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Ring and Alexa are both Amazon products. They are designed to work together out of the box, and linking them opens up features that neither device offers on its own. Once connected, you can see live video from Ring doorbells and cameras on Echo Show screens, hear doorbell announcements through any Echo speaker, check your cameras with voice commands, and build Alexa Routines that react to motion or doorbell presses automatically.
The setup takes about five minutes. You need the Alexa app on your phone, a Ring device that is already installed and working through the Ring app, and an Echo device (any model). Both your Ring and Alexa accounts must be tied to the same Amazon account, and all your devices need to be on the same Wi-Fi network.
This guide covers Ring doorbells, Ring cameras, and Ring Alarm. Whether you have a single Ring Video Doorbell or an entire Ring security system with contact sensors and motion detectors, the Alexa integration process follows the same path. Start with linking the Ring skill, then set up announcements, voice commands, and automations from there.
How to Connect Ring Doorbell to Alexa
The connection between Ring and Alexa happens through the Ring skill in the Alexa app. Once you enable this skill and link your Ring account, every Ring device tied to that account shows up in Alexa automatically. Here is the step-by-step process.
- Open the Alexa app on your phone. This works on both iOS and Android. Tap “More” in the bottom-right corner of the screen, then tap “Skills & Games” from the menu that appears.
- In the Skills & Games section, use the search bar at the top to search for “Ring.” The official Ring skill should appear near the top of the results. Tap on it to open the skill page.
- Tap “Enable to Use.” The app will prompt you to sign in to your Ring account. Enter the email address and password you used when you set up your Ring device. Since Ring and Alexa are both Amazon services, this step links the two accounts together. If you have two-factor authentication enabled on your Ring account, you will need to enter the verification code as well.
- After linking your account, Alexa asks if you want to discover devices. Tap “Discover Devices.” The app scans for all Ring hardware associated with your account. Within about 30 seconds, your Ring doorbells, cameras, and alarm system (if you have one) should all appear in the device list.
You can also skip the in-app discovery and just say “Alexa, discover my devices” to any Echo speaker or Echo Show. It does the same thing.
One shortcut worth knowing: if you set up your Ring doorbell using the same Amazon account that your Alexa devices use, the Ring skill may already be enabled. Check the Alexa app under Devices to see if your Ring hardware is already listed. Amazon has been auto-linking Ring and Alexa accounts for users who share the same login credentials across both platforms since late 2022.
How to Set Up Ring Doorbell Announcements on Alexa
Doorbell announcements are one of the most useful parts of the Ring and Alexa integration. When someone presses your Ring doorbell, your Echo devices can chime and announce who (or what) is at the door. You choose which Echo devices make the announcement, so you can limit it to specific rooms or have every speaker in the house alert you.
- Open the Alexa app and tap “Devices” at the bottom of the screen. Find your Ring doorbell in the device list and tap on it. Look for the “Doorbell Press Announcements” option in the device settings.
- Toggle on the Echo devices you want to use for announcements. You can pick just one – the kitchen Echo, for example – or turn them all on. Each device has its own toggle, so you have full control over which rooms hear the announcement.
When someone presses the doorbell, the selected Echo devices play a chime sound followed by a spoken announcement. The default message is “Someone is at the front door,” but it uses whatever name you gave the doorbell in the Ring app. If you named your device “Back Door,” the announcement says “Someone is at the back door.”
If you have an Echo Show (any model with a screen), the experience is even better. Along with the audio announcement, the Echo Show automatically pulls up a live video feed from the Ring doorbell camera. You can see who is at the door without picking up your phone or walking to the door. Two-way talk also works through the Echo Show, so you can have a conversation with whoever rang the bell.
To customize which announcements you receive, go back to the Ring doorbell settings in the Alexa app. You can also enable motion announcements separately. This means your Echo devices will announce when the doorbell detects motion, not just when someone physically presses the button. Motion announcements are useful if you want to know when someone approaches your door, even if they never ring the bell – a delivery driver dropping off a package, for example.
How to View Ring Camera on Echo Show
Any Ring camera or doorbell with a camera can stream live video to an Echo Show. This works with every Echo Show model, including the Echo Show 5, Echo Show 8, Echo Show 10, and Echo Show 15. You just need to use a voice command.
Say “Alexa, show me the front door” to your Echo Show. Replace “front door” with whatever you named the camera or doorbell in the Ring app. The live video feed appears on the screen within a few seconds. This works for Ring Video Doorbells, Ring Stick Up Cams, Ring Indoor Cams, Ring Floodlight Cams, Ring Spotlight Cams, and any other Ring camera model.
Two-way talk works through the Echo Show. When the live feed is active, you can speak to the person near the camera and hear their response through the Echo Show speakers. This is handy for telling a delivery driver where to leave a package or letting a guest know you will be at the door in a minute.
To stop the video feed, say “Alexa, stop” or swipe down on the Echo Show screen and close the feed. The feed also times out on its own after a few minutes if you do not interact with it.
If you have multiple Ring cameras, you can check each one by name. Say “Alexa, show me the backyard camera” or “Alexa, show me the garage.” The voice command matches the device name in your Ring app, so use names that are easy to say and remember.
Here is a quick reference for the Alexa voice commands that work with Ring devices.
| Voice Command | What It Does |
|---|---|
| “Alexa, show me the [camera name]” | Displays a live video feed from that Ring camera or doorbell on your Echo Show |
| “Alexa, answer the front door” | Opens a live view of the Ring doorbell with two-way talk enabled |
| “Alexa, stop” | Closes the current live video feed on the Echo Show |
| “Alexa, arm Ring” | Arms Ring Alarm in Away mode |
| “Alexa, arm Ring to Home” | Arms Ring Alarm in Home mode (sensors active, motion detectors off) |
| “Alexa, disarm Ring” | Disarms Ring Alarm (requires your 4-digit voice PIN) |
| “Alexa, show me the last activity on [camera name]” | Plays the most recent recorded motion event (requires Ring Protect subscription) |
How to Create Alexa Routines with Ring
Alexa Routines let you chain multiple actions together based on a single trigger. Ring devices – doorbells, cameras, and alarm sensors – can act as triggers for these routines. This is where the Ring and Alexa integration gets really powerful, because it connects your Ring security devices to every other smart home device on your Alexa network.
Here are two practical examples. First: when your Ring doorbell detects motion, automatically turn on the porch light if you have a smart bulb or smart switch connected to Alexa. Second: when someone presses the Ring doorbell, announce “Someone is at the door” on all Echo devices and turn on the hallway lights at the same time. These kinds of automations run without you doing anything once they are set up.
- To create a routine, open the Alexa app and tap “More” in the bottom-right corner. Tap “Routines.” Tap the “+” icon in the top-right corner to start a new routine.
- Under “When This Happens,” tap “Smart Home.” Select your Ring device from the list. You will see the available trigger options for that specific device. For a Ring doorbell, you can choose “Doorbell Press” or “Motion Detected.” For a Ring camera, you can choose “Motion Detected.” For Ring Alarm sensors, you get options like “Open” or “Close” for contact sensors, or “Motion Detected” for Ring motion detectors.
- After selecting the trigger, tap “Add Action” to define what happens when the trigger fires. You can add multiple actions. Some common ones include making an announcement on specific Echo devices, turning smart lights on or off, adjusting a smart thermostat, locking a smart lock, or playing a specific sound or music. You can even add a “Wait” action to introduce a delay between steps.
- Tap “Save” when you are done. The routine is active immediately. You can test it by triggering the Ring device – wave your hand in front of the motion sensor or press the doorbell – and watch the routine execute in real time.
Routines work with Ring Video Doorbells (all models), Ring Stick Up Cam, Ring Indoor Cam, Ring Floodlight Cam, Ring Spotlight Cam, and all Ring Alarm sensors including door and window contact sensors, motion detectors, flood and freeze sensors, and the Ring Alarm Panic Button.
How to Connect Ring Alarm to Alexa
Ring Alarm is Ring’s home security system. It includes a base station, a keypad, and various sensors. It is a separate product from Ring doorbells and cameras, but it connects to Alexa through the same Ring skill. If you already linked the Ring skill earlier, your Ring Alarm base station and sensors should already appear in the Alexa app under Devices.
The main benefit of connecting Ring Alarm to Alexa is voice control. Instead of walking to the keypad or opening the Ring app on your phone, you can arm and disarm the system with a voice command. Say “Alexa, arm Ring” to arm the system in Away mode. Say “Alexa, arm Ring to Home” to arm in Home mode, which typically keeps door and window sensors active but turns off interior motion detectors so you can move around the house freely.
For security, Alexa requires a 4-digit voice PIN before it will disarm Ring Alarm. You set this PIN in the Alexa app under the Ring Alarm device settings. When you say “Alexa, disarm Ring,” Alexa asks for your PIN before completing the action. This prevents anyone from disarming your alarm system by simply shouting a command at your Echo speaker.
Ring Alarm sensors can also trigger Alexa Routines, which opens up some useful automations. For example, when the front door contact sensor detects an opening, you can have Alexa announce “The front door just opened” on the kitchen Echo. Or when a Ring motion detector senses movement in the hallway at night, you can have Alexa turn on a smart nightlight at 10% brightness for two minutes.
Here is a breakdown of Ring devices that work with Alexa and what each one can do through the integration.
| Ring Device | Live Video on Echo Show | Doorbell Announcements | Motion Alerts | Alexa Routine Trigger | Voice Control |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ring Video Doorbell (all models) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Ring Stick Up Cam | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Ring Indoor Cam | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Ring Floodlight Cam | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Ring Spotlight Cam | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Ring Alarm Base Station | No | No | No | No | Yes (arm/disarm) |
| Ring Alarm Contact Sensor | No | No | No | Yes (open/close) | No |
| Ring Alarm Motion Detector | No | No | No | Yes (motion detected) | No |
Ring and Alexa Not Connecting – How to Fix It
If your Ring devices are not showing up in the Alexa app, or the connection between the two is not working properly, run through these troubleshooting steps. Most problems come down to account mismatches, Wi-Fi issues, or a stale skill link.
- Check that both Ring and Alexa are on the same Amazon account. This is the most common issue. If you created your Ring account with one email address and your Alexa account with a different one, the two platforms cannot see each other. Open the Ring app and check the email listed under Account. Then open the Alexa app and check the email under Settings. They need to match. If they do not, you will need to migrate one of the accounts or re-register a device under the correct account.
- Verify that all devices are connected to Wi-Fi. Both your Ring device and your Echo device need an active internet connection. If the Ring device is offline, check the Ring app – it shows the device status on the main dashboard. If the Echo is offline, unplug it for 30 seconds and plug it back in. It reconnects to Wi-Fi automatically on restart.
- Re-enable the Ring skill. Sometimes the link between Ring and Alexa gets stuck, especially after a Ring app update or a password change. In the Alexa app, go to More, then Skills & Games. Search for Ring and tap on the skill. Tap “Disable Skill.” Wait a few seconds, then tap “Enable to Use” again and re-enter your Ring login credentials. After re-linking, run device discovery again.
- Restart your devices. Unplug your Echo speaker or Echo Show for 30 seconds and plug it back in. For Ring doorbells and cameras, check the Ring app to confirm they are online. If a Ring device is battery-powered, remove the battery, wait 10 seconds, and reinsert it. For wired Ring devices, toggle the circuit breaker off and on.
- Update both apps. Make sure the Ring app and the Alexa app are running the latest version. Outdated apps can cause compatibility issues, especially when Amazon rolls out new features or changes the skill-linking process. Check the App Store (iOS) or Google Play Store (Android) for available updates.
If Ring cameras show “Live View Failed” on your Echo Show, your internet connection is likely the bottleneck. Ring cameras need at least 2 Mbps upload speed from your home internet for smooth live video streaming. Run a speed test on your phone while connected to the same Wi-Fi network your Ring camera uses. If the upload speed is below 2 Mbps, contact your internet provider about upgrading your plan, or move your router closer to the Ring device to improve signal strength.
Do You Need Ring Protect to Use Ring with Alexa
No. Ring Protect is Ring’s paid subscription plan, and it is not required for the Alexa integration. You can connect Ring to Alexa, view live video feeds, receive doorbell announcements, use two-way talk through Echo Show devices, and create Alexa Routines – all without paying for Ring Protect.
Ring Protect is only required for features that involve recorded video. Without a subscription, Ring cameras and doorbells work as live-view-only devices. You can check the camera feed in real time whenever you want, but the system does not save any recordings. If you miss a motion event or a doorbell press, there is no footage to go back and review.
With Ring Protect, your Ring devices record video clips triggered by motion or doorbell presses and store them in the cloud for up to 180 days. You can also share video clips with neighbors or law enforcement, and you unlock the Alexa command “Alexa, show me the last activity on [camera name]” to replay the most recent recorded event on your Echo Show.
Here is a breakdown of the current Ring Protect plans and what each one includes.
| Plan | Monthly Cost | What It Covers | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ring Protect Basic | $3.99/month | One device | Video recording, video sharing, snapshot capture |
| Ring Protect Plus | $10/month | All devices at one address | Everything in Basic plus extended warranty on Ring devices |
| Ring Protect Pro | $20/month | All devices at one address | Everything in Plus, 24/7 professional monitoring for Ring Alarm, cellular backup |
If you only have one Ring doorbell and do not care about saving video clips, you can skip Ring Protect entirely. Live video, real-time motion alerts to your phone, doorbell announcements on Alexa, and Routines all work on the free tier. Ring Protect becomes worth considering if you want to review footage after the fact or if you have Ring Alarm and want professional monitoring.
Frequently Asked Questions About Connecting Ring to Alexa
Do I Need an Echo Show to Use Ring with Alexa?
No. Any Echo device works with Ring for doorbell announcements, motion alerts, and Alexa Routines. You only need an Echo Show (a model with a screen) if you want to view live video feeds from your Ring cameras and doorbells. An Echo Dot, Echo, or Echo Studio will play audio announcements and support Routines, but they cannot display video because they do not have screens. If live video viewing is important to you, the Echo Show 5 is the most affordable option with a display.
Can Alexa Unlock the Door When Ring Doorbell Rings?
Alexa cannot directly unlock a door in response to a Ring doorbell press through a built-in feature. However, if you have a smart lock connected to Alexa (such as an August, Schlage, or Yale smart lock), you can create an Alexa Routine that triggers when the doorbell is pressed. The catch is that Alexa Routines do not support unlocking smart locks as an action for safety reasons. You would need to use the smart lock app or physically unlock the door. You can, however, lock the door with a Routine – just not unlock it.
Why Is My Ring Doorbell Not Showing Up in the Alexa App?
The most common reason is an account mismatch. Your Ring account and Alexa account must use the same Amazon login. If they use different email addresses, Alexa cannot see your Ring devices. Another common cause is that the Ring skill needs to be re-enabled. Go to Skills & Games in the Alexa app, search for Ring, disable the skill, and enable it again.
After re-linking, run device discovery by tapping “Discover Devices” or saying “Alexa, discover my devices.” If the doorbell still does not appear, make sure it is online in the Ring app and that your Alexa app is updated to the latest version.
Can I Use Ring with Alexa if I Have Two Amazon Accounts?
Ring and Alexa must be on the same Amazon account for the integration to work. If your Ring account uses one Amazon login and your Echo devices are registered to a different Amazon login, they cannot communicate. You have two options: transfer your Ring device to the Amazon account your Alexa uses (through Ring customer support), or deregister your Echo devices and re-register them under the Amazon account your Ring uses. Merging two Amazon accounts into one is not currently possible, so you need to pick one account and move everything to it.
Does Ring Work with Google Home Instead of Alexa?
Ring has limited compatibility with Google Home. You can view live video from Ring cameras and doorbells on Google Nest Hub displays using the “Hey Google, show me the front door” command, and Google Home supports basic Ring notifications. However, the integration is not as deep as with Alexa. Features like doorbell press announcements, Alexa Routines with Ring triggers, and Ring Alarm voice control are exclusive to Alexa.
This makes sense since Ring and Alexa are both Amazon products. If you primarily use Google Home, Ring will work for live video but you will miss out on the automation and announcement features.
Can Alexa Announce Motion from Ring Cameras?
Yes. Motion announcements work for Ring cameras, not just Ring doorbells. In the Alexa app, go to Devices, select your Ring camera, and look for “Motion Announcements” in the settings. Toggle on the Echo devices you want to hear the announcement. When the camera detects motion, those Echo speakers will announce it. Keep in mind that if your Ring camera covers a busy area, you may get frequent motion announcements. Adjusting the motion sensitivity in the Ring app and setting up motion zones can reduce false triggers and prevent your Echo speakers from announcing every car that drives by.
See Also
How to connect Alexa to the internet