How to Install a Ring Doorbell in 20 Minutes

What you'll need

• The doorbell + included hardware (in the box)
• Power drill with a 6mm masonry bit (for brick / stucco) or wood bit
• Phillips screwdriver
• Smartphone with the Ring app installed
• Wi-Fi password handy
• Wired install only: a non-contact voltage tester ($10) and access to your breaker box

Battery model install (10–15 min)

1. Charge the battery first. Plug it in via USB-C and wait for the green light. Skipping this is the #1 mistake.
2. Pick the spot. 48 inches off the ground is the standard height. If your existing doorbell is at a different height, match yours — visitors instinctively look for the button where it's always been.
3. Mark and drill. Hold the included template against the wall, mark the screw points, drill pilot holes.
4. Mount the bracket. Insert wall anchors (for masonry/stucco) or skip them (for wood). Drive in the screws.
5. Click on the doorbell. Slide the unit onto the bracket from the top until it clicks. Add the security screw at the bottom.
6. Pair in the Ring app. Tap "Set Up Device" → scan the QR code on the back of the doorbell or enter manually. Connect to Wi-Fi.
7. Test. Press the button. Confirm you get a live view and that two-way talk works.

Renter-friendly: no drilling

Use 3M Command Strips Heavy-Duty mounting strips on a smooth, clean door frame. Press for 30 seconds. Wait 1 hour before mounting the doorbell. Holds reliably up to ~2 lb. Don't use this on textured surfaces or in extreme heat — the adhesive can fail.

Wired Pro install (25–30 min)

1. Turn off the breaker. Find the breaker labeled "doorbell" or kill the front-of-house breaker. Confirm with a non-contact voltage tester.
2. Remove the old button. Two screws on the faceplate, then the wires (typically two thin wires labeled "front" and "trans" or color-coded).
3. Connect the included Pro Power Kit at the chime. Open your indoor chime cover, follow the labeled diagram in the box. This is the part most people get wrong — read the instructions twice.
4. Mount the Wired Pro outside. Same drill/template/screw process as the battery model.
5. Connect the two wires to the back terminals (polarity doesn't matter on AC).
6. Click the unit on, drive the security screw.
7. Turn the breaker back on. The doorbell boots, blinks blue.
8. Pair in the Ring app. Same QR-code flow as battery install.
9. Test the chime. Press the button — your indoor chime should ring AND you should get an app notification.

Common mistakes

• Battery installed cold. Don't charge or install in below-freezing temps; let it warm up indoors first.
• Mounted too low. Below 4 ft = visitors fill the frame with their belt buckle. 48 inches is the magic number.
• Wired without Pro Power Kit. Skipping the chime adapter on a wired install is the #2 most common mistake — your chime won't ring or will only buzz.
• Wi-Fi 5 GHz only. Ring doorbells need 2.4 GHz for the strongest signal at the door. If your router only broadcasts on 5 GHz, enable a 2.4 GHz band before install.

If install fails

The Ring app's troubleshooter is genuinely good. Tap your device → Device Health → Run Diagnostic. It'll surface most issues (weak signal, battery, transformer voltage). If the Wi-Fi signal at the door is below -65 dBm, add a Ring Chime Pro Wi-Fi extender (paid link) in your foyer.

Haven't picked a doorbell yet? Start with the comparison.