Can You Add the Ring Peephole Camera on a Screen Door/Storm Door?

I wanted to buy a Ring Peephole Camera for my parents because it is easy to set-up and use, but they have a screen door, so I needed to find out if they could still use the Peephole Cam. I went online to learn about using Peephole Cam with an outer door like a screen or storm door. 

Can you add the Ring Peephole Camera on a screen door/storm door? The Ring Peephole Camera cannot be installed on a screen or storm door. If the main door has a peephole and there is a screen or storm door in front of it, a Peephole Cam can be installed on the main door, but it may not work properly. 

Some features of Peephole Cam work through an outer door and some don’t. There are also specific settings that you will need to use if you have a Peephole Cam and a screen or storm door. 

The Ring Peephole camera started being sold again in January 2023 after being discontinued in April 2021.

Ring Peephole Camera With a Screen Door or Storm Door

While you cannot install Peephole Cam on a screen or storm door, you can use it on your main door if the door has a peephole.   

Some features of Peephole Cam will work fine if there is a screen or storm door in front of it. For example, you can view the camera’s live stream and people can ring the doorbell if your outer door is not locked. However, if your outer door is locked, visitors will not be able to ring the doorbell. 

Live View and Recording

Glass storm doors will most likely not obstruct the Peephole camera’s view during the day. Screen doors or screens in storm doors most likely will obstruct the camera’s view. 

Some users report that their Peephole Cam does not sense motion through the outer door. This means that your video doorbell may not automatically record people who come up to your house if they don’t open the outer door. 

No Night Vision

Peephole Cam’s Night Vision will not work if there is a screen or storm door in front of it.

When you are setting up a new Peephole Cam, you will be asked if there is an outer door in front of the video doorbell. Select “yes” to disable Night Vision. 

You can also turn Night Vision on and off anytime by following these steps:

1. Select the Peephole Cam in the Ring app.
2. Tap “Device Settings”.
3. Tap “Video Settings”.
4. Toggle “Infrared Lights for Night Vision” off.

Installing Ring Peephole Cam

Ring Peephole Cam can be easily installed on any main door through an existing peephole. Here are the steps:

1. Fully charge the Peephole Cam battery pack using the provided charger. You will know it’s fully charged when only the green light is illuminated. 
2. Use the provided Peephole Key to remove any paint from around the peephole. Slide the toothed side of the key around the peephole on both sides on your door.
3. Unscrew the inside half of the peephole using the flat edge of the key. If the peephole is spinning, hold the outside piece in place while you unscrew the inside piece.
4. Slide the outside piece out of the hole. 
5. Install the outside portion of the Peephole Cam by sliding the tube through the peephole until the video doorbell is flush against the outside door. 
6. Check to see if you need the provided adapter. From inside your home, slide the adapter over the tube. If the adapter fits through the peephole, slide it in until it’s flush with the door. If it doesn’t fit easily through the peephole, you don’t need to use it. 
7. Remove the cover on the inside portion of the video doorbell, and slide the inside portion over the tube. You may need to hold the outdoor portion in place. 
8. Pull the connector cable tab out of the tube until there is no more slack. 
9. Screw the provided tightening nut into the tube by hand or using the key.
10. Press the connector tab into the port on the inside portion of the video doorbell. 
11. Slide the other tab into the channel and down so the connector cable is flush with the device. 
12. Insert the battery into the bottom of the doorbell and set-up the device in the Ring app. 

What to Do If You Don’t Have a Peephole

Are you interested in a Ring Doorbell but have a front door without a peephole? Don’t worry; you have options! Ring offers several other video doorbells that can be mounted on your home’s door frame or outside wall. One example is the Ring Video Doorbell 4!

If you already own a Ring Peephole Cam but are moving to a house without a peephole, you do not need to buy a new doorbell. Installation takes about two hours and requires a power drill. Check out this webpage for installation directions and videos.