Can a firmware update totally brick a Ring device?

Hi @JetRocket11. I have to admit, this is also the first I am hearing/reading of this. Our support team will be best to help you out further with your Floodlight Camera in this situation. They have the option to reboot your Camera with the firmware it needs by reverting back to an old firmware and letting the Camera go through an update again. I recommend giving them a call here, and let me now how the call goes and if they get it resolved for you! Anxious to hear of the outcome in this unique situation. :slight_smile:

Hi @Chelsea_Ring

I am already exchanging the Floodlight Cam - sent it back to the place of purchase yesterday.

However, I did call your support initially. They had me try pushing the setup button at the top of the cam which did nothing. Also turning the power off/on did nothing to reset it.

It would turn back with both flood lights on right away and stay that way. The camera itself would have one green flash at the bottom after initially turning the power back on - also for a brief second a line of red LED’s appears where the camera lens is.

I guess there was nothing the support could do remotely since the camera would no longer connect to WiFi.

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Firmware update bricked my doorbell as well. Ring know about this and are doing nothing to resolve the issue. Looks like they are killing off older doorbells like Apple do with older iPhones.

As long as you’re within warranty, @Arniej, we will assist with replacing your device no matter what happened. Our team is also dedicated to get you up and running and assist however we can.

I don’t know if it was caused by a firmware update by mine just started exhibiting the same symptoms a week or so ago. It was turned off at the switch because of activity in the yard and in the next day turned back on. Light came on, stayed on. Couldn’t connect device and holding button did nothing. Only bottom led flash comes at first turning it on.
Of course it will be the first support has ever heard of such a thing, every time they are told the same thing.

I’ve just had the exact same thing happen with a spotlight cam mount…

Same thing just happened to me. Assume no one ever got a proper answer to this?

Nope. Had to get a replacement. Luckily that one worked ok.

To date the firmware update has bricked 4 ring indoor camers 11/2020. I recent purchased the white indoor camera from lowes during black Friday and after the initial setup the camer performed a software update. That was the last time all four camera worked. I have returned them to lowes, not sure why ring is bricking there camera but it is getting tiresome.

Yes, happened to my spotlight mount. I ordered 2, 1 was fine and the other bricked at the firmware update. Swapped for a new device and all is well.

Absolutely, and the unfortunately fact is if your device is out of warranty, you are only offered a small discount even though thier upgrade broke it. I just occured to me this week. While Ioved the Ring Doorbell I do not think it may be worth the risk.

I’ve just had exactly the same thing happen to me, although I wasn’t aware that it had something to do with a firmware upgrade.

Has a solution been given/provided/found?

My Ring Doorbell 2 just did the same thing unfortunately and it’s out of warranty. It’s unbelievable! The fact that so many people have the same problem and Ring isn’t doing something about it just says a lot about a company that no longer cares about its customers since they’ve grown so big.

From a customer perspective, Ring has an issue with the whole firmware and its update process.

-They don’t show what firmware version your device has so you can’t tell that it’s been updated
-They don’t give you any notification of new firmware being available
-They don’t give you an option to install manually vs automatic push
-They don’t provide any change logs to let customers know what they are pushing to devices and what is being changed, added, or removed

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My Ring Doorbell 2 upgraded as I could see message and I can’t access any during that time. From Yesterday (Aug/01/2021)afternoon based on history
1)firmware updated
2)it went offline
3)not resetting

It’s bricked now. I need a replacement.

Same exact situation here. brand new Floodlight Cam Wired Plus, worked well right after install but upon firmware upgrade it bricked

I was able to get it to reconnect after many attempts to reboot, but it never lasts. goes back into offline mode.

will send this one back for a replacement.

Sorry to hear about this, @texclydes! When setting up a Ring device for the first time, there will likely be an update. During this time functionality may be limited, and it is recommended to have optimal signal while avoiding interruption of this update. If for some reason the update did not finish, takes too long, or the Camera fell offline, try performing a reset by holding the setup button for 20 seconds. Then, reattempt setup in the Ring app.

Our support team will be happy to assist further if needed. Please give our support team a call at one of the numbers available here. We’re taking additional steps to protect our team and help reduce the spread of COVID-19, so this has resulted in longer than normal wait times. If you are outside of the US, please read our response to COVID-19 here to see how to contact support. Thank you. :slight_smile:

Just had the firmware update, during initial setup, brick my brand new Indoor camera. Reset- power off etc. nothing works. Very surprised to see how widespread of an issue this is still. Will return it to store tomorrow. Back to the drawing board for a camera solution…

I just got off an hour long call with support, the first rep told me that my device attempted to download the latest firmware and that the update failed, so my device is now unresponsive. Since it’s out of warranty, I can have a 35% off coupon! I escalated to a supervisor and explained that I shouldn’t be punished because Ring programmed the device to self-destruct. She then said that the first rep was wrong and that it’s not because the device tried to update its firmware but because the device is old. Apple just settled the battery slowdown class action, you’d think Amazon would be better.

Exact same issue here - device bricked. Even went to the expense of buying a new battery in case that was it, but no good - no life out of unit whatsoever.
Spent an hour on the phone with tech support only to go through all the same things I had done myself already - reset, etc. At the end of it, I was offered a 35% coupon off a new device because I’m out of warranty. This is unacceptable that a $200 product is trash if it fails after 1 year.
All I can say is this one good way to ensure permanently losing a customer by not doing the right thing. Very frustrated…