Ring Alarm Keypad 2nd GenSource: Ring

What you need to know

  • Ring has added "Critical Alerts" to its iOS app.
  • The feature allows critical alerts to bypass Do Not Disturb and the mute switch.
  • The update is rolling out to users this week.

For those who have a Ring doorbell or security system, a new update to the Ring app may bring you a little peace of mind.

According to a report from TechHive, Ring is adding support for Apple's "Critical Alerts" feature in its iOS app. The feature allows notifications that a developer deems as critical to come through as an alert, even if the user has Do Not Disturb enabled or even their physical mute switch on.

"A Ring spokesperson tells TechHive that an update for the Ring app will add support for iOS's "Critical Alerts" feature, which allows "critical" notifications from a given app to bypass Do Not Disturb mode and the mute switch."

According to TechHive, the update is supposed to roll out to users this week, but some customers have reported that they have already received the update.

"The update is slated to roll out this week, with some Ring Alarm users on Reddit reporting that their apps have already received the update."

To check and see if you have received the update, go to Settings > Notifications > Ring. If you have the update, an option to "Allow Critical Alerts" will appear at the top of the screen. Users can choose to enable or disable the feature.

"Critical Alerts" was introduced by Apple with iOS 12, but not many apps have taken advantage of the feature yet. It is something that a developer has to build into its app, and I'm sure that Apple has a relatively stringent definition of what notifications can be categorized as critical.