“You are not subscribed.”
Do you keep getting this message on your Ring device?
Both new and old Ring users can experience this…
Luckily, your problem can be solved in a few ways.
Read on to know…
- 2 ways to reset your Ring app.
- 5 Benefits of paying for a Ring subscription.
- Whether you can use your Ring device without a plan.
- 3 reasons why you are getting subscription inactive messages and ways to fix them.
- And so much more…
What does Ring recording subscription inactive mean?
Getting a recording subscription inactive message means you have account issues. It could be that your 30-day trial has expired. Or that your app is malfunctioning. It may also be due to discrepancies with the account or payment details Ring needs to check.
Ring recording subscription inactive: 3 ways to fix it
#1: Subscribe to a Ring Protect plan
Even good things come to an end.
The same is true for your Ring free trial subscription.
And this only means that to continue enjoying the good things, you gotta shell out a few bucks.
One of the reasons why you keep getting a subscription inactive message…
(drum roll)
It’s because your free trial is over.
When you get a Ring device, you get a 30-day free trial.
As the name suggests, a trial period lets you test out a product first. Should you decide to continue, you have to pay full price.
So the question is, “Do you want to continue using Ring?”
“What are my options?”
I’m glad you asked.
The Ring Protect plan is a subscription to the recording feature of the device. You have 4 options after your trial expires. Let’s start with the cheapest which is the Ring Protect Basic.
Ring Protect Basic
- Person alerts.
- Rich notifications.
- $3 per month or $30 per year.
- Video saving and sharing features.
- Access to your device’s 60-day history.
The two other plans only add to the features that the Basic plan has. The Ring Protect Plus is at $10 per month. While the Ring Protect Pro is at $20 per month. A perk that comes with the higher plans is exclusive promos and discounts.
To get a full comparison of the plans, check out Ring’s subscription information here.
If you want a full comparison plus a full review of the plans, watch this video:
“What if I don’t subscribe to any plan? Can I still use my Ring device?”
The short answer is yes.
Of course, you can. And this is the fourth option that I mentioned earlier.
Again, the subscription is for the recording feature and other perks.
Meaning, if you decide to continue without a plan…
Your Ring device will still function as a normal doorbell.
You only get a live view of your front door, but no recordings will be available.
Other features you may use without a plan are:
- Motion alerts.
- Two-way talk.
- Snapshot captures.
On whether you will avail of the subscription, the decision would boil down to your needs.
Why did you get a Ring device in the first place?
How to subscribe to a Ring Protect Plan?
Step 1: Go to the Ring website and log in to your account.
Step 2: You will see a list of Ring devices you have that are not subscribed to a plan. Click ‘Subscribe’.
Step 3: Choose a plan.
Step 4: Select payment terms: monthly or annual.
Step 5: Proceed with your payment details.
Step 6: Wait for the plan activation confirmation on your email.
Note: If you have many Ring devices, it’s best to get the Ring Protect Plus or Pro. These two have all devices at a single location covered. That’s after paying for the price of one plan.
Now, if you have subscribed to a plan and a subscription…
But the inactive message still appears, the next step might help.
#2: Reset your Ring app
Nothing is more annoying than having your credit card charged for a service…
Only to not get the experience you are expecting.
I get you, so let me help you out.
But first, deep breaths.
Okay, the problem might be the app.
To rule out other possibilities, and make sure it’s the app that is causing trouble… you need to do a few things.
Check your subscription status
Step 1: Log in to your Ring account.
Step 2: Check your subscription status: whether it’s active or not.
If your subscription status says that you still have weeks or months left, the problem is not the plan.
Step 3: Log out of the app then log in again.
If the inactive message appears again, reset the app.
How to reset the app:
Step 1: Go to your phone’s settings.
Step 2: Navigate to the Apps tab.
Step 3: Locate the Ring app.
Step 4: Select ‘clear data’ or ‘clear cache’.
This should force your Ring app to start on a new slate.
You can also uninstall the Ring app. And then, install it again through your phone’s app store.
Enter your login credentials. The subscription inactive message should stop at this point.
“But it’s still not working.”
You are not alone.
As it turns out, it’s not uncommon to encounter account issues with Ring.
In one of the forums in the Ring community website…
A user complained of experiencing a problem with the activation of their subscription.
They subscribed to a Ring plan after the trial period. They got the subscription inactive message.
Again, they subscribed. Cleared all devices. They worked for a few days then the messages started appearing again.
At this point, their credit card transaction reflected no cleared payment.
If you keep circling back to the same issue despite doing all means available to you, it’s time you proceeded to:
#3: Call customer support
At this point, there is no other option left but to let Ring know about your issue.
Wherever you are in the world, you can reach Ring here.
In the US, their customer support is 24/7 for calls. Chats are welcome from 5 AM to 9 PM (MST).
Before you call, have your proof of payment ready. They will ask you to provide proof of payment. As well as other account-related details for verification.
When you call, make sure you are at home. They might ask you to do some steps to your Ring devices.
Calling customer support is your last resort. They should be able to solve your subscription problems. That is after a series of troubleshooting and solutions.
People also ask:
Can I view Ring recordings without a subscription?
You cannot view Ring recordings without a subscription. You need to subscribe to a plan to have access to recorded videos. Without it, only the live stream feature is available.
You may watch Ring’s real-time feed but you will have no access to playbacks.
“Is there no way to record videos without a subscription?”
There is. One way is to use a third-party screen recorder app on your phone.
Luckily, the Ring app allows for third-party screen recording apps to run over it.
Some phones have built-in screen recorders. If yours doesn’t have it, you can easily download one.
Just choose a reliable screen recording app from your app store. Preferably, one that has no security issues. You can check this with the terms and conditions. As well as with the app reviews.
It’s easy to use a screen recorder. Check these steps:
Step 1: Go to the Ring app.
Step 2: Enable live view.
By doing this, your phone will work pretty much like a CCTV.
Step 3: Turn on the screen recorder.
Once this is in order, you are good to go.
“Hmm. It’s that easy? What’s the catch?”
Yes, every present comes with strings.
Note that Ring doorbells are not designed to record 24 hours a day.
That’s what its motion detection feature is for. After all, what’s the use of recording the whole view when nothing is happening?
What happens when you use this method?
Your Ring must be on live view. Everything that happens in front of its camera is recorded.
If your reason is for security purposes, it requires a lot of work.
You will have to look at 24 hours’ worth of recording every day to catch something. But that’s still better than nothing, I guess.
Another thing to consider is your battery.
Recording for long hours means you will eventually use up your phone’s battery.
Keeping it plugged into a power bank or a wall socket might help. But phones are not really designed to be used that way. So keep an eye on your battery health.
For short-time uses, this method may be good. Maybe you want to record a birthday surprise. Or a proposal. Go ahead.
But if it’s for security purposes, maybe $3 a month or more will be worth it.
What do you think?
How long do ring recordings last without a subscription?
Without a subscription, ring recordings are not possible.
If you subscribe, you will have access to your recording for 60 days.
If you wish to keep them beyond the 60-day period, you have to save them from your Ring account to your phone or computer.
It is suggested that you keep a separate drive for record keeping. Be it a hard drive or cloud storage.
“What if I subscribe now, do I get access to the recordings from last week?”
You can’t access past recordings.
The recording feature is only enabled once you pay for a subscription plan.
It’s not retroactive so any recordings prior to the plan activation are technically non-existent.
Reading tip: 5 Reasons Why Your Ring Camera Footage Is Unavailable +Tips