Why Is My Ring Camera Blurry At Night? (Simple Fixes!)

We know the confusion that arises when you keep finding your Ring camera blurry at night. 

Well, whether it’s a smudged lens, glare, or a glitch, blurry footage can leave you in the dark, so it’s important to get this fixed as soon as possible. 

Here’s what we’re about to attempt in this quick guide:

Let’s jump in and get your Ring camera’s night vision crystal clear!

Ring Camera Blurry at Night – 8 Guaranteed Ways To Fix!

Tip: Have you tried restarting the Ring camera?

1. Wipe Clean the Camera Lens

If your Ring camera is blurry at night, a dirty lens could be the main culprit, including any grime, smudges, or debris that can scatter light, ruining night vision clarity. 

Well, a gentle clean with a microfiber cloth can clear the view.

Try This: Toothpaste Polish!

For tiny scratches causing blurriness, grab non-gel, white toothpaste.

Dab a small amount on a microfiber cloth and gently rub the lens in circular motions for 30–40 seconds.

Wipe it off completely with a clean, dry microfiber cloth to reveal a polished, clear lens without blurriness.

Note: Test toothpaste on a small lens area first to ensure no damage!

2. Check for Any Water Damage

If your Ring camera is blurry at night, water inside the lens could be fogging the view.

Well, while Ring cameras are water-resistant, they’re not waterproof, so harsh weather or heavy rain can sneak moisture in, causing blurry footage. 

A few simple drying tricks can clear it out and restore the sharp night vision, so try the following:

• Sun drying: Leave the Ring camera under direct sunlight for ~6-8 hours to evaporate moisture naturally.
• Use hairdryer: Use a hairdryer on low heat from 12 inches away for 5 minutes to avoid melting the plastic.
• Silica gel packs: Place the camera in a sealed bag with silica gel packets overnight to absorb moisture.
• Use a rice bag: Submerge the Ring camera in a bag of uncooked rice for 24 hours to draw out water.

There you go, your Ring camera’s lens should be dry and clear, ready for crisp night recordings.

If the blurriness persists, more solutions are up next to get it sharp!

3. Toggle OFF Color Night Vision

If you’re noticing your Ring camera is foggy at night, the Color Night Vision may be the issue, as it captures vibrant colors using ambient or built-in lights. 

Low-light conditions or weak illumination can make footage grainy or fuzzy instead of sharp.

So, switching back to standard black-and-white vision can solve the fogginess in bad lighting.

Here’s how to turn off Color Night Vision in the Ring app:

1. Open the Ring application and tap Dashboard.
2. Select your Ring camera from the device list.
3. Tap “Device Settings,” then “Video Settings.”
4. Locate and toggle “Color Night Vision” to Off.

Now, when the Color Night Vision is off, the Ring camera should deliver clearer black-and-white footage at night.

This tweak helps when ambient light is too dim for color clarity. 

Note: Feel free to enable the Color Night Vision option in well-lit areas to capture color details!

4. Turn ON High-Dynamic Range

Note: This method is only applicable for Spotlight Cam Battery, Spotlight Cam Pro, Stick Up Cam Pro, Outdoor Cam, Outdoor Cam Plus, and Door View Cam.

If the Ring camera is blurry at night, the HDR (High Dynamic Range) could be overcomplicating things.

While it enhances detail in tricky lighting, it can sometimes muddy night footage in low or uneven light, causing graininess or blur. 

Turning HDR off simplifies processing, often sharpening the black-and-white night vision! 

Here’s how to disable HDR through the Ring app:

1. Open the Ring app and go to the Dashboard.
2. Select your Ring camera from the devices list.
3. Go to “Device Settings” → “Video Settings.”
4. Turn the “HDR” option to “OFF” and then test.

Your Ring camera should now produce crisper night footage in standard mode.

This little tweak can cut through the persistent blurriness in dim conditions, especially for non-color night vision.

Note: Re-enable HDR in bright, high-contrast settings to boost detail, but test in low light first.

5. Reposition the Camera Angle

If your Ring camera is still blurry at night, its angle might be catching glare or reflections from nearby surfaces like walls or windows.

A slight repositioning to avoid these reflective culprits can sharpen the footage by letting the infrared (IR) lights work without potential interference. 

Here’s a quick way to reposition the camera’s angle:

1. Loosen the cam mount and tilt slightly away.
2. Avoid aiming at reflective surfaces nearby.
3. Test the camera’s Live View at night for clarity.
4. Tighten the mount once your image is sharp.

Adjust the Lighting!

To boost the night vision quality, tweak external lights like porch or street lamps to provide even illumination without overwhelming the camera’s IR sensors.

Dim or redirect bright lights shining directly at the lens, and consider adding an ambient light source nearby to reduce the contrast.

6. Block IR Glare (Electrical Tape)

A quick and easy DIY method to fix the Ring camera blurriness is to block the infrared (IR) glare from nearby surfaces like brick.

A simple fix is to place a small strip of black electrical tape on your camera’s side to block the IR light reflecting back, clearing up night vision without covering vital components. 

Here’s precisely how to apply the tape:

1. Grab black electrical tape and cut a small strip.
2. At night, check the Live View in your Ring app.
3. Hold a business card near the camera’s edge.
4. Slowly slide the card along the edge of the cam.
5. Watch and observe how the glare moves closely.
6. Stop where glare fades, note that spot precisely.
7. Stick the tape on noted spots to prevent the glare.
8. Check the view again and tweak the tape position.

That’s it–your Ring camera’s night vision should be crisp, free of IR glare.

This tape trick blocks the reflections while keeping IR lights and sensors clear. If it’s still blurry, keep reading further…

Note: Avoid covering IR lights or sensors, as this can disable night vision or motion detection!

7. Verify a Strong Wi-Fi Connection

If you still can’t solve the Ring camera night blindness, a weak Wi-Fi signal could be degrading the entire video quality.

A poor connectivity can make footage grainy or pixelated, especially in low-light conditions, so checking the Wi-Fi strength in your Ring app will help you learn more.

How to Check Signal Strength:

• Open your Ring app and go to the main dashboard.
• Press the three dots (•••) on the blurry Ring camera.
• Select “Device Health,” then view the “Network” tab.
• Check “Signal Strength” for Wi-Fi connection quality.

How to Boost Signal Strength:

• Reboot the router by unplugging it for 30 seconds.
• Test Wi-Fi on the phone at the camera’s exact location.
• Move the router closer to the camera or vice versa.
• Straighten router antennas for optimal coverage.
• Elevate the router higher in the room & avoid the floor level.
• Pause heavy downloads to relieve the bandwidth.

Note: Aim for “Good” or “Excellent” Signal Strength in Device Health for best video quality!

8. Factory Reset the Ring Camera

If you still have the Ring camera blurry at night, despite all other fixes, a software glitch might be fogging its night vision.

A factory reset can wipe out potential issues by restoring the device to its original state, which permanently erases all settings, so you will need to set it up again.

Here’s how to reset different Ring Camera models to clear up the fogginess:

1. First, undo the battery cover to access the inside.
2. Locate the Orange setup button near the slot.
3. Press and hold the button for 10–15 seconds.
4. Wait for the front light to flash and then release.

On some models, you’ll need to find and hold the “SETUP” button instead.

Note: If the blurriness won’t go away, the problem may be on a hardware level, so get in touch with the Ring customer service for more assistance.