Ring Video Doorbells are quality security cameras that are affordable and long-lasting. But they’re also dependent upon a sophisticated architecture with many components exposed to longevity, weather, and a hundred different fingers poking the round button on an annual basis. Nothing good lasts forever, and there may be a point—even with new hardware—where something goes wrong, such as the battery not charging.

Your Ring Doorbell battery may not be charging because your charging cable is faulty, your WiFi connection is weak, or your battery is damaged.

If your Ring Doorbell is not charging, it doesn’t necessarily mean that the battery has reached the end of its effectiveness, and there are plenty of options to eliminate before reaching that conclusion, as you’ll see below.

Check the App, Wi-Fi, and USB Charger

If your Ring Video Doorbell battery is not charging, there are several factors that could cause such an issue. For example, something as simple as an interrupted Wi-Fi signal may cause the doorbell to display an inaccurate battery level.

The act of charging a device is so ingrained and ordinary in our daily lives that we often don’t consider potential problems until they arise. Always consider the most obvious culprits first before tearing open the device or running to the circuit breaker:

  • Is the Ring App displaying an updated battery status?Is there an issue with the Wi-Fi?Is the USB charger working properly?

The Ring app updates the battery status automatically as it receives the signal from the Ring Doorbell. If you’ve just changed it, and your app is displaying a low-battery status, ring the doorbell a few times, then close and reopen the app to check the status. Ringing the doorbell will activate the battery status update and let you know if that’s the problem.

Along the same lines, an interruption from the Wi-Fi signal could cause an inaccurate battery status. Do a standard reset on your router and reconnect the Ring Video Doorbell to the Wi-Fi again. If the status update reflects an accurate battery status, the problem is solved.

Sometimes USB chargers are the culprit. Check to see if it is working by plugging it into another device to see if it powers the device or charges the battery. Also, check to see if there is any damage on both ends of the cord or within the port on the Ring Doorbell.

Unless you own the original Ring Video Doorbell—in which you will remove the entire doorbell from its mount—you remove the battery by unscrewing the baseplate and pulling the tab to release the battery for charging.

Check the battery for any visible damage, either on the exterior or within the charging port. Also, pay attention to how warm the battery is. Extreme heat levels, such as your Ring Doorbell situated in the sun for long periods, can seriously diminish battery life.

If the battery is really hot, allow it to return to room temperature before charging it. The same goes for very cold weather. Ring Video Doorbells are designed to be weather resistant, but everything has a breaking point, and age can affect temperature tolerance levels.

If you own an original Ring Video Doorbell, the battery is built-in, and if you’ve exhausted the above options, it’s likely that the battery has reached the end of its life cycle and needs to be replaced.

Purchase a New Battery or Use the Warranty

If there’s no visible damage to the battery or charging cable, your router and doorbell have been reset, the temperature isn’t an issue, and the app’s battery status is updated, then your battery is either defective—in a new device—or it’s on its last legs.

If it’s a new doorbell, it likely falls within Ring’s one-year warranty, and you should contact Ring for a replacement. If you happen to subscribe to Ring Protection Plan—$3 per month for a single device or $10 a month for all devices—your Ring Doorbell has a lifetime warranty, and you’ll be able to have it replaced.

Final Thoughts

Ring Video Doorbells are popular devices that are well-made and dependable, even during inclement weather. It’s not common having a faulty device right out of the box, but thankfully this is covered by Ring’s warranty.

Over time, if you find that your Ring Doorbell battery is no longer charging and you have exhausted all of the above options, the battery has likely reached the end of its life cycle and needs to be replaced.

Fortunately, battery replacements are easy to purchase and are very reasonably priced. If you own a Ring Video Doorbell with a built-in battery, consider taking advantage of the Ring Protection Plan, which will cover the cost of the device when or if the battery fails.

Batteries aren’t built to last forever, but that doesn’t mean your device can’t last a lot longer with proper maintenance, warranty, and replacements when the inevitable occurs.