How to create Alexa Routines for Ring Video Doorbell

Ring is one of the devices supported by Amazon's Alexa Routines, meaning you can create custom actions involving Ring devices. This is on top of the expanded options to have Alexa use quick replies to answer the door for you.

In this feature we're explaining how to do that so you can setup your own Routine and get more from your Ring and Alexa devices.

Getting started

First of all you'll need to have a Ring device and you'll need to have an Amazon account to use Alexa. You'll need to have everything setup and connected to your home network, and you'll need the Ring Skill enabled in your Alexa app.

This will allow Alexa to see your Ring devices and figure out what they can do.

Creating an Alexa Routine for Ring 

Alexa Routines are pretty easy to make, following the step-by-step process in the Alexa app.

1. Open the Alexa app and open the menu on the right-hand side. Tap Routines.
2. Tap the + in the top right-hand corner and you'll be able to create a new Routine.
3. Start by giving it a name. This will let you easily manage your Routine.
4. Tap on the "When this happens" box and you'll be presented with a number of options. Tap "Smart Home" and a list of trigger devices will be listed. Select your Ring device. Then you can select what you want - doorbell or motion.
5. If you select doorbell, then pressing the doorbell becomes your trigger. Save that and move to step 6. If you select motion, you have the option of an action occurring when motion is detected or when motion isn't detected for a period of time. This allows you to have "no movement" as a trigger. For example, you can turn a light on when movement is detected, and then have it turn off when no movement is detected.
6. Once you've saved your trigger action, you can then define a time frame and days of the week - or just have the Routine run at any time. This would let you, for example, turn on a security light when motion is detected through the night.
7. You can then decide what you want that action to do in the "add action" box. There's a whole range of options here - that might be Alexa saying something when the doorbell is pressed, it might be turning on lights or changing the colour. You can even have the Rountine use other smart home devices, if they are compatible with Alexa. Just tap the action boxes and you'll see what can be done.
8. Once you've saved an action you can add other actions to make a more complex sequence. Remember to press save in the top right-hand corner.

Alexa Routines provides a lot of options and the great thing is you can experiment to get the actions you want happening. Everything will be listed in the Routines section of the Alexa app and it's easy to delete a Routine if you decide it's not doing the right thing. 

We have, for example, Routines to announce when someone is at the door which plays through our Amazon Echo devices so there's no need for a Ring Chime, but the options are quite literally endless.

Make sure you also read our tips and tricks on how to get the most out of your Ring Video Doorbell.

You can see some of these skills in action in our smarthome setup video:

Source : https://www.pocket-lint.com/smart-home/news/ring/146966-how-to-create-alexa-routines-for-ring-video-doorbell