is proper lighting in the room. If the room is dark, turn up the lights or move to a more well-lit area.
• If the in-app QR scan continues to fail, use your mobile device's native camera to scan the QR code. This will open the Ring app with the QR code already scanned.
• If these steps do not resolve the issue, contact Ring Customer Support.

Resolve software update failures

• Update your mobile device operating system (OS). Software updates use Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) and require a current OS version.
• Stay within one to five feet of Outdoor Contact Sensor during the update. BLE is short-range.
• Install fresh batteries. If Outdoor Contact Sensor was previously set up, replace the batteries and try again.
• Power cycle Outdoor Contact Sensor: Remove the batteries, wait 10 seconds, re-insert them, and try again.
• If the issue persists, contact Ring Customer Support for further assistance.

Outdoor Contact Sensor is stuck in Waiting to Join

If Outdoor Contact Sensor remains in a Waiting to Join state for five minutes or more:

• Make sure Outdoor Contact Sensor has fresh batteries. If Outdoor Contact Sensor is new, the batteries should be fully charged. If it was previously set up, replace the batteries and try again.
• Power cycle Outdoor Contact Sensor: Remove the batteries, wait 10 seconds, re-insert them, and try again.
• If you have a supported Sidewalk bridge or gateway nearby, move Outdoor Contact Sensor closer to it.

Outdoor Contact Sensor goes offline

If Outdoor Contact Sensor shows as offline in the Ring app:

• Make sure Outdoor Contact Sensor has fresh batteries. Replace the batteries and try again.
• Power cycle Outdoor Contact Sensor: Remove the batteries, wait 10 seconds, re-insert them, and try again.
• If the issue persists, contact Ring Customer Support.

Outdoor Contact Sensor is not detecting open or close events

• Make sure the magnet piece and sensor piece are aligned within one inch of each other.
• Make sure the door or gate closes fully without a gap.
• Open and close the door or gate to confirm Outdoor Contact Sensor is detecting correctly.
• If the issue persists, contact Ring Customer Support.

Key reminders

• Align the magnet piece with the sensor piece when mounting. The two pieces must be within one inch of each other for accurate detection.
• Outdoor Contact Sensor is weather-resistant. Install it according to the in-box guide for proper outdoor use.
• After setup, open and close the door or gate to confirm Outdoor Contact Sensor is detecting correctly.
• The device serial number (DSN) is located on Outdoor Contact Sensor label.

Light patterns

Startup: Green, blinks twice rapidly

Outdoor Contact Sensor is starting up.

Setup mode: Green, blinking slowly

Outdoor Contact Sensor is in setup mode and ready to connect to your network. This lasts up to 10 minutes.

Successful setup and update: Green, solid (three seconds)

Outdoor Contact Sensor has been set up or updated successfully.

Setup timeout: No LED

Outdoor Contact Sensor was not set up within the time limit. The LED turns off.

Factory reset in progress: Green, blinking rapidly

Outdoor Contact Sensor is performing a factory reset. Continue holding the setup button for 10 seconds.

Factory reset complete: Red, solid (one second)

Outdoor Contact Sensor has been reset successfully and will reboot into setup mode.

Network disconnected: No LED

Outdoor Contact Sensor is not connected to the network. There is no LED behavior.

Post registration reboot: No LED

Outdoor Contact Sensor is rebooting after registration. There is no LED behavior, but Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) remains active for up to five minutes.

Update mode: Green, blinking slowly

Outdoor Contact Sensor is in update mode and ready to receive an update. Press the setup button or send a cloud command to begin. This lasts up to five minutes.

Update in progress: Alternating red and green, blinking slowly

Outdoor Contact Sensor is receiving an update. Do not remove the battery during this process.

Update failed: Red, blinking rapidly

The update has failed. Try updating Outdoor Contact Sensor again.

Outdoor Contact Sensor open: No LED

Outdoor Contact Sensor has detected an open event. No LED is shown.

Outdoor Contact Sensor closed: No LED

Outdoor Contact Sensor has detected a close event. No LED is shown.

Tamper: Red, blinking quickly

The tamper switch on Outdoor Contact Sensor has been triggered.