How to Reboot Ring Camera? 3 Super Easy Methods

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How to Reboot Ring Camera: Every Method Explained for 2026

Ring cameras are reliable home security devices, but they are still electronic gadgets that occasionally freeze, lose connection, or act up. When your Ring camera stops responding, shows a blank live view, or throws error messages in the app, a reboot is usually the fastest fix.

There are several ways to reboot a Ring camera, and each one serves a different purpose. A soft reboot restarts the camera without erasing your settings. A factory reset wipes everything and returns the camera to its out-of-the-box state. Knowing which method to use (and when) saves you time and prevents unnecessary setup headaches.

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This guide covers every reboot method for Ring cameras in 2026, including the Ring Spotlight Cam, Ring Stick Up Cam, Ring Floodlight Cam, Ring Indoor Cam, and Ring doorbell models.

Method 1: Power Cycle the Camera (Soft Reboot)

A power cycle is the simplest form of reboot. You are just cutting power to the camera and turning it back on. This clears temporary software glitches without changing any of your settings, WiFi connections, or saved footage.

For Battery-Powered Ring Cameras

Remove the camera from its mount if necessary.
Open the battery compartment and remove the battery pack.
Wait 10 seconds.
Reinsert the battery and let the camera power back on.
Wait about 30 to 60 seconds for the camera to reconnect to your WiFi network.

For Wired Ring Cameras (Spotlight Cam Wired, Floodlight Cam, Indoor Cam)

Unplug the camera’s power cable from the outlet or junction box.
Wait 10 seconds.
Plug the power cable back in.
Wait 30 to 60 seconds for the camera to boot up and reconnect to WiFi.

For Ring Video Doorbells (Hardwired)

Turn off the circuit breaker that powers your doorbell.
Wait 30 seconds.
Turn the circuit breaker back on.
Wait about 1 to 2 minutes for the doorbell to fully restart and reconnect.

After a power cycle, open the Ring app on your phone and check the device’s live view to confirm it is working. If the camera reconnects to WiFi and shows a clear feed, the reboot was successful.

Method 2: Reboot Through the Ring App

The Ring app on iOS and Android lets you restart some camera functions without physically touching the device. While the app does not have a dedicated “reboot” button for most camera models, you can trigger a soft restart by toggling certain settings or by removing and re-adding the device.

Option A: Toggle Motion Detection

This is not a true reboot, but it forces the camera to refresh its connection:

Open the Ring app on your phone.
Tap on the camera you want to restart.
Tap the gear icon (Device Settings).
Go to Motion Settings.
Toggle Motion Detection off, wait 10 seconds, then toggle it back on.

Option B: Remove and Re-Add the Device

This method fully disconnects the camera from your Ring account and lets you set it up again from scratch through the app. Use this when a simple power cycle does not fix the issue.

Open the Ring app and tap the camera you want to reset.
Tap the gear icon to enter Device Settings.
Scroll down and tap General Settings.
Tap Remove This Device at the bottom of the menu.
Confirm the removal.
After removal, tap the + icon on the main screen to set up a new device.
Follow the on-screen instructions to add the camera back to your account.

Warning: Removing a device from the Ring app also removes all stored footage for that camera from your Ring account. If you have important recordings, download them through the Ring app or Ring.com before removing the device.

Method 3: Factory Reset Using the Reset Button

Every Ring camera has a physical reset button. Pressing it for an extended period restores the camera to its factory default settings. This erases your WiFi credentials, device name, motion zones, and all custom configurations. Use this method only when other options have failed.

Steps for Most Ring Cameras

Locate the reset button on your camera. On most Ring Spotlight Cams and Stick Up Cams, it is on the top of the device. On Ring Doorbells, it is on the back (you may need to remove the faceplate). On the Ring Indoor Cam, it is on the back panel.
Make sure the camera is powered on (battery charged or plugged in).
Press and hold the reset button for 15 to 30 seconds. The exact duration varies by model, but holding for a full 30 seconds works for all current models.
Release the button when the status light on the camera begins to blink. On most models, the light blinks slowly after a successful reset.
Wait 1 to 2 minutes for the camera to complete its reset.
Open the Ring app and set up the camera again as a new device by tapping the + icon and following the setup flow.

After a factory reset, the camera behaves exactly as it did when you first took it out of the box. You will need to reconnect it to your WiFi network, name it, set up motion zones, and configure any notifications or linked devices.

Method 4: Reconnect to WiFi

Sometimes the camera hardware is fine, but it lost its WiFi connection. This happens after router restarts, WiFi password changes, or network outages. Instead of rebooting the entire camera, you can just reconnect it to your network.

Open the Ring app on your phone.
Tap the menu icon (three lines) in the top-left corner.
Tap Devices and select the camera that is offline.
Tap Device Health.
Under the Network section, tap Change WiFi Network or Reconnect to WiFi.
Follow the on-screen prompts to connect the camera to your network. You may need to press the setup button on the camera to put it in pairing mode.
Once connected, test the camera’s live view to confirm it is online.

If your Ring camera consistently loses WiFi connection, the problem might be signal strength rather than a camera issue. Check the RSSI value in Device Health. An RSSI value between 0 and -40 is excellent. Between -41 and -60 is good. Below -60 indicates a weak signal, and you may need to move your router closer or add a WiFi extender to improve coverage.

When Should You Reboot Your Ring Camera?

Not every issue requires a reboot. Here is a guide to matching symptoms with the right fix:

Frozen live view or black screen: Start with a power cycle. If that does not work, try removing and re-adding the device through the app.
Camera offline in the app: Check WiFi first by reconnecting through Device Health. If WiFi is not the issue, power cycle the camera.
Motion detection not working: Toggle motion detection off and on in the app settings. If that fails, power cycle.
Error messages in the Ring app: Try closing and reopening the app first. If errors persist, uninstall and reinstall the Ring app on your phone.
Camera not responding to any commands: Factory reset using the physical reset button, then set up the camera again.
Preparing to sell or give away the camera: Factory reset is required to remove your account data from the device.

Troubleshooting After a Reboot

If your Ring camera still misbehaves after a reboot, try these additional steps:

Update the Ring app: Go to the App Store (iPhone) or Google Play Store (Android) and check for Ring app updates. Running an outdated app version can cause compatibility issues.
Check for firmware updates: In the Ring app, go to Device Settings and tap Device Health. If a firmware update is available, the camera will install it automatically when connected to WiFi.
Check your internet speed: Ring cameras need at least 2 Mbps upload speed for stable video. Run a speed test near the camera’s location to verify your network performance.
Contact Ring support: If none of the above steps resolve the issue, contact Ring support through the app or at ring.com/support. Your camera may have a hardware defect covered under warranty.

How Often Should You Reboot Your Ring Camera?

Unlike a computer or smartphone, Ring cameras do not need regular reboots on a schedule. These devices are designed to run continuously for months or even years without restarting. The only time you should reboot is when something is clearly wrong: frozen feeds, connection drops, missed motion alerts, or error messages in the app.

That said, after a major Ring app update or a firmware push from Ring, a quick power cycle can help the camera apply changes cleanly. If you notice unusual behavior after an update, a reboot is a good first step.

Ring Camera Models and Reset Button Locations

Finding the reset button can be tricky since Ring places it in different spots depending on the model. Here is a quick reference for popular Ring cameras in 2026:

Ring Stick Up Cam (battery and plug-in): Orange reset button on the back of the camera, near the bottom.
Ring Spotlight Cam (battery, wired, and solar): Reset button on the top of the camera housing.
Ring Floodlight Cam and Floodlight Cam Pro: Reset button on the top of the camera unit, between the two floodlights.
Ring Indoor Cam (1st and 2nd gen): Reset button on the back or bottom panel. On the 2nd gen model, you may need a pin or paperclip to press it.
Ring Video Doorbell (all models): Orange button on the back of the doorbell. You need to remove the faceplate (and sometimes the doorbell from the mount) to access it.
Ring Pan-Tilt Indoor Cam: Reset button on the bottom of the base.

If you cannot find the reset button on your specific model, check the Ring support page for your product. Ring also includes a setup card in the box with a diagram showing the button location.

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How to Reboot Ring Camera