I work from home and use a webcam every day to communicate with people all over the world. I’ve been thinking about upgrading to an external webcam, so I did some research to see if I could use my Ring camera as a Webcam. 

Can Ring Cameras Be Used as a Webcam? No, Ring Cameras cannot be used as webcams. A Ring camera’s live stream cannot be shared with other people outside of the Ring app.

You can still connect to others with family and friends with your Ring camera by sharing access to your live stream and previously recorded videos through the Ring app. If you, like myself, are in the market for a webcam, there are great cameras available for working from home, vlogging and other at-home streaming. 

Ring Cameras Cannot Be Used as Webcams

As more folks are relying on live streaming for work meetings and quality time with family and friends, we are looking at webcam options including cameras that we may already have at home. Unfortunately, you cannot repurpose your Ring camera as a webcam.  

However, you can download, edit and share videos recorded on your Ring camera, and you can invite family and friends into your home by sharing your video’s live stream through the Ring app.

Adding Shared Users 

The only way to share a Ring camera’s live video feed with others is by sharing access to your camera with them through the Ring app. Follow the steps below to share your Ring account with family and friends. The person you are sharing your account with must have their own Ring account.

  • In the Ring app or your online account, select one of the Ring devices that you want to share. If you want to share multiple devices, it doesn’t matter which one you choose first because you will be able to select multiple devices later.Select Device Settings.Select Shared Users.Select Add User. Enter the email address of the person you want to share your account with. Select all the cameras you want to share.Select Send Invite.

Shared Access Through Ring App

The people you share your camera with will be able to view the camera’s live stream and recorded videos, but they will not be able to do the following:

  • Delete videos and devices.Change settings and device names.Add other Shared Users.Watch recorded videos on an Alexa device. Receive alerts on an Alexa device.

If you want to give a trusted person full access to your Ring account, you can log in to your account on the other person’s phone or tablet. A single Ring account can be used on multiple devices simultaneously. 

Sharing Downloaded Videos

To download videos recorded on your Ring camera, you must have a Ring Protect Subscription Plan. 

There are two monthly subscription plan options: Protect Basic Plan and Protect Plus Plan. Both plans provide the ability to download video. 

The main differences are that the Plus Plan covers all Ring devices at one physical address whereas the Basic Plan only covers one. The Plus Plan also includes professional monitoring. 

The steps to download recorded videos to your device vary depending on the type of device you are downloading to and whether or not you use the timeline feature. Click here for all the ways to download your Ring camera’s recorded videos. 

Downloaded videos can then be edited using any video editing software on your device and uploaded to YouTube, Instagram, or your favorite social media website.

Sharing With Your Ring Neighborhood

Ring is best known for its video doorbells, but their security cameras have some impressive features as well. One of my favorites is Ring’s Neighbors app. This free app allows Ring users to communicate with their neighbors about security concerns and incidents. 

Follow these steps to set up Neighbor’s app on your phone:

  • Download the Neighbor’s app in the App Store or Google Play Store. Open the app and select Login.Enter your Ring login information.Confirm your address.Select a radius to define your neighborhood.

Similar to social media apps, the Neighbors app allows users to post videos and pictures from their cameras and comment on others’ posts to stimulate conversation. You will receive notifications about neighbors’ posts on your phone or tablet. 

Neighbors’ identities on the app are anonymous, so keep in mind that you do not know who is seeing your posts. Anyone can download and use the Neighbor’s app anywhere. Use the app with caution. 

Comparing Webcams

There are a lot of webcams on the market with different features. Use the table below to compare some popular webcams and choose the one that works best for you.