18 Ring Contact Sensor Known Problems (Solved)

The Ring Contact Sensor is a simple smart device designed to alert you when a door, gate, or window is opened.

While it’s a simple and versatile device, the Ring Contact Sensor isn’t perfect, and you might face a few problems while using this device. 

Below are 18 of these problems and how you may solve them.

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1. Ring Door Sensor Keeps Saying Tampered

Your Ring Contact Sensors are designed to alert you when your device has been tampered with. 

If you ever receive an error message saying your Ring Door Sensor has been tampered with, the first thing to do is check to see if the device has actually been tampered with in any way:

Check that the device is still securely in place and hasn’t fallen off where it was mounted. Also, check to make sure the device hasn’t sustained any form of physical damage.

If your door sensor has fallen down, inspect that there hasn’t been any damage to the device and reinstall it. If there has been any type of damage, naturally, you’d want to get the sensor fixed or replaced before reinstalling it. 

If your device hasn’t fallen off and doesn’t seem to be tampered with in any way, check the battery status on the Ring app. A low battery can cause the sensor to trigger false alarms like this.

If the battery on your sensor is low, replacing the old battery with a new one can solve the problem. If the battery on the sensor isn’t low and you can still see this tamper alert, then you might want to try to remove the door sensor from the app, reset the device, and then reinstall it. 

To remove the sensor:

1. Open the Ring app.
2. Tap the menu icon (☰).
3. Go to Devices.
4. Select the tampered Door Sensor under Sensors.
5. Go to Device Settings.
6. Tap Remove Device at the bottom of the screen.
7. Confirm device removal on the next screen and tap Got it once your Contact Sensor is successfully removed.

To reset the device:

First, slide your Contact Sensor from its base.

Access the batteries at the back of the sensor.

Then, use a paper clip to release the pinhole button at the top of the device, above the batteries.

Remove the batteries for a few seconds and then reinstall them.

To reinstall your Door Sensor:

1. Open the Ring app.
2. Tap the menu icon (☰).
3. Select Set Up a Device.
4. Choose the Alarm or Alarm Pro Base Station you’d be connecting your sensor to under Security, then scroll down to Sensors.
5. Follow the prompts that appear to add your sensor.

Once all of this is done, your door sensor should no longer show a tampered error on the app. If this is still happening, you might have to contact Ring support. 

2. Ring Contact Sensor Not in App

If your contact sensor isn’t showing up in the Ring App, the problem is probably that your sensor wasn’t installed properly and couldn’t be connected to the app successfully.

Solution: Factory reset the contact sensor, then reinstall it.

To factory reset your Contact Sensor, 2nd Generation:

1. Unmount the Contact Sensor off its base. Ensure that the batteries are installed.
2. Press and hold the pinhole reset button until the LED light turns red, then release.

For the Contact Sensor, 1st Generation, here are the factory reset instructions:

1. After removing the cover, remove the battery.
2. Press and keep on holding the tamper button.
3. While still holding the tamper button, insert the battery. The LED light will flash. Either hold the button until the light stops flashing or until you see a solid LED light.

To reinstall the Contact Sensor:

1. Open the Ring app.
2. Tap the menu icon (≡).
3. Select Set Up a Device.
4. Select Security Devices.
5. Select Sensors.
6. Tap Contact Sensor.
7. Follow the in-app instructions to complete the installation and setup process. 

3. Ring Contact Sensor Not Sticking

If your Ring Contact Sensor isn’t sticking to the surface you’d like to install it on, ensure you’ve removed the protective case covering the device’s adhesive tape. 

Next, you’d want to clean the surface you’re trying to stick the sensor to, as dirt could cause the sensor to keep falling off.

Use rubbing alcohol to give the surface a good clean before sticking the adhesive end of the sensor to the surface. 

If your contact sensor still keeps falling off, you should use more powerful adhesive strips for a stronger bond. 

For a more reliable and permanent connection, though, the best choice is to use screws to securely attach your sensor to the surface you are looking to mount it on. 

If you can’t use screws, consider upgrading the included tape with 3M adhesive strips. When using adhesive, clean the surface using isopropyl alcohol (or whatever alcohol is appropriate for the surface) before sticking the sensors. 

This way, any significant changes in heat you would get when securing the sensor to a metal surface, for example, won’t affect the mounting, unlike a regular adhesive strip.

One other reason your Ring sensor might not be sticking is because the sensor has lost its adhesive property. You might run into this situation if you’ve changed the position of your sensor a few times already, weakening the adhesive. 

Using new adhesive strips to stick the sensor in place or screwing the sensor to the surface you want to mount it on should also solve this issue.

4. Ring Door Sensor Offline

If your Ring Door Sensor keeps showing as offline, make sure the sensor is close to the Alarm or Alarm Pro Base Station. 

If you have sensors far from your Base Station, consider getting a Range Extender, which would help extend the Base Station’s Z-Wave network, allowing for greater connection range.

Another possible reason your base station might appear offline is if its battery is low. If your device suddenly goes offline after having appropriately functioned for a while, this is probably the issue. 

To solve this issue, simply replace the battery on the sensor, and it should be back online in no time. 

Finally, a sensor displaying offline might also result from a faulty device, which is probably true if getting a range extender and replacing the battery don’t fix the issue. In this case, the next step would be to contact Ring support. 

5. Ring Sensor Not Connecting to Range Extender

Your Ring Sensor should typically connect to your Range Extender when you plug it in and set it up to the Base Station. If the sensor doesn’t connect to the extender, one of the following is involved:

• The Ring Sensor is Out of the Extender’s Range

While the range extender increases the range of your Base Station, the extension offered is not an unlimited one. If a sensor is still too far away from the extender, it won’t connect to the extender. 

Typically, the range extender extends your Base Station’s Z-Wave by 250 feet. If your sensor is outside this range, the device won’t connect.

• Either the Ring Sensor or the Extender is Faulty

If the contact sensor is within the extender’s range and still doesn’t connect, then the issue is either with the contact sensor itself or with the extender. 

To check which is the case, unplug the range extender from your power outlet, bring your contact sensor closer to the Base Station, and try to connect it directly. 

If the sensor successfully connects with the Base Station, then the issue is likely with the range extender. If it doesn’t, the issue is with the contact sensor itself. 

In either case, you’d want to contact Ring support for repairs or a replacement.

6. Ring Contact Sensor Not Connecting to Base Station

If your contact sensor isn’t connecting to your base station, first ensure that the base station in question is either a Ring Alarm Base Station or a Ring Alarm Pro Base Station.

Your Ring Contact Sensors are only designed for these base stations and would have problems connecting with others. 

Next, check to ensure that the base station is turned on and that the device is successfully connected to a Wi-Fi network with a good internet connection. 

If all of the above is the case, make sure the contact sensor is within range of the base station’s Z-Wave. Typically, this is around 250 feet, though this might be reduced due to interference from solid objects like walls and pieces of furniture. 

Pro Tip: You’d want to bring your sensor as close to the base station as possible to confirm whether or not the sensor connects to the base station. Bring the sensor right up to the base station and try connecting them. 

If they still don’t connect, then the issue is with your contact sensor, in which case you should contact Ring support. 

If the sensor connects successfully when close to the base station but doesn’t connect when you take the sensor back to the door, window, or gate you want to install it on, then the issue is the distance of the contact sensor from the base station.

In a case like this, a practical solution would be to purchase a range extender to increase the Base Station’s range.

7. Ring Sensors Require Bypass

You might be getting alerts that say, “Sensors Require Bypass.” 

This alert can usually happen if you leave a door open when you try to arm your Ring Alarm System.

An example situation where this could happen is having your family in the process of leaving the house. Sometimes, it’s just convenient to keep that front door open while waiting for the rest of your family members to exit the house.

But then it might seem that your Ring Alarm isn’t cooperating because it gives you that message when you just want to arm your alarm system.

Although annoying, there is a solution so you won’t get this type of message again when you’re just trying to keep your property secure before you leave.

The primary solution is Open Door Arming, which allows your designated Main Door to remain open when entering Away Mode.

How to use Open Door Arming:

1. Open the Ring App.
2. Open the menu (☰).
3. Tap Devices, then turn on the Open Door Arming switch.
4. Tap Continue to finish the setup.

Don’t forget to set your Exit Delay for Away Mode to more than zero seconds, or you won’t be able to switch on Open Door Arming.

Sadly, this only works on a single Main Door, with only one Main Door sensor at any time. 

If you want to use it on another door simultaneously, another option is the Quick Exit feature, which can temporarily bypass a sensor without having to disarm the whole system.

To bypass a Ring Contact sensor, follow the steps below:

1. Open the Ring App.
2. Go to your Devices and select the Sensor you’d like to bypass.
3. Toggle on the Quick Exit button.
4. Go back to Devices and select your Ring Alarm. Ensure that the alarm is set to Home.
5. Press the button on the Ring Contact Sensor until a blinking green light can be seen on the LED indicator. While this blinking light is on, you can go through the sensor without triggering an alarm.

The blinking light typically stays that way for about 30 seconds, after which the sensor will rearm itself, so make sure to go through within that 30-second timeframe. 

Note: Remember that the Quick Exit feature is only available on the Ring Contact Sensor 2nd Generation.

8. Ring Door Sensor Not Chiming

If your Ring Door Sensor isn’t chiming, the first thing to do is to check if your alarm system is armed.

To check if your Ring Alarm System is armed:

1. Open your Ring app.
2. Look at the Alarm Mode icon on the app. If the alarm system is armed, the Alarm Mode should show either Home or Away mode. If it is not armed, the mode should display Disarmed.

If your device displays Disarmed, switch to Home or Away mode to arm your alarm system so your sensors can resume chiming.

Note that when in Home mode, not all your sensors would chime, as only your perimeter sensors are monitored in this mode. This would allow you to freely move from room to room within your property without triggering an alarm whenever you open a door.

When in Away Mode, however, every single sensor would be monitored and can trigger an alarm. 

You can also enable chirps in Disarmed mode:

1. Open the Ring app.
2. Go into the Main Menu.
3. Open Settings.
4. Go to Modes.
5. And then select Disarmed.
6. And you’ll find the Chirp settings there to enable them.

Make sure your chirp setting is toggled on in the alarm modes you want and that the chirp volume is loud enough for you to hear. 

9. Why Does My Ring Sensor Says Door Open?

If your Ring contact sensor keeps reporting that your door is open while the door is actually closed, a few things could be the cause of the issue:

• The contact sensor wasn’t installed properly.

Your contact sensor comes with a magnet that should be installed no more than an inch away from the sensor. 

When the door is closed, the magnet remains in its natural state (within an inch of the sensor in its closed state). When the door is opened, however, the magnet becomes farther than an inch away. This is how the sensor figures out that the door has been opened. 

If the sensor wasn’t installed correctly, i.e. the magnet is over an inch from the sensor, the sensor would take that to mean the door is opened. 

If this is the case with you, simply re-install the contact sensor with the sensor and the magnet within 1 inch of one another, and you should no longer experience this issue.

• The door is no longer adequately aligned to the doorframe.

Another possibility is that your door is no longer in alignment, and this could also push the sensor farther away from the magnet or vice versa. Take, for example, a case where the door is starting to shift off its hinges.

Fixing the door should help solve this issue if you don’t want to adjust the positioning of the sensor or magnet.

• The sensor is malfunctioning due to technical issues.

Finally, the sensor may be malfunctioning due to some technical issues. One possibility is that the sensor is too far from the Base Station, in which case, you should consider moving it closer to the Base Station or a range extender.

10. Why Is My Ring Sensor Beeping?

If your Ring sensor beeps and you can’t find out why, the likely cause is an Alarm history causing a continuous sound. It’s also possible for the beeping sound to be the result of a delayed countdown. 

11. Can Ring Sensors Be Reused?

Yes, Ring Sensors can be reused. You can both remove the sensors from an old system and then add them to a new one and replace the position of the sensors as you please.

If you’d be adding an old sensor to a new system, first factory reset the sensor before setting it up to the new system. 

To factory reset your Contact Sensor, 2nd Generation:

1. Unmount the Contact Sensor off its base. Ensure that the batteries are installed.
2. Press and hold the pinhole reset button until the LED light turns red, then release.

If you have the Contact Sensor, 1st Generation, note that the factory reset instructions are slightly different:

1. Remove the cover, and then the battery.
2. Press and hold the tamper button.
3. While holding the tamper button, insert the battery. The LED will flash, and either keep holding the button until the LED stops flashing or until the LED turns solid.

12. Do Ring Sensors Fall Off?

Ring sensors are designed to be rather secure. That being said, they may fall off if not installed properly or when tampered with.

To prevent your sensors from being tampered with, install them high enough that they’d be impossible to reach for children and pets. 

When installing these sensors, you’d also want to clean the surface you’d be installing them on properly with some rubbing alcohol to remove any dirt particles that could cause the adhesive on the back of the device not to stick securely.

13. Can You Move Ring Sensors?

Yes, you can move your Ring sensors and change their position. You’d want to avoid doing that often, though, as this could degrade the adhesive used to hold these devices in place over time.

Pro Tip: When moving the sensors to an entirely different part of the house, e.g. from the front door to a window, for example, you’ll want to reset the device and restart the set-up to configure the device properly to your Ring app. 

14. Do You Need a Base Station for Ring Contact Sensor?

Yes, you need a Ring base station to use a Ring Contact Sensor. And not just any base station either. You need either an Alarm or an Alarm Pro Base Station.

Without any of these base stations, there is no way to integrate your contact sensors into your Ring App. 

15. Do Ring Contact Sensors Detect Broken Glass?

There is a specific sensor for that: the Ring Alarm Glass Break Sensor. 

This sensor is different from the typical Ring Contact Sensor for doors and windows, and it uses AI technology to accurately detect the sound of breaking glass.

16. Can You Use Ring Contact Sensor Without Alarm?

No, you cannot use a Ring Contact Sensor Without a Ring Alarm (or an Alarm Pro) Base Station. 

These contact sensors use Z-Wave for communication, a technology used by Ring base stations, and the sensors don’t communicate directly with the internet.

17. Do Ring Contact Sensors Make Noise?

No, the Ring Contact Sensors themselves don’t sound when a door or window is opened or closed. You can control whether or not you want the sensors to make the Base Station play sounds or chirps by making changes to the Chirp settings on the Ring app, however.

18. Does Ring Contact Sensor Work With Smartthings?

Ring doesn’t officially support integrating your Ring Contact sensors with Smartthings.

Summary

All things considered, Ring Contact sensors are brilliant devices that can add that much extra security to your home security and alarm system. And while they’re not without their fair share of issues, none of these will be something you can’t handle. 

Above are 18 of the most common issues Ring Contact Sensor users are likely to experience, as well as effective solutions to fix these issues. Follow the instructions and solutions provided in this article, and you should have no issues getting the best out of your contact sensors. 

Sources

1. Arming, Disarming, and Setting Modes on your Ring Alarm, Ring Help