Does a hardwired ring doorbell need a chime?

Answered by James Kissner

A hardwired Ring doorbell does need a chime in order for you to hear the internal doorbell ring inside your home. The Ring Video Doorbell Wired (2021 release) is designed to be connected to your existing doorbell wiring, which powers the device and allows it to function. However, without a separate Ring Chime or Ring Chime Pro, you won’t be able to hear the doorbell ring inside your home.

The reason for this is that the Ring Video Doorbell Wired (2021 release) is primarily a video doorbell that is meant to be monitored through the Ring app on your smartphone or tablet. It is not designed to produce an audible sound inside your home like a traditional doorbell chime.

Instead, when someone presses the doorbell button, you will receive a notification on your smartphone or tablet through the Ring app. This allows you to see and interact with the person at your door, even if you are not at home. You can have a conversation with them using the two-way audio feature and even unlock your door if you have a compatible smart lock.

Additionally, if you have an Alexa device with the Ring Skill connected, you will also receive notifications on your Alexa device when someone presses the doorbell button. This can be useful if you have an Alexa device in a central location in your home and want to be alerted to visitors even if you don’t have your smartphone nearby.

However, if you prefer to have a traditional audible doorbell chime inside your home, you will need to connect a Ring Chime or Ring Chime Pro to your Ring Video Doorbell Wired (2021 release). These devices plug into a standard power outlet and connect to your Ring doorbell wirelessly. When someone presses the doorbell button, the Ring Chime or Ring Chime Pro will produce an audible sound inside your home, alerting you to the visitor at your door.

The Ring Chime is a simple, compact device that provides a basic doorbell chime sound. The Ring Chime Pro, on the other hand, offers additional features such as a built-in Wi-Fi extender to enhance the signal strength of your Ring devices and customizable tones for different types of alerts.

While a hardwired Ring doorbell will still send notifications to your smartphone and Alexa devices, if you want to hear an audible doorbell chime inside your home, you will need to connect a separate Ring Chime or Ring Chime Pro. This allows you to have both the convenience of mobile notifications and the familiarity of a traditional doorbell sound.