Ring’s end-to-end encryption is rolling out globally

Ring’s end-to-end encryption for video streams is leaving technical preview, is now available to US users, and is currently rolling out globally, the Amazon-owned company announced on Tuesday. The opt-in feature makes it so that your video streams can only be viewed by you on an enrolled iOS or Android device, meaning that Ring can’t access that footage even if it wanted to.

The feature works with 13 Ring cameras, and you can see the full list of compatible models and follow the steps on how to set up end-to-end encryption on Ring’s website. Ring’s battery-powered video doorbells and cameras don’t support end-to-end encryption, according to that page.

End-to-end encryption is a boon for customers who want to ensure Ring can’t access their footage — turning it on ensures that Ring can’t turn over captured video to law enforcement, for example. Ring first announced video end-to-end encryption in September 2020 and launched the technical preview in January.

Alongside end-to-end encryption, Ring is introducing new features to help customers protect their accounts. If you use two-step authentication to provide extra security to your account, Ring now supports authenticator apps, which can be more secure than SMS. The company is also rolling out CAPTCHA in both the Ring and Neighbors app, which can prevent bots and spammers from logging into your account.

Ring is also making it easier to transfer ownership of a used Ring device. Right now, that process requires that you call Ring’s customer service department, but in the “coming weeks,” you’ll be able to transfer ownership of a used device to yourself right from the Ring app.

Correction: End-to-end encryption is supported on 13 Ring cameras, not 12. We regret the error.