Ring Motion Alert vs Motion Warning?

Want to know the difference between Ring Motion Alert vs Motion Warning?

Your Ring device has two different features when it comes to alerting you of motion events. They may sound the same, but they work in different ways to enhance your home security.

Ring Motion Alert is a visual notification that sends an alert to your phone when motion is detected. Motion Warning is an audible notification that plays a message through your Ring device’s speaker.

It’s time to compare both of these in detail.

Ring Motion Alert vs Motion Warning – What You Need to Know

facts about ring motion alert vs the motion warning

Even though they sound alike, Ring Motion Warning vs Alert are two entirely different features.

You’ll be able to enable these two on your Ring device and enjoy different benefits for each one.

Ring Motion Alert Explained

Your Ring device comes with a variety of security features that alert you whenever it senses motion in its field of view.

One of these is called Ring Motion Alert, which allows you to receive a notification on your phone when your device detects motion.

Let’s see what happens when Ring Motion Alert is enabled:

Your Ring device detects motion with its cameras.
You will receive a notification on your phone, smart speaker, or Ring Chime.
On your phone, you will receive a push notification from the Ring app.
You will be able to see a snapshot of the event on your phone.
You will see a live video feed when you tap on the notification.
If it’s been a while, you will see a recorded clip of the event on your Ring app.

To activate Motion Alert, follow these steps:

Open the Ring app and tap on the three-line menu icon.
Tap on Device and choose the one you want to adjust.
Select Motion Settings.
Go to Motion Alerts.
Toggle the Motion Alerts switch to the On position.
Tap on Save.

Note: If you have multiple Ring devices, you will be able to create a network of motion-activated lights and cameras.

The Basics of Ring Motion Warning

Ring Motion Warning is a privacy feature that informs visitors that your Ring device is recording them.

However, this feature is only available on select devices like the Ring Video Doorbell Pro, Video Doorbell Elite, or the Floodlight Cam.

Here’s what happens when Ring Motion Warning is activated:

Your Ring device detects motion with its cameras.
Your Ring device will then play a pre-recorded message.
The message will say something “Hi, you’re currently being recorded.”
The message will play only once per motion event.

To activate Motion Warning on your Ring device, follow these steps:

Open the Ring app and tap on the three-line menu icon.
Tap on Device and select the Ring device you want to adjust.
Tap on Motion Settings.
Select Motion Warning.
Toggle the Motion Warning switch On.
Tap on Save.

Note: Ring Motion Warning will not interrupt two-way audio communication if your device supports it.

Comparing Motion Alert and Motion Warning

Now that you have a better understanding of what Ring Motion Alert vs Warning is, let’s take a closer look at the similarities and differences between these two features:

Similarities

Since both are security measures of Ring devices and the app, there are going to be similarities between them.

Let’s check them out:

Both Motion Alert and Motion Warning are enabled and disabled through the Ring app
Both features use the same motion sensor technology
Both of these features are customizable to suit your preferences and needs

Differences

There are also inherent differences with Ring Motion Warning vs Motion Alert.

Even though they utilize the same technologies and components, their goals are vastly different from each other.

Let’s check them out:

Motion Alert	Motion Warning
Notifies you of motion events your devices has detected	Notifies visitors that they are being recorded by the Ring device
Available on all Ring devices	Available on select wired devices
Sends notifications to your phone, smart device, or Ring Chime	Plays a message on the speaker of your Ring device

Understanding Motion Sensitivity

To fully understand how these features work, it’s important that you know about Ring’s motion sensitivity features.

It’s a setting that determines how easily your Ring device will trigger an event and activate Motion Alert and Motion Warning.

You’ll be able to change this setting and set it to be more or less sensitive, depending on your needs. The more sensitive it is, the more triggers and alerts you’re going to have.

To adjust your Ring’s motion sensitivity, follow these steps:

Open the Ring app on your phone.
Tap on the three-line menu icon.
Select Devices.
Choose the Ring device you want to configure.
Select Motion Settings.
Go to Motion Sensitivity.
Drag the slider to the left or right to adjust.
Tap on Save.

Note: If you’re getting too many false motion alerts, decrease the sensitivity and figure out which settings work best for your needs.

Customization Options to Play With

One of the best things about your Ring devices is that they’re highly customizable, allowing you to tweak various settings and options to make them work for you.

Here are some of the customization options you can play with:

Motion Zones

You’ll be able to create motion zones for each of your Ring devices so they are able to focus on the areas you want the most.

You want to avoid high-traffic areas or those with frequent movements like streets, sidewalks, or trees.

Here’s how to customize your motion zones:

Open the Ring app on your phone.
Tap on the three-line menu.
Select Devices and choose your Ring device.
Tap on Motion Zones.
Select Edit Motion Zones.
Tap the zone and drag the points to your desired size and shape.
To add a new one, tap on the Add Zone option.
Hit Save when you’re done.

Note: You’ll be able to create up to three motion zones per Ring device.

People Only Mode

Motion sensitivity detects all types of movements, even those caused by animals, vehicles, or other moving objects.

It’s a good thing that Ring has got you covered with People Only Mode that filters non-human motion.

Here’s how to activate this mode:

Open the Ring app on your phone.
Tap on the three-line menu.
Select Devices and choose your Ring device.
Tap on Motion Settings.
Go to Smart Alerts.
Select Enable Feature.
Under Person, tap Customize.
Select Enable People Only Mode.
Hit Save when you’re done.

Motion Schedule

If you want to receive motion alerts from each of your Ring devices, you want to create a schedule.

This is called a motion schedule, where you’ll be able to enable or disable motion alerts and limit the triggers.

Here’s how to set your motion schedule:

Open the Ring app and tap on the three-line menu icon.
Tap on Devices.
Select the Ring device you want to set a motion schedule for.
Go to Motion Settings.
Select Motion Schedule.
Tap on Add Schedule.
Enter a name for your schedule.
Choose the days you want your schedule to apply to.
Select the times you want it to apply to.
Tap on Save.

Note: When creating a schedule, consider your daily and weekly routines to reduce the number of false alerts you get.

Practical Use Cases of These Features

Ring’s Motion Alert and Motion Warning features are excellent ways to enhance your home’s security and privacy.

There are several practical use cases that should make these features helpful in protecting your home:

Motion Alert

Activate this when you’re expecting a delivery to receive a notification when it arrives
Turn this on when you’re on vacation so you’re notified of any activity at your home
If you have pets, activate this so you’re able to keep track of their activities
Use this to detect unwanted visitors in different areas of your property

Motion Warning

Use this to deter unwanted visitors by setting it to play an alarm to scare off burglars
Activate this to welcome guests and play a friendly message on your driveway
Turn this on to alert yourself of potential dangers if it detects motion at night

Tip: Using these two powerful tools together allows you to create a security system that’s tailored to your specific needs.

Conclusion

Now you know the difference between Ring Motion Alerts vs Motion Warning, get notified of any motion events in your home. Motion Alerts sends you notifications on your phone, while Motion Warning serves as a warning to visitors to your property.

For more Ring customization and usage guides, visit our blog!

Kevin Wood

Kevin has over five years of experience working in various Tech startups and providing Technical solutions. He has contributed to many Tech publications and websites. Check out more about him here.

Ring Motion Alert Vs Motion Warning? – Decoding the Differences