Ring Doorbell and Google Home work together, but you need the right account setup first
To add a Ring doorbell to Google Home, you link them through the Google Home app using your Google account and your Ring account. The connection lets you see your Ring video feed on Google Nest displays, ask Google to show your doorbell camera, and control Ring features through voice commands. The process takes about 10 minutes and works whether you have a wired Ring doorbell, a battery-powered model, or an older Ring Video Doorbell.
The catch: both accounts must exist and be active before you start. If you do not yet have a Google account or a Ring account, create those first. Ring accounts are free; you make one at ring.com or through the Ring app on your phone.
Key Takeaways
- You link Ring and Google Home through the Google Home app by signing in with your Google account and authorizing Ring to connect.
- Your Ring doorbell must already be installed, powered on, and connected to your Wi-Fi network before you attempt the link.
- The connection works on any Ring doorbell model, but you need a Google Nest display, Google Home speaker with a screen, or a phone running the Google Home app to view the video feed.
- After linking, you can ask Google to show your doorbell camera, receive notifications on Google devices, and control Ring features like motion alerts through voice commands.
- If the link fails, the most common cause is that your Ring doorbell lost its Wi-Fi connection or your Google account does not have permission to access Ring data.
What you need before you start
Your Ring doorbell must be installed and working on its own before you connect it to Google Home. That means it should be powered (either hardwired or battery-charged), connected to your home Wi-Fi network, and showing a live feed when you open the Ring app on your phone. If your doorbell is not yet set up, finish that first—the Ring app walks you through it.
You also need a Google account. This can be a personal Gmail account, a Google Workspace account, or any account you use to sign into Google services. You do not need to own a Google Nest display or speaker; you can view your Ring feed on any phone or tablet running the Google Home app. However, if you want to see the video on a smart display or hear announcements through a Google speaker, you will need one of those devices on the same Wi-Fi network and signed into the same Google account.
Make sure both your Ring doorbell and your Google Home device (or the phone you are using) are on the same Wi-Fi network. If they are on different networks—for example, if one is on a 2.4 GHz band and the other is on 5 GHz—the connection may fail or drop frequently.
How to link Ring to Google Home through the app
Open the Google Home app on your phone and tap the plus icon in the top left corner. Select "Set up device," then choose "Works with Google." Search for "Ring" in the list of available services. Tap the Ring result and select "Link account."
You will be taken to a Ring sign-in screen. Enter the email address and password for your Ring account, then tap "Sign In." Google will then ask for permission to access your Ring devices. Review the permissions (Google needs access to your cameras and doorbell to show the video feed) and tap "Allow" or "Authorize." The app will return to Google Home and show a confirmation that Ring has been linked.
Once linked, your Ring doorbell will appear in the Google Home app under "Cameras" or "Devices," depending on your app version. You can now ask Google to show your doorbell camera by saying "Hey Google, show me my front door" or "Hey Google, show my Ring doorbell." The video will appear on any Google Nest display or on your phone's Google Home app.
Viewing your Ring doorbell on Google Nest displays
If you own a Google Nest Hub, Nest Hub Max, or another Google display, you can view your Ring doorbell feed directly on the screen. The video appears in full screen when you ask for it, or you can set it to show in a smaller window on your home dashboard.
To view the feed, say "Hey Google, show me my front door" or "Hey Google, show my Ring doorbell." The display will pull up the live video. You can also open the Google Home app, tap the Cameras section, and select your Ring doorbell to view it on your phone instead. If you have multiple cameras or doorbells, Google will ask which one you want to see.
Some Google displays let you set a live view of your doorbell as a screensaver or background. Open the Google Home app, tap the device settings for your display, scroll to "Screensaver," and choose "Camera feed." Select your Ring doorbell from the list. The display will then show your doorbell video when the screen would normally go dark.
Voice commands and notifications you can use
Once Ring is linked to Google Home, you can control several features with your voice. Say "Hey Google, show my Ring doorbell" to pull up the live feed. Say "Hey Google, turn on motion alerts for my doorbell" or "turn off motion alerts" to manage notifications. Some Ring models let you say "Hey Google, unlock my front door" if you have a Ring smart lock connected, though this requires additional setup.
Notifications work differently depending on your setup. If you have a Google Nest display or speaker, you can receive announcements when someone rings your doorbell or motion is detected. Open the Google Home app, go to your Ring doorbell settings, and toggle on "Announcements" or "Notifications." When motion or a doorbell press occurs, your Google device will chime and may display a preview of the video (on displays with screens).
Not all Ring features are available through Google Home voice commands. You cannot arm or disarm Ring Alarm through Google, and you cannot adjust Ring doorbell settings like motion sensitivity or video quality through voice. For those tasks, you still use the Ring app directly.
Troubleshooting when the link does not work
If the connection fails during setup, the most common cause is that your Ring doorbell lost its Wi-Fi connection. Open the Ring app, go to your doorbell's settings, and check the Wi-Fi signal strength. If it shows "Poor" or "Offline," reconnect it to your network. You can do this in the Ring app under Device Settings > Wi-Fi, or by pressing and holding the setup button on the doorbell itself until it enters pairing mode.
If the link appears to work but you cannot see your doorbell in Google Home, check that both your Ring account and Google account are active and that you are signed into the Google Home app with the correct Google account. Sign out of the Google Home app completely, then sign back in. Go back to "Works with Google" and re-authorize Ring if needed.
If you see your doorbell in Google Home but the video feed does not load, your doorbell may have lost its Wi-Fi connection again, or there may be a firewall or network issue blocking the video stream. Restart your Ring doorbell by turning off its power for 30 seconds, then turning it back on. If the problem persists, restart your Wi-Fi router as well. Wait a few minutes for everything to reconnect, then try viewing the feed again.
What happens if you unlink Ring from Google Home
If you want to disconnect Ring from Google Home, open the Google Home app, go to Settings, select "Works with Google," find Ring in the list, and tap "Unlink." This removes Ring's permission to access your Google account and stops the connection when ready. Your Ring doorbell will continue to work on its own through the Ring app, but you will no longer be able to view it through Google Home or use Google voice commands to control it.
Unlinking does not delete any video recordings or affect your Ring subscription. It only removes the bridge between the two services. You can re-link them at any time by following the setup steps again.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a Google Nest display to use Ring with Google Home?
No. You can view your Ring doorbell on any phone or tablet running the Google Home app, even without a display. A Nest display or speaker is optional and only needed if you want to see the video on a smart screen or hear announcements through a speaker.
Can I control my Ring doorbell lock through Google Home?
Only if you have a Ring smart lock in addition to your doorbell. The doorbell itself cannot be locked or unlocked. If you have a Ring smart lock, you can say "Hey Google, unlock my front door," but this requires a separate setup step in the Google Home app to authorize the lock.
What if my Ring doorbell and Google Home are on different Wi-Fi networks?
They should be on the same network for reliable performance. If one is on 2.4 GHz and the other on 5 GHz, the connection may drop. Check your router settings and make sure both devices are connecting to the same network name (SSID). If your router broadcasts separate bands, connect both to the same one.
Will linking Ring to Google Home cost me money?
Linking itself is free. However, Ring doorbell features like cloud video storage and advanced motion detection may require a Ring Protect subscription, which costs money. Google Home and the Google Home app are free. Check your Ring account to see if you have an active subscription.
Can I view my Ring doorbell on Google Home if I am away from home?
Yes. As long as your Ring doorbell is connected to your home Wi-Fi and your Google account is signed into the Google Home app on your phone, you can view the live feed from anywhere. The video streams over the internet, so you do not need to be on your home network.