Ring doorbells have been a popular home security option since they first came out, but you’ve probably wondered if Apple HomeKit would work with them. Learn how to use Apple HomeKit with a Ring Video Doorbell and control your doorbell from your iPhone or iPad.
Do ring doorbells work with Apple HomeKit? Having your front doorbell ring automatically can be a nice perk for you. But, if you are looking for the ultimate security, the Ring Video Doorbell is one of the best options on the market. It works with any major home automation system like Apple HomeKit, Amazon Alexa, Ecobee, Google Assistant, Samsung SmartThings, and Wink.
As of the time of this post, the only program that can connect Ring cameras with an Apple Homekit is Homebridge. This implies that if you want to use your Ring cameras with your Apple Homekit, you’ll have to purchase them separately.
Ring connects to Apple HomeKit via a Homebridge hub or device. Install the Ring plugin for Homebridge and acquire the refresh token for setting up the Ring plugin using your Ring account’s email, password, and two-factor authentication code. Once the plugin is installed, the Ring accessory should be displayed in your Apple device’s Home app.
Ring’s Doorbells are one of the most popular home security devices on the market today, and their recent update to support HomeKit will make them even more popular.
What is Homebrige and How does it work?
Homebridge popularly known as HOOBS (Homebridge Out of The Box) is a piece of software that integrates all of your smart home devices into a single, easy-to-use interface. As a software solution for combining your Ring and Apple Homekit systems, Homebridge has a number of advantages:
Homebridge has over 2,000 plugins, making it extremely flexible when it comes to building up your unified smart home network.
Even if you’re not an IT expert, Homebridge’s plug-and-play structure makes it simple to connect all of your individual smart home ecosystems to it. This system may be set up by anyone, regardless of skill level.
Unlike open wireless connections, Homebridge is a closed network that can only be accessed from within your home network. As a result, would-be hackers and robbers will have a considerably more difficult time gaining access to your security systems.
The Homebridge user interface is easy to read and understand, allowing you to view a spread of all your smart home ecosystems linked through the Homebridge on one simple dashboard panel.
Why use HOOBS to Connect Ring With HomeKit?
Both Ring and Apple Homekit may link to a third-party software application that acts as a sort of bridge between the two software systems, allowing them to be utilized simultaneously. HOOBS, or Homebridge Out of The Box, is a popular example of how to connect Ring and Apple Homekit control modules.
These are the reasons why you should use HOOBS to pair your ring doorbell with Apple Homekit
- Setting it up is a breeze. It only takes a few minutes to link all of your Ring devices with HomeKit.
- It streamlines the process of installing Homebridge by removing the need to manually configure any plugins.
- Hoobs collaborates closely with the plugin’s creators to provide you with all the assistance and updates you require.
- ADT, Harmony, Roborock, Tuya, Sonos, MyQ, and more are among the 2000+ other products that it works with in addition to the Ring. So, if you want to create your smart home around the HomeKit ecosystem, buying Hoobs in a box is a no-brainer.
An Apple Homekit and Ring camera integration system, such as the Homebridge, will set you back around $300. When you factor in the cost of the Ring system as a whole, purchasing a third-party bridge software to link Ring to Apple will add significantly to your overall costs.
The ability to link your Ring cameras to your Apple Homekit, on the other hand, offers numerous technical advantages that make the additional cost worthwhile.
Here are a few examples of what you can do with your Ring cameras and Apple Homekit after you’ve synchronized them together using Homebridge:
- Open your Apple Homekit app and see all of your Ring cameras.
- Use your Ring cameras as sensors in the Homekit environment
- Enable your Ring cameras’ Homekit doorbell notifications so they can act as a doorbell without the need of the Ring Chime or the Ring app.
Note that using Homebridge to link your Ring cameras with your Apple Homekit causes a minor delay in response, so your mobile notifications from your Ring app are more typical of a real-time choice if you wish to answer the doorbell immediately.
How to Set up Ring With HomeKit Using HOOBS
Adding Ring doorbell, camera, or smart lights to Hoobs is straightforward and takes only a few minutes. Follow these instructions to make your Ring accessory compatible with Apple’s HomeKit.
1. Connect Hoobs To Your Home Network
Before you can use HomeKit with your Ring devices, you must first connect Hoobs to your network. There are two methods to go about this.
Either use an ethernet cable to connect the Hoobs device directly to your router or use your home WiFi to connect it wirelessly. Either way, it only takes a few minutes to get started.
Note: The Eero Mesh Router is the ideal option if you want an Apple Homekit compatible Wi-Fi router within your budget or one that just covers a small area.
2. Visit The Hoobs Interface on Your Internet Browser
After you’ve linked Hoobs to your home network, you’ll want to create an account on Hoobs. Visit http://hoobs.local in your web browser to get started. Allow some time for it to spread. Create an admin account by providing your name, username, and password.
3. Install the Ring Plugin for Hoobs
In addition to working with other Homebride plugins, Hoobs also certifies one in particular: the Ring plugin. As a result, if you use Hoobs to connect your Ring devices to your Apple Home, it will function perfectly.
Go to your dashboard and select the plugins tab once your account is set up. You will find it on the menu on the left of your screen as the last tab.
To locate the Ring plugin, perform a search for it online. After that, simply click the “Install” button to get started.
4. Set up the Ring Plugin.
The Hoobs system will restart and a configuration screen for the Ring plugin will appear when the plugin has been installed. Your email address, password, and refresh token should all be in plain sight at the very top of the page.
It’s best if you don’t enter your email address or password yet. Instead, you’ll want to create a refresh token with your Ring email and password and then put it in the corresponding field.
This is due to the fact that your email address and password will not be saved in the config file. You’ll also see that there are a variety of options for enabling and disabling certain functions.
The Ring camera sirens were something I didn’t want to have a separate control on, so I hid that control. You can proceed to the next stage once you have decided what you want to enable or disable.
In other words, to produce a new refresh token for use in the application.
5. Open the Hoobs Terminal to Generate a Refresh Token.
Open the terminal by selecting “Start” and then “Options.” Then select “Terminal.” To get the refresh token, go to the terminal and enter the following command.
npx -p ring-client-api ring-auth-cli
When you use this command, a setup wizard will be downloaded and installed by Hoobs as a command-line program. If you enter the command successfully, you will be prompted for your Ring email, password, and 2FA code.
When asked, enter your email address and password. Type in your 2FA code when prompted. The 2FA code should be sent to your mobile phone if you have Ring installed on it. However, if you have not done so, it will be delivered to the email address you registered with.
6. Copy the Refresh Token and paste it into the Ring Plugin Configuration Screen.
Now that you have the refresh token, all you have to do is copy it and paste it into the refresh token field on the Ring plugin configuration page.
If you’re still having trouble after pasting the token, double-check to see if any extra spaces were accidentally added. Make a copy of the new settings and then save them.
You’ve successfully linked your Ring devices with Apple’s HomeKit automation system. Congratulations. Except for camera-style attachments, all of your Ring gadgets should now appear in your Apple Home.
7. Add Ring doorbell Camera Accessory in Apple Homekit
Ring doorbells and Ring cameras are not automatically integrated into Apple Home if you have any Ring camera-like accessories.
Because of this, they aren’t automatically added to Apple HomeKit. Don’t worry, it will only take a few seconds to complete.
Open Apple Home on your Apple device and select Add Accessory to get started.
In this case, select “I don’t have a code or I can’t scan”. You should be able to see any Ring camera-inspired accessories you have attached to your phone or tablet.
Enter the 8-digit setup code to proceed with adding the devices to your Apple Home.
The code for setting up your home may be found in the “Home Setup Pin” section of your Hoobs dashboard. You may be informed that the accessory you’re trying to use isn’t compatible with HomeKit.
Ignore it and tap “Add anyway” in spite of it. Due to the fact that Ring does not allow native HomeKit integration, we must use Hoobs instead.
You’ve now successfully linked your Ring accessory with HomeKit via Hoobs.
How to control your Ring video doorbell using Homepod from Apple Homekit
Ring devices do not have official HomePod support at this time. But if you connect Ring devices to the Home App via Homebridge and then to Scenarios, you can use your HomePod to activate the scenes hands-free.
As soon as you’ve connected your Ring doorbell to HomeKit, you’ll be able to see the doorbell icon on your iPhone’s Home app and hear any incoming calls.
You’ll receive a notification on HomeKit whenever your doorbell is pressed. HomeKit will send you notifications whenever motion is detected in the doorbell camera’s field of view.
In addition to text, these alerts will include a photo taken by the camera. All Ring doorbells, including the Ring Pro, are compatible with the app.
Conclusion
As a result of your Ring accessories effectively functioning with HomeKit accessories, you can now receive all of the HomeKit notifications that you would typically receive on HomeKit.
For instance, if your Ring camera detects movement, you’ll receive a notification. If your Ring doorbell rings, you’ll receive a notification.
Be aware that the notifications you receive on HomeKit might take a little longer to arrive than they would on the Ring app. Despite this, HomeKit still gives you a lot more power and flexibility than you’d get without it.
Motion detection can be turned off in any of the various modes. Keep in mind, however, that doing so will stop all video recording for the time being.
It’s important to note that HomeKit gives you the option of simply receiving notifications when you arrive home, rather than being inundated with them while you’re away from home, for example.
