How to Save Video From Your Ring Doorbell for Free

As technology becomes more and more accessible, smart home products, such as smart doorbells, have revolutionized home security. These increasingly popular gadgets work by allowing you to view who's at your door from your smartphone.

Ring is one of the best and most popular brands for smart doorbells, with the highest quality video cameras and added features. But the Ring doorbell recording feature can be very pricey due to the company's subscription model.

Fortunately, several workarounds allow you to save your Ring doorbell video without subscription commitments.

How Does a Ring Smart Doorbell Work?

The mechanism of smart doorbells is simple. Once someone approaches your door, the smart doorbell will pick up the motion and send an alert to your smartphone to show you who is coming.

By monitoring the movement of your door, you will never miss anyone who might pop by. And if someone rings the bell, you can see through the camera and even speak with them through your smartphone.

You can install a Ring video doorbell in minutes, and it is very user-friendly to operate once it's running.

Do Ring Doorbells Record Video?

Ring doorbells record video, but this is a paid feature that requires a Ring Protect subscription.

When motion is detected or the bell is rung, it will begin recording and send you a notification to your mobile device with a snapshot of what was recorded. You can then view the live feed or replay past recordings directly from your phone.

How Long Does a Ring Doorbell Save Video Without Subscription Commitments?

Without a subscription, you can access the live view of your doorbell's surroundings, so you know who's at your door before you open it (or before you even get off the couch). But the Ring-without-subscription option doesn't offer long-term security benefits. By upgrading to a Ring Protect subscription, you can control how long Ring doorbell recordings are stored in the cloud—which varies from less than a week to 180 days—and download video footage to keep a historical record indefinitely. With a Ring Protect plan, UK accounts default to 30 days of video storage; whereas US-based accounts default to 60 days.

How to Save Ring Doorbell Videos Without Subscription Sign-Up

The full-service Ring doorbell subscription can be expensive. Fortunately, you can save your Ring video recording, free of charge, with the help of a couple of workarounds.

1. Use the 30-Day Free Trial

Although it seems obvious, the free trial is a great way to save your Ring doorbell recordings without committing to a full subscription. You get access to all the features of the premium Ring doorbell subscription plan, i.e. Ring Protect Plus, and you can store recordings in the cloud for up to 180 days.

During this time, you might realize you live in a pretty safe neighborhood. Or maybe no one rings your door unless you schedule visits or order an Amazon package. The Ring doorbell subscription trial is the best way to both sample the product and determine whether you need to store doorbell recordings in the first place.

2. Use Your Phone's Built-In Screen-Recording

Modern smartphones, such as the newer Samsung phones and tablets, have a screen-recording function. So, you can initiate a screen recording next time the Ring doorbell sends you an alert.

For example, if you notice a stranger or a creepy character rings your doorbell, you might want to start a recording to share with your neighborhood association or, in extreme cases, the police. Unfortunately, the one downside of this method is that even though it's completely free, it will only work if you actively see the alert. If you're not paying attention to your phone or your phone is in airplane mode when the alert comes through, you're out of luck.

3. Record Ring Doorbell Footage for Free on Your Laptop or Desktop

This method will allow you to record everything without the need to make sure you get all the alerts on your phone. All you have to do is download a free screen-recording tool on your computer and sign into Ring's official site.

Once logged in, view the camera's live feed you purchased. Now, start recording the screen and go about your day. Believe it or not, some software offers 24/7 recording services, as long as you have the required disk space.

Naturally, it will be tedious to check through the entire feed once you get home, and the recording will take up a lot of space. So, what you can do is check your smartphone updates and go to specific times on the day when you receive alerts, bypassing those quiet times when your doorbell didn't register any activity. Once you've done that, you can delete the screen recording and restart it the next day or for the night. You'll need to set yourself a regular schedule to do this, which might be quite a short period if you live in a quiet area, but can be pretty intensive if you get a lot of alerts.

This can be time-consuming and even tedious, but it's worth it if you really want to take security seriously and don't have the budget to pay for a subscription. You could also use this method when you go away for a weekend or a little longer and won't have access to the internet; make sure you have enough disk space before you leave, though.

Find the Best Way to Save Your Ring Doorbell Videos for Free

Now that you know how to save Ring doorbell video without subscription payments, you can enjoy premium smart home security for minimal cost. We recommend these options for homeowners dealing with the occasional stranger; however, if you have a serious security issue on your property, consider paying for a Ring Protect Plan. At the end of the day, your security and your family's safety are of utmost importance, but the methods above should give you a head start in determining which course of action is best for you and your home.

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7rq3KnqysnZ%2Bbe6S7zGifqK9dqbxuv8CvnGaumZmysHnRoqWgZZSkvLOuxKWjZp6imrJw