Ring Doorbells have exploded in popularity in recent years with these internet-connected cameras offering an easy way to watch your home when you head out for the day.
Along with beaming live footage to phones and being able to chat with delivery drivers when they try and drop off online orders, a major appeal of these devices is how easy they are to install. That's thanks to Ring featuring an in-built battery pack rather than needing to be wired into the mains.
This function allows anyone with basic DIY skills to screw it to their front door with relative ease.
It's a great feature of Ring, however, that battery function does have its downsides especially when temperatures start dropping.
"As we enter the colder months, batteries outdoors tend to drain faster in the lower temperatures," explained Ring.
The change in conditions could mean things don't last as long and that's not great if you rely on your doorbell for security and convenience. Luckily, there are ways to make sure your Ring Doorbell is optimised to help the battery stay juiced up.
Firstly, you should check your settings and make sure you're getting the correct motion alerts. Ring Doorbells will start recording and send alerts the minute the built-in camera spots movement. If you live on a busy road that can mean the device is constantly in action which will then reduce its battery life.
To boost things, adjust the motion settings to a lower sensitivity so only movements closer to the camera are picked up by the Doorbell.
You can also enable Privacy Zones so the covered area is smaller and more specific to the areas you need. Finally, there's the option to change Motion Frequency to ‘Regularly’ or ‘Periodically’ to reduce the amount of motion alerts you receive.
Another top tip is to try and make sure your Ring Doorbell is linked to a strong Wi-Fi signal. The weaker the connection the harder the Doorbell has to work to send alerts.
"Poor internet connection or frequent signal drops cause your doorbell to disconnect and reconnect again to the network, which requires more energy from the battery. To strengthen the wifi signal, try moving the router closer to where the doorbell is, out of any cupboards and out from behind big items of furniture," Ring explained.
The last top tip from Ring is to make sure your Doorbell is fully refilled before placing it back on the front of the house.
Clearly, the more power in the tank to start with, the longer it will last.