Ring has added quite a few new features for its doorbell users recently, such as end-to-end video encryption, and the latest one is Quick Replies. If you have one of the doorbells listed below you’ll be able to go into your Ring app and pick from six preset phrases which will be played when anyone rings the doorbell.
They include “Hi! Please wait. It may take me a moment to answer” and “We can’t answer the door right now, but if you’d like to leave a message, you can do it now”. There’s also one that tells a delivery driver to leave packages outside.
The replies can be useful if you’re out shopping and can’t answer a ring yourself via the app, or simply when you’re busy at home and don’t want to be disturbed.
The update should be rolled out to all UK Ring app users over the next few weeks and you’ll find the option in the new features section within the Control Centre, itself found from the main menu in the app.
Once you’ve enabled Quick Replies you can then pick from the six phrases, so long as you have one of the following doorbells:
- Video Doorbell (2nd Gen)
- Video Doorbell 2
- Video Doorbell 3
- Video Doorbell 3 Plus
- Video Doorbell 4
- Video Doorbell Wired
- Video Doorbell Pro
- Video Doorbell Pro 2
- Video Doorbell Elite
- Door View Cam
If you subscribe to Ring Protect, you can hear any messages callers leave later on, but without a subscription, you’ll only know what was said if you access the Live View in the app as the message is being left.
In the US, owners of the Pro and Pro 2 doorbells who also have Ring Protect have the option of Alexa Greetings. With these, Alexa can take messages and give instructions on where to leave packages when you can’t answer the door.
That’s still not available in the UK, but Quick Replies does a similar job of taking messages – working like a answer machine for your doorbell – and it’s available on a much wider range of models.
One feature we’d like to see Ring add is a ‘Snooze’ function that silences all Chime and Echo devices when you don’t want to be disturbed. You can do this per Chime in the Ring app, but there’s no way to do this from the Ring app if you use Echo speakers and get notifications via Alexa.
Related articles for further reading
Author: Jim Martin, Executive Editor
Jim has been testing and reviewing products for over 20 years. His main beats include VPN services and antivirus. He also covers smart home tech, mesh Wi-Fi and electric bikes.