How to Only Get Doorbell Notifications on Ring

This guide shows you how to receive notifications only from your Ring doorbell, while silencing alerts from other Ring devices like cameras or alarms. Follow easy steps to customize your notification settings and enjoy a quieter, more focused smart home experience.

Key Takeaways

Customize Notification Settings: Use the Ring app to turn off alerts from non-doorbell devices like indoor cameras or motion sensors.
Enable Do Not Disturb Mode: Schedule quiet hours to prevent unwanted notifications during sleep or work.
Use Device-Specific Alerts: Assign unique notification sounds or vibration patterns to your doorbell for easy identification.
Adjust Motion Zones: Limit doorbell motion alerts to specific areas like your front walkway, reducing false triggers.
Manage Linked Devices: Unlink or disable non-essential Ring devices from your account to minimize clutter.
Check Smartphone Settings: Ensure your phone’s notification permissions are set correctly for the Ring app.
Test After Changes: Always test your setup to confirm only doorbell alerts come through.

Introduction: Why You Should Only Get Doorbell Notifications on Ring

If you’ve ever been woken up by a motion alert from your backyard camera or distracted by a notification from your garage sensor, you’re not alone. Ring devices are designed to keep you safe and informed, but sometimes they can be *too* informative. The good news? You can take control.

This guide will walk you through how to only get doorbell notifications on Ring, so you’re only alerted when someone’s actually at your front door. Whether you have a Ring Video Doorbell, Ring Alarm, or multiple security cameras, we’ll show you how to silence the noise and focus on what matters.

By the end of this guide, you’ll know exactly how to customize your Ring app settings, adjust device-specific alerts, and manage your smartphone notifications—all to ensure you only hear from your doorbell. Let’s get started!

Understanding Ring Notification Types

Visual guide about How to Only Get Doorbell Notifications on Ring

Image source: images.ctfassets.net

Before diving into the steps, it’s important to understand the different types of notifications Ring can send. This will help you identify which ones to keep and which to disable.

Ring devices can trigger three main types of alerts:

Motion Alerts: Sent when movement is detected by a camera or sensor. These can come from doorbells, indoor/outdoor cameras, or motion detectors.
Doorbell Press Alerts: Triggered when someone presses the physical button on your Ring doorbell. This is the notification you *want* to keep.
Device Status Alerts: Include low battery warnings, offline devices, or system updates. These are helpful but not urgent.

Your goal is to keep doorbell press alerts and possibly motion alerts *only* from your doorbell, while silencing motion alerts from other devices. Let’s see how.

Step 1: Open the Ring App and Access Device Settings

The first step is to open the Ring app on your smartphone or tablet. Make sure you’re logged into the account linked to your Ring devices.

How to Open the Ring App

Tap the Ring app icon on your home screen.
If prompted, enter your password or use biometric login (fingerprint or face ID).
Wait for the app to load your dashboard, which shows all connected devices.

Navigate to Device Settings

Once you’re in, follow these steps:

Tap the three horizontal lines (menu icon) in the top-left corner.
Select Devices from the menu.
You’ll see a list of all your Ring devices—doorbells, cameras, alarms, etc.
Tap on the device you want to adjust (e.g., “Front Door Camera” or “Backyard Camera”).

Now you’re in the device-specific settings. This is where the magic happens.

Step 2: Disable Motion Alerts for Non-Doorbell Devices

If you have Ring cameras or sensors in your yard, garage, or inside your home, they might be sending motion alerts that distract you. Here’s how to turn them off—without affecting your doorbell.

Turn Off Motion Alerts for a Camera

In the device settings for a non-doorbell camera (e.g., “Garage Camera”), scroll down to Motion Settings.
Tap Motion Alerts.
Toggle the switch to Off. This stops all motion notifications from that device.
Repeat for every camera or sensor you don’t want alerts from.

Pro Tip: You can still view live video from these cameras anytime—turning off alerts doesn’t disable the camera itself.

What If You Want Some Motion Alerts?

If you still want motion alerts from certain areas (like your driveway), but not others (like your backyard), use Motion Zones instead of turning alerts off completely.

In the same Motion Settings menu, tap Motion Zones.
Draw zones on the camera’s view where you *do* want alerts (e.g., the driveway).
Leave areas like bushes or trees outside the zones to reduce false alarms.
Save your changes.

This way, you’ll only get motion alerts when activity happens in the zones you care about.

Step 3: Ensure Doorbell Notifications Are Enabled

Now that you’ve silenced other devices, let’s make sure your doorbell is still sending alerts. You don’t want to miss a visitor!

Check Doorbell Alert Settings

Go back to the Devices menu.
Tap your Ring Video Doorbell (e.g., “Front Door”).
Scroll to Motion Settings and ensure Motion Alerts are On.
Also check Doorbell Press Alerts—this should be enabled by default, but it’s good to confirm.

Customize Doorbell Notification Sounds

To make doorbell alerts stand out, assign a unique sound:

In the doorbell settings, tap Notification Sounds.
Choose a distinct tone (e.g., “Chime” or “Bell”) that’s different from other devices.
On Android, you can also enable Vibration for stronger alerts.

This helps you instantly recognize a doorbell press, even if your phone is in another room.

Step 4: Use Do Not Disturb Mode for Peace and Quiet

Even with motion alerts turned off, you might still get occasional notifications. Do Not Disturb (DND) mode lets you silence all Ring alerts during specific times—like overnight or during work meetings.

How to Set Up Do Not Disturb

In the Ring app, tap the menu icon (three lines).
Select Account, then Do Not Disturb.
Toggle Enable Do Not Disturb to On.
Set your Start Time and End Time (e.g., 10:00 PM to 7:00 AM).
Choose whether to allow Doorbell Press alerts during DND (recommended—so you don’t miss visitors).
Save your settings.

Important: If you allow doorbell presses during DND, you’ll still get those alerts—but motion alerts from other devices will be silenced. Perfect for a good night’s sleep!

Step 5: Manage Linked Devices and Remove Unused Ones

Sometimes, old or unused Ring devices can still send notifications. Cleaning up your device list can reduce clutter and unwanted alerts.

Remove a Device from Your Account

Go to Devices in the Ring app.
Tap the device you no longer use (e.g., “Old Backyard Camera”).
Scroll down and tap Remove Device.
Confirm by tapping Remove again.

Note: This permanently removes the device from your account. If you plan to reuse it later, consider just turning off alerts instead.

Disable Devices Without Removing Them

If you want to keep a device but stop all notifications:

Go to the device settings.
Tap Device Health.
Toggle Device Enabled to Off.

This disables the device without removing it, so you can re-enable it later if needed.

Step 6: Adjust Smartphone Notification Settings

Even if you’ve configured everything in the Ring app, your phone’s settings can override them. Let’s make sure your phone is working with you, not against you.

Check App Notification Permissions

For iPhone:

Open Settings > Notifications.
Scroll down and tap Ring.
Ensure Allow Notifications is turned on.
Under Notification Style, choose Banners or Alerts for visibility.
Enable Sound and Badge App Icon if desired.

For Android:

Open Settings > Apps > Ring.
Tap Notifications.
Make sure Allow notifications is enabled.
Tap Doorbell Press and Motion to customize which alerts come through.
Set Importance to High for doorbell alerts.

Use Focus Mode (iPhone) or Do Not Disturb (Android)

Both iPhone and Android allow you to create custom focus modes that only allow certain apps to send notifications.

On iPhone:

Go to Settings > Focus > + to create a new focus (e.g., “Home”).
Under Allowed Notifications, add only the Ring app.
Set this focus to activate automatically at home.

On Android:

Open Settings > Sound & vibration > Do Not Disturb.
Tap Exceptions > Apps.
Add Ring as an allowed app.

This ensures only Ring notifications (and specifically your doorbell) come through during quiet times.

Step 7: Test Your Setup

After making all these changes, it’s crucial to test your system. You don’t want to find out during a real visitor that alerts aren’t working!

How to Test Doorbell Notifications

Have someone press your Ring doorbell button.
Check if your phone receives a notification with sound and vibration.
Open the Ring app to confirm the event was recorded.

Test Motion Alerts (Optional)

If you kept motion alerts on for your doorbell:

Walk in front of the doorbell camera.
Wait 10–15 seconds for the motion alert to appear.
Verify that no other devices (like indoor cameras) sent alerts.

If everything works as expected, you’re all set! If not, revisit the settings for any device that’s still sending unwanted alerts.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Even with careful setup, you might run into a few hiccups. Here’s how to fix the most common problems.

Problem: No Doorbell Notifications

Check Wi-Fi: A weak signal can delay or block alerts. Move your router closer or use a Wi-Fi extender.
Restart the App: Close and reopen the Ring app, or restart your phone.
Update the App: Go to your app store and check for Ring app updates.
Re-enable Alerts: Double-check that doorbell press alerts are turned on in the device settings.

Problem: Still Getting Motion Alerts from Other Devices

Review Each Device: Go through every camera and sensor to ensure motion alerts are off.
Check Motion Zones: Make sure zones aren’t overlapping or too large.
Disable Smart Alerts: Some devices have “Person Detection” or “Package Detection”—turn these off if not needed.

Problem: Notifications Are Delayed

Improve Wi-Fi Signal: Ring devices need a stable connection. Use the Ring app’s Device Health tool to check signal strength.
Reduce Background Apps: Too many apps running can slow your phone. Close unused apps.
Check Phone Battery Saver: Battery-saving modes can delay notifications. Disable them for the Ring app.

Bonus Tips for a Smarter Ring Experience

Now that you’ve mastered doorbell-only notifications, here are a few extra tips to enhance your setup:

Use Alexa or Google Assistant: Pair your Ring doorbell with a smart speaker to hear chimes throughout your home—even if your phone is silent.
Enable Two-Way Talk: When you get a doorbell alert, use the app to speak to visitors remotely.
Set Up Shared Users: Add family members to your Ring account so they also receive doorbell alerts—but not motion alerts from other devices.
Review Event History: Check the Timeline in the Ring app to see past doorbell presses and motion events.
Use Ring Protect Plan: For cloud video storage and advanced features like person detection, consider subscribing to Ring Protect.

Conclusion: Enjoy Peace of Mind with Doorbell-Only Alerts

Getting only doorbell notifications on Ring isn’t just possible—it’s easy once you know where to look. By customizing your device settings, using Do Not Disturb mode, and managing your phone’s notification permissions, you can eliminate distractions and focus on what really matters: knowing when someone’s at your door.

Remember, the goal isn’t to disconnect from your smart home—it’s to connect *smarter*. With the steps in this guide, you’ll enjoy the convenience of Ring without the constant buzz of unnecessary alerts.

So go ahead, silence the noise, and let your doorbell do the talking. Your peace of mind is just a few taps away.