I’m interested in getting a Ring Doorbell, but I’ve gotten used to my existing doorbell chime. It might be hard to transition, so it would be good to know if a Ring Doorbell can work with the existing chime. So, I decided to research it.
So can a Ring Doorbell use the existing chime? If the Ring Doorbell system is connected to the previous doorbell’s existing wires, then it can work with the existing chime. It is also possible to turn off the doorbell chime so that it doesn’t make noise when that may be undesired such as during naptime.
There are certain chimes that are compatible with a Ring Doorbell and some that are not. Luckily, for compatible ones, installation is not too difficult.
Quick Note: You may also want to read my article: “Is Nest Hello Compatible with all Doorbells and Chimes?“
Which Ring Doorbell Chimes are Compatible?
When it comes to any Ring Doorbell device, it’s good to know what will work with it first. AC-powered door chimes that operate between 8-24 volts will be compatible with a Ring Doorbell.
It will not be compatible with any chime or intercom system that uses a DC transformer or any wireless door chimes.
This site has an excellent list of exactly which doorbells are compatible with a Ring Doorbell.
It also makes the distinction between mechanical and electric or digital doorbell chimes. Mechanical ones will use an actual bell and mechanical hammer to make the “ding-dong” sound that most people think of when it comes to doorbells.
As for electronic ones, it will play a pre-recorded sound through a speaker, and these sounds are often ones that you can choose from.
My family home growing up had an electric doorbell with plenty of options for chimes, from various classical songs in the public domain to Christmas music, which was great for the holidays, and pretty fun to change up.
That’s the type of thing that would be fun to keep as a doorbell chime. Luckily, there are some chimes from both mechanical and electric options that can work with Ring Doorbells. And there are some that simply may not work.
How to Install A Ring Doorbell With the Existing Chime
Once you’ve figured out if your doorbell chime will work with a new Ring Doorbell device, then it comes time to install it. Luckily, this is not a task that is too difficult.
The steps are also pretty similar with a Ring Doorbell 2 and the Ring Doorbell Pro.
1. Charge The Ring Doorbell
You’ll start by charging the Ring Doorbell. Do this by connecting the micro USB cable that it comes with to the back of the doorbell and plugging that into a power source, which will cause a blue LED light to appear on the front of the doorbell. The battery should be at 100 percent once the ring is completely lit.
2. Remove Current Doorbell
After that, you’ll want to remove the doorbell that you currently have. From here, you’ll see if there are existing wires or not to connect to the doorbell.
Later in this article, I will talk about an option if you don’t want to connect to a current chime, but for now, I’ll continue as if you can connect to your current doorbell chime.
3. Wire Existing Wires To Ring Doorbell
After removing your old doorbell, you will take the two wires that are coming from the door and thread them through the Ring’s base plate in the middle and then attach them to the two screws that are there in the base plate. With a digital or electronic doorbell, you’ll install the diode between these two screws.
4. Secure Base Plate To Door Frame
Following this, you will secure the base plate to the door frame, and make sure the included level is even after being put in the middle. Then you will use the screwdriver to put the screws in the base plate and into the door frame.
“If you hardwired your battery-powered Ring Doorbell to your existing doorbell system and want to hear your doorbell inside your home, you can connect your chime in the Ring app.”
-Ring Doorbell
Before finishing this up, you’ll want to download the Ring app and create and then log in to your account. After doing that, follow the steps for setup, including putting in your home’s location, and where you are putting the doorbell.
5. Adjust WiFi/Video Settings
After doing that, press the front button on your Ring Doorbell so that you are able to check the video quality. If it’s not how you want it, you may need to adjust your WiFi settings, move your router, or use a Ring Chime Pro which can be used as a WiFi extender.
6. Attach Ring Doorbell To Base Plate
After the video is the way you want it, you can attach the Ring Doorbell to the base plate by loosening the two screws at the bottom of the doorbell and sliding it over the base plate until it latches on.
You can then tighten the screws by using the screwdriver that came with the device.
7. Adjust Settings From Ring App
And that should be it! All other settings can be adjusted from the Ring app.
Among those other settings that can be adjusted, the volume itself can be turned off. Do this by opening up the app, clicking on your doorbell device, and selecting the gear icon to go to settings.
From there, select “Doorbell Kit Settings” and pick your doorbell type, either mechanical or digital and toggle the button to off where it says “Ring my in-home doorbell”.
You can also turn the volume all the way down in settings where it says “Doorbell Tone Volume” so that it doesn’t make any sounds on the doorbell itself.
Ring Chime
So what if you don’t actually like your doorbell’s chime, or what if your doorbell is not compatible with your Ring Doorbell device?
Ring actually has a great workaround for this, and it is in their device Ring Chime.
Essentially, Ring Chime is “a wireless notification device that can connect to all of your Ring devices,” according to Ring Support. All you do is plug it into a power outlet that is in any wall and then connect to it through the Ring app.
There is also a Ring Chime Pro that does the same thing as well as acting as a WiFi boost in your home for your Ring Doorbell devices.
The Ring Chime device will use a pre-set tone to alert you when someone presses the button on your Ring Doorbell device. It will not enable you to speak to whoever is at the door, however, as it is only a speaker.
You can adjust the settings for the Ring Chime by using the Ring app. You can change the tones by selecting your chime in the app and choosing “Chime Tones” and picking one that you like from the list of options that it gives you. You can also adjust the volume here as well.
Once you save the ringtones you chose, your Chime will flash to indicate that it is downloading. When the light becomes a solid blue color, this means that the download is complete and you can start using the new tones.
This can be a fun option if you like to switch things up once in a while. You can get many Ring Chime devices and place them all over your house as well so that if you don’t have your phone with you, you can still be alerted to someone at the door.
Related Questions:
Does the Ring Doorbell ring inside the house? If the Ring Doorbell is connected to your door’s existing doorbell and chime, then it will ring inside the house as it would have before. Otherwise, it will only ring to your phone unless you have Ring Chime devices set up.
Can you connect a Ring Doorbell to multiple devices? A Ring Doorbell can be shared with multiple users across multiple devices. There is an option to share it within the Ring app. Multiple devices can also be logged into a single Ring account so that more than one person can access all of the features.
Does a Ring Doorbell require power? A Ring doorbell can either be wired into a home, or it can use rechargeable battery power. Most batteries will last between six months to a year before it will need recharging. If it is wired into the home, it will not need to be charged to work.