Ring
What the default settings do
Ring doorbells and cameras record video by default whenever motion is detected or someone presses the doorbell, and most devices also capture audio alongside that video. Ring’s cloud storage keeps this footage encrypted in transit and at rest, but Ring itself can technically access the content, since standard cloud storage isn’t end-to-end encrypted; an optional end-to-end encryption mode closes that gap at the cost of several convenience features.
Ring is also tied to the Neighbors app, a separate community feed where users can post clips and, since 2025, respond to verified requests from local police and fire departments about a specific incident. Ring’s policy on law-enforcement access to footage has shifted more than once in recent years: in 2024 Ring shut down the original “Request for Assistance” tool that let police post open requests inside the Neighbors app, then in September 2025 introduced a narrower “Community Requests” feature built with Axon, and in February 2026 cancelled a planned data-sharing integration with the license-plate company Flock Safety after public objection, stating no customer video had been shared under that partnership. Outside of these community and law-enforcement features, Ring accounts can also have multiple shared users with different levels of access to your devices and footage.
A reasonable privacy baseline
These settings are managed in the Ring app, mostly under Control Center and each device’s own settings.
Motion and audio recording
Ring app → Devices → [device name] → Motion Settings → Adjust zones and sensitivity
Use the Motion Wizard or the manual zone editor to limit recording to areas you actually want monitored, such as your porch rather than a public sidewalk, and to reduce false triggers from passing cars or trees.
Ring app → Devices → [device name] → Device Settings → Privacy Settings → Audio Streaming and Recording → Off (requires a compatible Ring subscription plan)
Video-only recording without audio reduces how much is captured about conversations near the device, at the cost of losing audio context in recorded clips and Live View.
Ring app → Devices → [device name] → Device Settings → Privacy Zones → Mask out areas you don't want recorded
Privacy Zones let you black out parts of the camera's field of view, useful if your camera's range extends onto a neighbor's property or a public area you don't need to monitor.
End-to-end encryption
Ring app → Control Center → Video Encryption → End-to-End Encryption → Enable (supported devices only)
With this on, only your enrolled mobile device holds the key to decrypt video, and Ring itself cannot view the content. Ring documents significant trade-offs: shared users lose access to video, the Ring website can no longer show your footage, Live View can't run on more than one device at a time, Motion Verification and Familiar Faces (face recognition) stop working, Alexa Greetings and Echo Show or Fire TV video preview are disabled, and Event Timeline and Video Search become unavailable. It's also incompatible with the Ring Edge local-storage accessory. Decide based on which of these features you actually use day to day.
Neighbors app sharing
Neighbors app posts → Anonymous by default
Posts to the Neighbors app never show your name or exact address publicly; the map displays only a general-area marker. Sharing a clip to Neighbors is a per-clip choice you make when you post, not an always-on setting.
Neighbors app → Neighborhood feed → gear icon → Neighborhood Settings → Feed Settings → Community Requests → Off
Community Requests lets verified local police or fire departments post a request tied to a specific incident, which you can then choose to respond to or ignore anonymously. Turning this off removes those requests from your feed. This feature is opt-in per request either way; even with it left on, submitting footage requires your active choice, not automatic access.
Law enforcement requests
No app setting → Know the current policy
Outside the opt-in Community Requests feature above, law enforcement can still obtain Ring footage without your consent through a valid legal process, such as a subpoena, court order, or search warrant, submitted through Amazon's request system. Ring also documents an emergency exception allowing footage disclosure without a warrant when Ring believes there is imminent danger of death or serious physical harm. There is no toggle that opts you out of legal process; understanding the distinction between opt-in community requests and compulsory legal process is more useful here than looking for a setting that doesn't exist.
Shared users
Ring app → Settings → User Permissions → Invite User → Choose Limited, Standard, or Advanced access
Limited access allows viewing and downloading live and recorded video only. Standard adds control over device settings. Advanced adds full account management, including adding or removing other users and devices. Review this list periodically and remove access for anyone who no longer needs it, such as a former housemate or a contractor's temporary access.
Trade-offs
- Turning off audio recording means clips will show what happened but not what was said, which can matter for reviewing package deliveries or confrontations at the door.
- Enabling end-to-end encryption is the strongest privacy option here, but it disables several convenience features at once: shared-user access, multi-device Live View, face recognition, and voice-assistant video previews.
- Turning off Community Requests does not affect your ability to post to Neighbors yourself or your obligations under legal process; it only removes the opt-in police and fire request feature from your feed.
- Restricting shared users to Limited access means they cannot adjust motion zones or other device settings themselves; you’ll need to make those changes on their behalf.
Who should not change these settings
- If you rely on Ring’s face recognition (Familiar Faces) to distinguish known visitors from strangers, or use Alexa Greetings, leave end-to-end encryption off.
- If multiple household members need to view live and recorded video from more than one device at the same time, standard cloud encryption, rather than end-to-end, supports that; keep it as is.
- If you find value in the Neighbors community for local safety updates, keep both Neighbors posting and Community Requests on; participation in either remains a per-post or per-request choice regardless.
- If a shared user, such as a co-parent or business partner, needs to manage devices and other users on your behalf, grant Advanced rather than Limited access.