Ring cameras have exploded in popularity over the last few years. The advanced camera system allows users to record and view footage of their property when they are not on the premises. However, a big question among Ring camera enthusiasts is whether the camera system continuously records or if it only records movement in intervals.
Ring cameras do not constantly record and store footage of your property when you are not there. Instead, the camera system is set to record and store footage when any form of motion is detected. If you want continuously monitoring of your home, you must sign up for the company’s premium plan.Â
Whether Ring cameras constantly record and store footage of your premises has become a hotly debated topic, especially throughout online forums. However, Ring cameras are not designed to record all the time as they will burn the batteries (if not hardwired) and consume too much storage space.
This article will thoroughly analyze your Ring camera’s wide range of features and how effectively to utilize it.
Do Ring Cameras Record Continuously?
Despite persisting rumors over the last few years, Ring Cameras do not record and store footage continuously, which has disappointed customers.
Ring cameras are not designed to record and store footage constantly, as this would mean that the device's batteries would burn out, while the required storage facilities would be too costly. However, Ring cameras provide a service known as the Ring Protection Plan, which professionally monitors the cameras on a 24/7 basis.
The Ring Protection Plan and the professional monitoring service does come with an extra cost; however, the service is enormously beneficial to homeowners, especially if their home suddenly experiences critical power cuts. If you want the best intrinsic value from this system, you must fork out additional cash for the Ring Alarm System making the complete setup costly.
Currently, Ring cameras are designed to only record when they pick up any motion through the device’s advanced motion detection capabilities. Furthermore, Ring cameras have built-in technology that allows users to specify individual zones around their property that they want to be monitored.
The specified zones reduce the number of false positives, which enhanced the overall security of the users’ property.
Users must sign up for the Ring Protect Plan to acquire motion detection and recording abilities, with the generated footage securely stored on an Amazon server. Some users fear that their footage could be leaked, although it is automatically deleted after a set period.
Why Don’t Ring Cameras Record And Store Footage Constantly?
While many users are initially disappointed that their Ring cameras do not offer a feature allowing them to constantly record and store footage, there are several valid reasons why they can’t.
Video doorbells or security cameras that record and store footage constantly are known to eventually become overloaded, mostly with irrelevant recordings. If Ring cameras are constantly recorded, users would be forced to sort through an enormous amount of wasted footage, which essentially renders the entire system useless.
This is why Ring cameras exclusively record and store footage when motion is detected—users can easily find what they are looking for while preventing the battery from burning. Most Ring cameras are operated with disposable batteries if they are not connected to any main electrical circuit, meaning that they would annoyingly have to be replaced every few days.
When batteries run dry and must be replaced, users are left without a working security system for that time, which poses a significant and avoidable security risk. While we may assume that the safest way to operate a security camera is to have it permanently recorded, this is not the case, as motion detection-based recording has been proven far safer.
Security experts and engineers at Ring cameras intentionally designed their system to operate this way as it enhances the general security of millions of American households. Currently, Ring cameras only record when motion is detected in a pre-determined zone or when someone rings the doorbell of your house. The design increases the safety and efficiency of the system as a whole.
When Will My Ring Camera Record?
Exactly when your Ring camera starts recording depends on the model and payment plan users have chosen.
While Ring cameras can be purchased and installed in many variations, most will start the recording process at a similar time. Usually, the camera system will initiate recording when motion is detected in a predetermined zone located within your property or when the doorbell rings.
However, users must note that they must have an active and up-to-date Ring Protect account. The Ring Protect account is a small monthly installment fee that enables users to access Ring cameras’ advanced features and premium services such as instant recording and cloud-based storage.
However, there are a ton of awesome alternatives that don't require a monthly subscription.
Ring Cameras Automatically Record Any Detected Motion
All Ring cameras have been designed to initiate the recording process when any form of motion is detected within a specific safe zone on your property. In addition, users with a premium Ring Protect monthly subscription can immediately access a live recording of the detected motion through their smartphone application.
Users can instantly alert relevant authorities through their smartphone application if any suspicious activity is detected. At the same time, they also have the option to store the footage on an Amazon server for later review.
A distinguishing feature of Ring cameras is known as the Ring Alarm system. This system will immediately activate cameras around your property when any suspicious motion is detected. The automatic activation is similar to traditional alarm systems except that it automatically records the detected motion, which can be used as evidence at a later stage.
When motion is detected on a Ring camera or Ring alarm system, the security system will record the detected motion for 20 seconds as a default. However, if you prefer the recording time to be extended, you can quickly change the settings within the impressive smartphone application.
Ring Cameras Record When The Doorbell Is Activated
It does not matter which Ring camera system you have opted for; when the doorbell is activated, it will automatically record and store the footage.
Furthermore, users can immediately access the live recording through their smartphone application. Depending on who has pressed the doorbell, you can alert relevant authorities by clicking a button or a different button to allow them to enter your premises.
One of Ring cameras' most desired and advanced features is live view. If users sign up for a premium monthly subscription, they can immediately access live footage through any installed cameras situated in various zones around their property.
In addition, if you open a live view feed at any time, the footage is automatically recorded and stored, which can then be thoroughly analyzed later. Suppose something occurs on your property while you are watching a live feed. In that case, you can click a button on your smartphone application that will immediately store the event in an Amazon server.
The live view feature is critical for security purposes, and it is currently the closest available option regarding 24/7 recordings. However, it should be noted that Ring does not currently allow users to store more than a few minutes worth of footage at a time, meaning that live view should be used sparingly. Currently, most Ring cameras permit users to record up to ten minutes per session.
While the live view feature still limits users regarding the recording length, it is the closest they will come to a system that records 24/7. Furthermore, Ring cameras will send instant alerts to a user’s smartphone application when any motion is detected, enabling them to instantly open and watch various live feeds throughout their properties.
Will Ring Offer A 24/7 Recording Feature In The Future?
To the dismay of many consumers, Ring cameras do not currently offer a 24/7 recording feature, even if users have signed up for the premium monthly subscription plan.
However, in 2018, Ring cameras announced they would offer a 24/7 recording system for wired Ring cameras in the coming years. The fundamental idea behind this system was to allow users to pay an additional monthly fee, enabling them to constantly record any predetermined area in their properties.
It is important to note that the 24/7 recording feature would be exclusively offered to wired Ring camera users as the consistent recording would drain even the most wireless video doorbells within a few hours. However, Ring cameras have failed to live up to their promise for various reasons not made available to the general public or their loyal clients.
The failure to implement the desired feature has resulted in many customers switching their household security cameras to Ring’s direct competitors. Why the company refuses to implement its promised system remains unclear, with many doubting it will ever become a reality.
Although, the company has not categorically stated that they would not be introducing the permanent recording system into the market in the coming years, giving hope to many deprived long-time customers. There is no way of knowing if Ring will offer a 24/7 recording system in the future, meaning that if consumers value it highly, they should choose to purchase it from a competitor.
Final Thoughts
To many consumers’ surprise, Ring cameras cannot currently constantly record and store footage from their live camera feeds. While there are advanced systems that will record and alert users to any identified motion, the company has refused to offer the system desired by so many security-conscious American consumers.
However, Ring cameras claim that the permanent recording feature found on other security cameras is unnecessary, time-consuming, and hard on battery capacity; instead, deciding to record and store only the most critical and valuable footage. Over the coming years, Ring will implement the system, although its team of engineers will only release it to the public once it has been perfected.
