How Do Doorbell Cameras Work?

How do doorbell cameras work? We’ve used our decades of tech, home security, and safety experience to answer all of your questions about how doorbell cameras work. From installation to preventing hacking, we’ve got you covered.

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Yes and no. Most doorbell cameras don’t record 24/7. They record only when the camera is triggered. Then, they send a notification to your phone so you don’t miss the clip.

There are a few cameras that do record all the time. Our favorite is the Nest Doorbell. When you sign up for Google’s Nest Aware Plus subscription plan, the camera will record 24/7 and store footage for up to 10 days.

Generally, doorbell cameras record until they don’t sense motion anymore. Some cameras, like the Ring Video Doorbell 4, record a few seconds before a triggering event so you can see what led up to the trigger moment. 

Say someone steals something off your porch. Those extra seconds before the porch pirate steals your package could tell you what direction the person came from. This could be an essential clue for the authorities. 

Yes, just about any tech can be hacked. The key to thwarting hackers is selecting a smart doorbell camera with encryption and two-factor authentication for its app and online portal. Also, remember to make your passwords strong. Here are some tips for protecting your camera from hackers.

Two-way audio means that the camera has a speaker and a microphone. You can talk to people at your door, and they can speak to you, even if you’re not at home. When someone rings the doorbell, you can use the app to turn on two-way talk. 

There are so many uses for this feature. If you have a cold and don’t want to spread it, you can tell the delivery person to leave your grub on the porch. When a stranger comes to your door, you can ask what they want without opening the door and exposing yourself to potential danger. Or use two-way talk to call your kids in from playing outside.

Video doorbell camera systems can see anywhere from 5 to 50 feet in front of them. While longer distances seem better, there are some downsides. If your city or state has laws against filming sidewalks or roads, a shorter distance is better.

Field of view is a measurement of how much of an area the camera can "see" in width. When shopping for any type of security camera, you’ll see this term a lot. 

Most top doorbell cameras have a field of view from 155° to 180.° The larger the number, the more porch or yard area the doorbell camera can see. A doorbell camera with a wide field of view can double as a whole-yard security camera.

Yes, some (like the Skybell Doorbell) even have color night vision. We find that it’s easier to identify visitors with color night vision because the footage tends to be clearer.

Yes, doorbell cameras need Wi-Fi to function correctly. Without it, you won’t get to use all of the doorbell camera’s nifty features like two-way talk, video, or push notifications because it won’t have a signal to send to your app. Most will still chime like a regular doorbell, but that’s no fun.

For sure. Most doorbell cameras install in under 15 minutes, and you typically only need a screwdriver. (Some doorbells even come with screwdrivers.) We’ve found that even people who hate installing stuff find setting up a doorbell camera easy peasy. To give you an idea of the process, check out our guides to installing a Ring video doorbell or installing a SimpliSafe doorbell cam.

Wireless doorbell cameras that have rechargeable batteries are the easiest to install. There are no wires to fiddle with. 

All you need is a couple of screws or a strip or two of heavy-duty two-sided tape to attach it to your door frame. We like the tape solution if you’re totally tool-phobic. We’ve had a smart video doorbell attached with two-sided tape on our door for around two years and it’s still holding strong.

Motion detection zones prevent the camera from detecting motion in certain areas (to cut down on notifications and recordings). If your camera can see the road, you don’t want it to notify you every time a car goes by. So, you block out the road in your doorbell camera’s settings to keep motion detection closer to home.

Privacy masks are areas where your camera can’t record. You can set up privacy masks in the camera’s settings. The camera video recording will have a blacked-out or blurred area where the camera is allowed to record. 

To protect other people’s privacy, you may want to set up a privacy mask so your camera doesn’t record your neighbor’s yard or the sidewalk. Masks are also suitable for areas of your yard where you want to protect your own privacy too, like the hot tub area.

We couldn’t find any data on how often Ring doorbells get stolen. Ring doorbell theft seems pretty uncommon. If yours gets snatched, Ring will replace it for free. All you need to do is follow Ring’s procedures and file a theft report with customer service.

Yes, just about all doorbell cameras can be used without a subscription. The catch is that the features are typically very limited. Most brands will only let you view footage live and use two-way talk without a subscription. Saving footage, setting motion zones, and creating privacy masks are often behind a paywall.

We like the Eufy Video Doorbell. It stores up to 30 days of footage locally so you don’t need a subscription. Learn more about Eufy in our Eufy Home Security Review.

Yes. You can create smart home automations by connecting a doorbell camera to the Alexa app, Google Home app, or another compatible smart home app. Some home security systems like Frontpoint and Vivint can also create home automations that include doorbell cameras:

• Connect your Ring doorbell camera to Philips Hue so that your porch light comes on when the doorbell camera system is rung.
• Use an IFTTT applet to arm your Arlo security camera when you arm your Vivint system at bedtime with just an Alexa command.
• Arm your Blink cameras when your Abode Security System is set to Away mode using IFTTT. 

• Vivint Doorbell Camera Pro Review
• Ring Video Doorbells
• Nest Hello Doorbell Review
• SimpliSafe Video Doorbell Pro Review
• Arlo Doorbell Review