Spooktacular Surveillance: How to Prep Your Ring Doorbell for Halloween

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October is here, which means it's time for trick-or-treaters to descend upon your doorstep. If you have a video doorbell, you can use it to enhance your Halloween experience and keep your home safe. In this guide, we'll walk you through the steps to prepare your video doorbell for the ghosties and ghoulies that will be visiting this month. We'll be using a Ring doorbell as an example, but these tips can also be adapted for other video doorbell brands.

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Halloween kids ringing the doorbell of an old scary house. The boys aged 6 are dressed up as skeleton pirate and vampire. The girl aged 9 is dressed up as witch.

image: Imgorthand

Step 1: Adjust motion and notification settings

The first thing you'll want to do is fine-tune your motion and notification settings. If you're expecting a lot of trick-or-treaters, you want to avoid being bombarded with notifications throughout the night. Here's how to do it:

  • Open your video doorbell app and navigate to the settings.
  • Look for the motion sensitivity option. Lower the sensitivity to reduce the number of false alarms triggered by passing cars or rustling leaves.
  • Consider using smart alerts if your video doorbell supports them. Smart alerts allow you to choose what events trigger notifications, such as people at the door or specific types of motion.
  • Many video doorbells, including Ring, offer a scheduling feature. Use this to turn off and on notifications during specific times, like Halloween night. You can silence notifications during the hours when you don't want to be disturbed.
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Check out our quick video tutorial that walks you through all the steps in this guide.

Step 2: Charge battery-powered doorbells

If your video doorbell is battery-powered, checking the battery settings is essential. You don't want your doorbell dying on you in the middle of the trick-or-treating rush. Here's what to do:

  • Go to the battery settings in your video doorbell app.
  • Check the battery level. If it's low, be sure to charge it up fully before Halloween night.
  • Consider keeping a spare battery on hand just in case the festivities drain your doorbell's power faster than expected.
Ring video doorbell faceplate with ghosts, pumpkins, and candy corns for Halloween

Image: Ring

Step 3: Get festive with faceplates and smart responses

Take advantage of festive faceplates and smart responses to add a touch of Halloween spirit to your video doorbell. Ring offers cute and spooky faceplate options for fall, and you can even customize your own. Here's how to do it:

  • Check if your video doorbell brand offers seasonal faceplates.
  • Swap out your regular faceplate for a Halloween-themed one to add some spooky charm to your front door.
  • Explore the smart response options. You can set up your doorbell to greet trick-or-treaters with a festive message like "Happy Halloween" or a howling greeting from a holiday werewolf.

Following these simple steps, you can ensure your video doorbell is ready for the trick-or-treaters visiting your home this Halloween. Adjusting your motion and notification settings, taking care of your battery-powered doorbell, and adding festive touches will enhance your security and the overall Halloween experience. So, get ready to welcome the little ghosts and goblins with your video doorbell as your trusted Halloween companion. Happy Halloween!

Katie McEntire
Written by
Katie McEntire
As a renter, pet-owner, and woman living alone, Katie McEntire takes safety seriously. She’s tested devices like pet cameras, home security systems, and GPS trackers in her own home and devices in the name of safety. In addition to testing, writing, and reviewing for SafeWise, she also makes videos for the site’s YouTube channel. She’s been featured on publications like TechGuySmartBuy, Forbes, Healthy Moms, and Digital Care. Katie has a Bachelor’s degree in Technical Writing from Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tennessee. She’s held previous writing positions at Overstock.com and Top Ten Reviews.

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