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Ring devices now let you set up end-to-end encryption in a few steps. Here’s how to enable it.
Megan Wollerton
Senior Writer/Editor
Megan Wollerton covers renewable energy, climate change and other environmental topics for CNET. Before starting at CNET in 2013, she wrote for NBC Universal’s DVICE (now SYFY). Megan has a master’s degree from the University of Louisville and a bachelor’s degree from Connecticut College, both in international relations. She is a board member of the Louisville chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. When Megan isn’t writing, she’s planning far-flung adventures.
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It’s easy to set up end-to-end video encryption for your Ring device.
Megan Wollerton/CNET
This story is part of Home TipsCNET’s collection of practical advice for getting the most out of your home, inside and out.
Last year, Amazon smart home company Ring introduced end-to-end video encryption for its doorbells and security camerasin efforts to give you more control over how you manage the video footage collected by these devices. It was a promising continuation of the company’s moves to make two-factor authentication mandatory and to add a Control Center dashboard in the Ring app where you can more easily manage your privacy and security settings. Ring has since also added end-to-end video encryption to its battery-powered doorbells and cameras.
Privacy advocates have expressed concern over Ring’s partnership with local law enforcement via its Neighbors program, which allows customers with Ring doorbells and security cameras to share footage with police. Ring user data was also exposed in December 2019, and in July 2022, the company disclosed that it gave video footage to police in 11 cases without users’ consent so far this year.
Here, I’ll walk you through how to set up Ring’s end-to-end video encryption, in just a few easy steps. (You can also check out how to set up Ring package alertsand how to prevent your home security cameras from being hacked.)
How to set up end-to-end video encryption on your Ring device
Step 1: Open the Ring app
Open the Ring app and click on Settings in the upper left corner.
Step 2: Go to the Control Center
Click on the Control Center option in the settings menu.
Step 3: Select Video Encryption
Scroll down within the Control Center menu and select the Video Encryption option.
Step 4: Go to Advanced Settings
Tap on the Advanced Settings option listed in the Video Encryption menu.
Step 5: Enable end-to-end encryption
Click on End-to-End Encryption in the Advanced Settings menu and hit Enable End-to-End Encryption.
As it turns out, it really is easy to enable this feature, although it is nested under a lot of settings, so you do have to do a bit of clicking.
It’s important to note that enabling end-to-end encryption disables select Ring features, including any shared users’ access and the ability to watch your doorbell or security camera’s live feed on an Alexa smart display. Find out more details on Ring’s end-to-end encryption support page.
Screenshots by Megan Wollerton/CNET
