The SkyBell representative was friendly and helpful in answering our questions about purchasing a SkyBell. But most people don’t want to wait nearly two hours for assistance. If you have an issue with your SkyBell HD or SkyBell Trim and purchased it from a dealer, we recommend contacting the dealer for assistance. The Skybell video doorbell has a full HD, 1080p high resolution camera with 5x zoom and a 180-degree view that allows you to see visitors outside your door even with the lights turned off at night. The Skybell WiFi doorbell can be turned on for video monitoring anytime as long as you have the SkyBell HD app installed on your tablet or smartphone.
Below are the most common reasons your SkyBell may not be working correctly and how best to troubleshoot those situations.
Incorrect Setup
Please consult our Compatibility Checklist to make sure your setup works with SkyBell.
After Installation
- The LED light does not turn on (red LED)
- First, check to make sure you turned your power back on at the circuit breaker.
- If your power is on and you still do not see a blinking red LED light, make sure you are connected to a transformer that has power from 10-36 VAC 10 VA current to adequately charge the device. If you have an old transformer, you may need to purchase a new transformer. Click link for a list of recommended transformers. Click link for Power Diagrams.
- I cannot hear my normal doorbell chime
- *If you are in the initial install process, you may need to completely install sync SkyBell in order for your home doorbell chime to work
- Take a moment to make sure you turned your power back on at the circuit breaker.
- If your power is on and you still do not hear your doorbell chime, reconnect the wires with new connectors.
- **SkyBell is compatible with mechanical and digital doorbell chimes. Digital doorbell chimes require an additional adapter, which may be sold separately.
- I hear humming from my transformer or doorbell chime
- If you have a digital doorbell chime, please install a digital doorbell adapter.
- If this does not work, please contact us.
- My Doorbell Rings Constantly
- Do you have a digital or wireless doorbell chime? If yes, SkyBell is compatible with digital doorbell chimes with the required adapter. SkyBell does NOT work with wireless doorbell chimes. If you have a wireless doorbell, you’ll need to install a mechanical or digital doorbell chime. Click here for a list of recommended doorbell chimes.
- If you do not have a wireless or digital doorbell chime and still have this issue, please contact us.
Please read the things not to do when troubleshooting
Syncing SkyBell
- If your first sync was not successful, please consider the following and retry:
- Give SkyBell 10 minutes to charge the battery. Then re-attempt the syncing process.
- Android Users – Log out of the app and the sign back in before attempting to sync.
- Confirm you have the correct Wi-Fi Setup
- 2.4ghz Band – SkyBell only works on the 2.4ghz band network. If you have a dual-band router, you must create a new SSID for the 2.4ghz network and connect your smartphone to that network before syncing the SkyBell.
- B/G Network – SkyBell only connects to the b/g network. If you have an “N-only” router, you must add the b/g mode as well so SkyBell can connect.
- Check to make sure that your smartphone is connected to the correct WiFi network BEFORE you attempt to sync. You must connect your smartphone to a 2.4 Ghz network BEFORE syncing to SkyBell. SkyBell does not work with a 5ghz network.
- Check your speed. SkyBell requires at least 1.5 mbps upload speeds to sync to the server and 1.5 mbps to initiate a live video feed. Conduct a speed test. If you are below this speed level, please either (1) move your router closer to SkyBell, (2) add a signal repeater or (3) increase your bandwidth/connection speeds.
- If the “configuring screen” pinwheel continues to spin, hit cancel in the app. Then go back and re-enter your Device ID and WiFi password. Then make sure SkyBell is still in the blinking red mode. If it is not, press and hold the button until you see a blinking red light. You may need to put the SkyBell device into sync mode each time after a failed attempt.
- Check to make sure you entered the correct password for your WiFi network (it can be case sensitive).
- Confirm you entered the correct Device ID (found in the packaging and the back page of the user manual booklet).
- Confirm that your WiFi network has a working internet connection.
- Check to make sure the WiFi setting on your smartphone is on and working.
- If the above does not work, uninstall the app and download the latest app from the app store.
- In some cases AND when all these items are correct, it can take 3-4 Sync attempts to successfully sync SkyBell. Take note to make sure SkyBell is in sync mode (blinking red light) each time you attempt the syncing process. If SkyBell is not blinking, press and hold the main button until it blinks. This takes about 20 seconds.
- If you have satisfied the above checklist and SkyBell does not sync, DO NOT attempt to re-sync many more times. Contact us and we’ll work through specific steps to address your specific issue.
Router Specific Issues
If you are having syncing problems, it could be due to your router. Here are common router issues:
- 2.4 ghz Band – SkyBell is only compatible with the 2.4ghz band. If you have a dual-band router, you may need to segregate the 2.4ghz band and create its own SSID in addition to having the 5ghz band. Make sure your smartphone is connected to the 2.4ghz band.
- B/G mode – SkyBell is compatible with b/g mode. If you have an “N” router, you may need to activate the b/g network.
- Speed – SkyBell requires 1.5 mbps upload speeds to work correctly.
Additional Details
- Interference – In some cases we have found that a closed network baby monitor (non-IP or web based; i.e. Foscam) can interfere with the syncing process. Try to avoid syncing your SkyBell with a baby monitor near your WiFi router, SkyBell or your smartphone.
- Speed Test – Please conduct a speed test to diagnose if your WiFi connection speed is fast enough.
Please read the things not to do when troubleshooting
Skybell Hd Troubleshooting
Using the App
- I don’t receive any push notifications
- Confirm that SkyBell app is included in the active push notifications in your phone settings and you have the proper display format.
- If you still cannot receive a push notification, please contact us.
- I don’t see my device in the list even though I successfully synced my device
- Please log out of the app, completely close the app, re-launch the app and sign back in.
- If the device still does not show up in the list, DO NOT attempt a re-sync and contact us.
- I receive a push notification but no audio or video. All I see is a pinwheel.
- This is likely a network speed issue. Please conduct a speed test to confirm your upload speed is 1.5mbps or above.
- If you are above 1.5mbps and still do not see video, please contact us.
- I incorrectly tapped the push notification and the app did not load
- On most Android and iOS devices, you can tap and drag your finger from the top of the screen to the bottom and see the last SkyBell push notification. Tap the most recent SkyBell push notification. You have 45-60 seconds to answer a push notification before the SkyBell resets./li>
- I tapped the push notification and see “another person has answered this call”
- If you tap the push notification and the “Call Screen” does not load or you see a pop-up that says “Another person has answered the call”, then too much time passed between when the SkyBell button was pressed and when you answered it or another user answered the call.
- If you answered the push notification within 45-60 seconds and you see this pop-up it is because another user answered the call.
- Nothing happens after I press the SkyBell button again after a call
- SkyBell needs 30 seconds to reset at the end of each call. SkyBell’s motion sensor needs 3 minutes to reset after each time it activates a call. Please allow 30 seconds or 3 minutes for the device to reset after a button press or motion sensor activation, respectively, and try again.
- I can’t hear out of the SkyBell
- Be sure you are holding the “Hold to Talk”, “Push to Talk”, “Talk” or “Mute” button (button text is different on different phones) the entire time you are speaking into your smartphone. It works like a walky-talky.
- I can’t hear out of my SmartPhone
- Be sure you are NOT holding the “Hold to Talk”, “Push to Talk”, “Talk” or “Mute” button (button text is different on different phones) while your visitor is speaking.
- If you still cannot hear from your smartphone, please contact us.
- The video freezes at 10, 20 or 60 seconds
- This issue was in revolved with firmware version 35. If you still experience this issue, please contact us.
- The “Mute”/”Talk” button does not work the first time I press and hold it (Android Users Only)
- This is affected by the difference between Android phone screens. Try to press and hold the middle of the button and it should work.
- My login details I used on the website during checkout do not work with the app
- The account you created in the cart and your SkyBell app account are completely different. Please create a new account via the app and use your email and password to log into the app. There is no continuity between the website and the app.
Using the Advanced Features
Skybell Hd Battery Replacement
- The Do Not Disturb (Silent Mode) doesn’t work
- It takes 3 minutes for the Do Not Disturb (Silent Mode) to activate or deactivate after you turn it on or off.
- If it still does not work after you have waited three minutes, please contact us.
- The motion sensor on/off switch doesn’t work
- It takes 3 minutes for the motion sensor setting to activate or deactivate after you turn it on or off.
- If it still does not work after you have waited three minutes, please contact us.
- *Note: The motion sensor currently has a range of 12-16 inches and requires up to 15 seconds to activate. This is just the start and we’ll expand the feature as we continue fine-tuning the performance of the motion sensor.
Issues After SkyBell Was Working Correctly
Skybell Hd Wifi Video Doorbell Installation
- SkyBell’s light turned from solid green to blinking green after it was working correctly
- Complete a restart of the SkyBell device by hitting and holding the main button for 45 seconds until it starts blinking rapidly. Then let go, allow SkyBell to restart, and then give it 5 minutes. If it is green then you are all set.
- If this does not work, power cycle SkyBell by turning off your circuit breaker for 15 seconds. Then allow SkyBell to reset for 5 minutes.
- If this does not work, please contact us.
- You can also conduct a speed test to confirm your upload speed is 1.5mbps or above.
- If your upload speed is 1.5 mbps or above and the light is still blinking green, please contact us.
- SkyBell’s light turned from solid green to blinking red
- In most cases, this is happening between 18-36 hours after successfully installing, syncing and using SkyBell
- Complete a restart of the SkyBell device by hitting and holding the main button for 45 seconds until it starts blinking rapidly. Then let go, allow SkyBell to restart, and then give it 5 minutes.
- If that does not work, power down your SkyBell from the circuit breaker for 10-15 seconds and then let SkyBell power back up for 5 minutes. If your SkyBell light is green, press the SkyBell button and see if it sends the video feed.
- If it is still blinking red, please contact us.
- SkyBell’s light turned from solid green to solid red
- Complete a restart of the SkyBell device by hitting and holding the main button for 45 seconds until it starts blinking rapidly. Then let go, allow SkyBell to restart, and then give it 5 minutes.
- If it is still a solid red, then go into your app and delete your SkyBell from the account. To do this, tap on the SkyBell name, scroll to the bottom and click “Remove Device”. Then sign out of the app, sign back in and then re-sync SkyBell. You will need the device ID again.
- You may also want to conduct a speed test
- If your upload speed is 1.5 mbps or above and the light is still red, then contact us.
If that does not work, power down your SkyBell from the circuit breaker for 10-15 seconds and then let SkyBell power back up for 5 minutes. If your SkyBell light is green, press the SkyBell button and see if it sends the video feed.