Adding people to your Ring camera means they can view the live feed, watch recordings, and sometimes unlock doors or adjust settings — depending on what permissions you give them
You control who sees your Ring camera through the Ring app on your phone or tablet. When you add someone, you choose what they're allowed to do: some people can only watch video, while others can unlock smart locks or change camera settings. The person you're adding needs their own Ring account and email address, and they'll receive an invitation they have to accept before they gain access.
The process takes about five minutes and works the same way whether you're adding a family member, a trusted friend, or a contractor who needs temporary access to your doorbell camera or security camera.
Key Takeaways
- You add people through the Ring app by going to your device settings and selecting the option to share access or add a user.
- The person you're adding must have their own Ring account with a valid email address before you can send them an invitation.
- You can set different permission levels for each person — some can only view video, while others can control locks or change settings.
- The person you invite will see a notification in their Ring app and must accept the invitation before they can access your camera.
- You can remove someone's access at any time by going back to the sharing settings and deleting their name from the list.
How to add someone through the Ring app
Open the Ring app on your phone or tablet and tap the three horizontal lines (menu) at the bottom right. Select the camera or doorbell you want to share. Tap the gear icon or "Settings" at the top right of the screen. Look for an option called "Sharing," "Share Access," "Invite," or "Manage Users" — the exact wording depends on which Ring device you have and which version of the app you're running.
Tap that option and you'll see a button to add a new person. Enter their email address exactly as it appears in their Ring account. Double-check the spelling because the invitation will be sent to that address. Tap "Send Invite" or "Next." The app will ask you what permissions to give this person — this is where you decide what they can and cannot do.
Once you send the invitation, the other person will receive a notification in their Ring app. They need to open that notification and tap "Accept" to gain access. Until they accept, they won't be able to see your camera or any recordings.
Understanding permission levels
Ring gives you several permission options, and which ones appear depends on your device type. The most common are: View Only (the person can watch live video and recordings but cannot change anything), Viewer (same as View Only on most devices), Manager (can view video, adjust settings, and control smart locks if you have them), and Owner (full control, including the ability to remove other users or delete the device).
For most situations, give family members who live with you the Manager level so they can help if something goes wrong. Give contractors or service workers View Only access, and only for as long as they need it. Never give Owner access to anyone except people you trust completely, because an Owner can lock you out of your own device.
Some Ring devices also let you set time-based access, meaning someone can view the camera only during certain hours or days. Check your device settings to see if this option is available.
What happens if the person doesn't have a Ring account yet
If you try to add someone and their email address isn't connected to a Ring account, the invitation will fail or sit in a pending state. Ask them to create a Ring account first by downloading the Ring app, tapping "Create Account," and entering that same email address. They don't need to own a Ring device to have an account — they just need to set one up.
Once they've created their account, you can send the invitation again. This time it will go through, and they'll see it waiting in their app. If they're having trouble creating an account, they can visit ring.com and sign up through the website instead of the app.
Removing someone's access
Go back to the same sharing or user management screen where you added them. You'll see a list of everyone who has access to that camera. Find the person you want to remove and tap the X, trash icon, or "Remove" button next to their name. Confirm when the app asks you to verify. Their access ends immediately — they won't be able to view the camera or any recordings anymore.
This is useful if someone moves away, if you no longer want a contractor to have access, or if you're concerned about someone's account security. Removing someone doesn't delete their Ring account; it just cuts off their connection to your specific device.
Troubleshooting common problems
If someone says they received an invitation but can't see it in their app, ask them to close the Ring app completely and open it again. Sometimes the notification doesn't show up until the app refreshes. If that doesn't work, they can check their email for a link to accept the invitation directly.
If you're trying to add someone and the app keeps saying the email address is invalid, make sure you're using the exact email they used to create their Ring account. Spaces, capital letters, or typos will cause the invitation to fail. If you're not sure what email they used, ask them to check their Ring account settings — they can see it under their profile.
If someone accepted the invitation but still can't see the camera, have them sign out of the Ring app completely (go to Settings, then Sign Out), wait 30 seconds, and sign back in. This refreshes their permissions and usually fixes the problem. If it still doesn't work after that, restart their phone.
Adding people on the Ring website instead of the app
You can also manage sharing through ring.com on a computer. Log in to your Ring account, go to Devices, select the camera you want to share, and look for a "Sharing" or "Users" section. The steps are similar to the app: enter the person's email address, set their permission level, and send the invitation. Some people find the website easier to use because the screen is larger, and it can be helpful if you're adding multiple people at once.
The invitation works the same way whether you send it from the app or the website — the other person will receive a notification in their Ring app and must accept it to gain access.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I add someone who doesn't live with me?
Yes. You can add anyone with a Ring account, no matter where they live. They'll be able to watch your camera and recordings from anywhere they have internet access. This is useful for checking on a rental property, letting a family member monitor your home while you're away, or giving a contractor temporary access to see a problem area.
What if I want to give someone access to multiple cameras?
You have to add them separately to each device. Open the first camera's settings, add their email, set permissions, and send the invite. Then repeat the process for the second camera, third camera, and so on. They'll receive multiple invitations in their Ring app, one for each device.
Can I change someone's permissions after I've already added them?
Yes. Go back to the sharing settings for that camera, find their name, and look for an option to edit or change their permissions. Tap it and select the new permission level. The change takes effect immediately.
Will the person I add be able to delete my recordings?
Only if you give them Manager or Owner permissions. View Only users cannot delete, download, or change anything — they can only watch. If you're worried about someone deleting recordings, keep them at View Only level.
What happens if someone's Ring account gets hacked?
Remove their access immediately by going to your sharing settings and deleting their name. This cuts off their connection to your camera. Ask them to change their Ring password and enable two-factor authentication on their account to prevent future problems. You can add them back once their account is secure.