You’ve just installed a video doorbell, and it’s working brilliantly — you can see who’s at the door from your phone, get motion alerts, and talk to delivery drivers while you’re at work. Then your partner asks “can I see it on my phone too?” and suddenly you’re twenty minutes deep in account settings trying to figure out how sharing works without giving away your entire login.
Every major doorbell brand handles shared access differently. Some make it simple; others bury it behind layers of menus that feel designed to stop you from finding them. Here’s how to set up shared access on every major UK video doorbell platform, what each household member can and can’t do, and the privacy considerations you should think about before giving everyone the keys to your front door camera.
In This Article
- Why Shared Access Matters
- How to Share Ring Doorbell Access
- How to Share Nest Doorbell Access
- How to Share Eufy Doorbell Access
- How to Share Arlo Doorbell Access
- How to Share Blink Doorbell Access
- Shared Users vs Full Account Access
- What Shared Users Can and Can’t Do
- Managing Notifications for Shared Users
- Privacy Considerations for Households
- Sharing Access with Children and Elderly Relatives
- Troubleshooting Common Sharing Problems
- Frequently Asked Questions
Why Shared Access Matters
A video doorbell that only one person can access is a security camera that’s blind whenever that person isn’t looking at their phone. If you’re in a meeting, on the tube, or your phone battery is dead, nobody else in the household can see who’s at the door, respond to a delivery driver, or check a motion alert.
Shared access means multiple household members receive alerts, can view live feeds, talk through the speaker, and — depending on the platform — review recorded footage. It transforms a doorbell from one person’s gadget into a genuine household security tool.
The Household Reality
Most UK households have at least two adults who need doorbell access. Many have teenagers who are home before their parents. Some have elderly relatives living with them who benefit from being able to see visitors before answering the door. Setting up shared access properly means everyone who needs it has it, and everyone who doesn’t, doesn’t.
How to Share Ring Doorbell Access
Ring uses a “Shared Users” system within the Ring app. The account owner (whoever set up the doorbell) invites other users by email address.
Step-by-Step Setup
- Open the Ring app on the owner’s phone
- Tap the three-line menu icon (top left), then tap Devices
- Select the doorbell you want to share
- Scroll down and tap Shared Users
- Tap Add User
- Enter the other person’s email address
- Choose which devices to share (you can share individual cameras, not just all of them)
- The invited person receives an email with instructions to download the Ring app and create their own account
What Shared Users Get on Ring
Shared users can view live video, receive motion and ring alerts, use two-way talk, and view recorded video (if you have a Ring Protect subscription). They cannot change device settings, manage the subscription, remove other users, or access the owner’s account details.
Ring Tip
Each shared user needs their own Ring account with a separate email address. They can’t log in with the owner’s credentials — and you shouldn’t share your login anyway, because that gives them full admin access including billing and device settings.
How to Share Nest Doorbell Access
Google Nest uses the Google Home app for sharing. Access is managed through the “home” concept — everyone who joins your Google Home household gets access to all devices in that home, including doorbells.
Step-by-Step Setup
- Open the Google Home app on the owner’s phone
- Tap Settings (gear icon)
- Tap Household
- Tap Invite member
- Enter the other person’s Gmail address (they must have a Google account)
- They receive an invitation to join the household
What Household Members Get on Nest
Household members get full access to all Google Home devices, including the doorbell — live view, alerts, two-way talk, and video history (with Nest Aware subscription). They can also control smart speakers, lights, and thermostats connected to the same home. There’s no way to share just the doorbell without sharing everything else.
The Nest Catch
Google’s all-or-nothing approach to household sharing is its biggest limitation. If you want your partner to see the doorbell but don’t want them controlling the smart thermostat, tough — it’s all or nothing. This also means you need to think carefully before adding a teenager or lodger to your Google Home household, as they’ll have access to every connected device.
How to Share Eufy Doorbell Access
Eufy uses a simple device-sharing system in the Eufy Security app. You can share individual devices rather than your entire setup.
Step-by-Step Setup
- Open the Eufy Security app on the owner’s phone
- Tap the doorbell device
- Tap the Settings gear icon
- Tap Device Sharing or Sharing
- Tap Add
- Enter the other person’s Eufy account email address
- They receive a notification in their Eufy Security app to accept
What Shared Users Get on Eufy
Shared users can view live feeds, receive notifications, use two-way talk, and view locally stored footage (Eufy stores footage on its base station, not the cloud, unless you’ve opted for cloud storage). They can’t change device settings, manage storage, or remove other shared users. Eufy’s approach is the most granular of the major brands — you can share specific cameras individually, which is useful if you have multiple Eufy cameras and only want to share the doorbell.
How to Share Arlo Doorbell Access
Arlo uses a “Friends” system that grants shared access to specific devices within the Arlo app.
Step-by-Step Setup
- Open the Arlo app on the owner’s phone
- Tap Settings (gear icon)
- Tap Grant Access
- Tap Add (plus icon)
- Enter the other person’s email address
- Select which devices to share and what permissions to grant
- They receive an email invitation to create an Arlo account (or log in to their existing one) and accept
Arlo’s Permission Levels
Arlo offers the most detailed permission controls:
- View — can watch live and recorded video but can’t change anything
- View + Talk — adds two-way audio
- Admin — full control except billing and account deletion
This granularity is excellent for households with different needs. A teenager might get View-only access, while a partner gets Admin.
How to Share Blink Doorbell Access
Blink (owned by Amazon) uses a simpler system than Ring, despite being in the same corporate family.
Step-by-Step Setup
- Open the Blink app on the owner’s phone
- Tap the Account icon (bottom right)
- Tap Manage Account
- Tap Account Sharing
- Enter the other person’s email address
- They receive an invitation to download the Blink app and create an account
Blink’s Sharing Limitations
Blink’s sharing is all-or-nothing at the account level — shared users see every Blink device on the account. There’s no device-level sharing like Ring or Eufy. Shared users also can’t arm or disarm the system — only view footage and receive alerts. For many households this is fine, but if you need different people to have different access levels, Blink is the most limited option.
Shared Users vs Full Account Access
This is the most important security distinction and the one most people get wrong. There are two ways to give someone access to your doorbell:
Shared/Invited User (The Right Way)
Each person has their own account and receives shared access from the owner. They can view and interact with the doorbell but can’t change settings, manage subscriptions, or lock out other users. The owner retains full control and can revoke access at any time.
Giving Your Login Credentials (The Wrong Way)
Sharing your email and password gives someone full admin access to everything — your account, your subscription billing details, your other connected devices, and the ability to lock you out by changing the password. Never do this, even with a partner you trust completely. It’s not about trust; it’s about maintaining a single point of control for your security system. The National Cyber Security Centre recommends unique accounts for each user as a basic security practice.
What Shared Users Can and Can’t Do
Here’s a summary across the major platforms:
Typically CAN Do
- View live video — see who’s at the door in real time
- Receive notifications — get motion and doorbell ring alerts on their phone
- Use two-way talk — speak to visitors through the doorbell speaker
- View recorded footage — access motion-triggered and doorbell clips (subscription dependent)
Typically CANNOT Do
- Change device settings — motion sensitivity, privacy zones, video quality
- Manage subscriptions — can’t add, cancel, or change cloud storage plans
- Remove other users — only the account owner can manage who has access
- Delete recordings — shared users usually can’t delete footage (Arlo Admin level is the exception)
- Factory reset the device — physical reset only, not available through shared access
Managing Notifications for Shared Users
One doorbell ringing sends a notification to every phone with access. In a household of four, that’s four phones buzzing simultaneously. This gets old fast, especially with motion alerts — every cat, fox, and passing delivery van triggers four alerts.
How to Control the Noise
Each shared user controls their own notification settings independently. In Ring, Nest, Eufy, and Arlo, individual users can:
- Disable motion alerts — stop getting notified for every movement, while keeping doorbell ring alerts active
- Set notification schedules — only receive alerts during certain hours (useful for the household member who works nights)
- Adjust alert types — some apps let you receive push notifications for doorbell rings but silent notifications for motion
The owner should tell shared users they can customise their own alerts — most people don’t realise this and either put up with constant buzzing or uninstall the app entirely.
Privacy Considerations for Households
Sharing doorbell access means multiple people can see who comes to the door — including visitors who might not want to be recorded or observed by everyone in the household.
Household Agreement
Have a conversation about how the doorbell footage will be used. This sounds formal, but it prevents arguments later. Basic ground rules:
- Doorbell footage is for security, not surveillance of household members’ comings and goings
- Don’t comment on someone’s visitors unless there’s a genuine security concern
- Shared users shouldn’t download or share doorbell clips outside the household without consent
Lodgers, Tenants, and Guests
If you have a lodger or rent a room, be upfront about the video doorbell and what it records. UK data protection law (GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018) gives people rights over footage that identifies them. A lodger who uses the front door has a reasonable expectation that their comings and goings aren’t being monitored by the household. Our guide to security camera privacy law covers the legal details.
After a Breakup or Household Change
If someone leaves the household — a partner moves out, a lodger leaves, an adult child moves away — revoke their shared access immediately. This isn’t vindictive; it’s basic security hygiene. They no longer need to see who’s at your front door, and continued access to your home’s camera feed after they’ve left is a privacy issue for everyone who still lives there.
Sharing Access with Children and Elderly Relatives
Teenagers
Teenagers being home alone after school is one of the most practical uses for shared doorbell access. They can check who’s at the door before opening it, and parents can see from work that their child arrived home safely (the motion alert triggers when someone approaches the door).
Give teenagers view-only access where possible (Arlo lets you do this). They don’t need to change camera settings, and you probably don’t want them disabling motion alerts because the notifications annoy them.
Elderly Relatives
If an elderly relative struggles with mobility, a shared video doorbell on their phone or tablet lets them see visitors without getting up. Set up the app on their device, enable only doorbell ring alerts (not motion), and make the notification sound distinctive so they recognise it. Disable any features they won’t use — simplicity matters more than full functionality.
Children Under 13
Most doorbell apps require users to be 13+ to create an account (in line with UK data protection rules for children’s data). If a younger child needs to see who’s at the door, set up the doorbell on a shared household tablet rather than giving them their own account.
Troubleshooting Common Sharing Problems
Invitation Email Not Arriving
Check the spam/junk folder first — doorbell invitation emails frequently end up there. If it’s still not arriving, make sure the email address is correct (typos are the most common cause) and try resending from the owner’s app. Some email providers delay delivery from automated systems by 10-15 minutes.
Shared User Not Receiving Notifications
The most common cause is notification permissions. After installing the app, the shared user must enable push notifications in both the app settings AND their phone’s system settings (Settings > Notifications on iOS, Settings > Apps > [app name] > Notifications on Android). If notifications are enabled but still not arriving, check that “Do Not Disturb” and “Focus” modes aren’t blocking them.
Live View Not Loading for Shared Users
Live view requires a stable internet connection on both ends — the doorbell needs a strong Wi-Fi signal, and the shared user’s phone needs a good mobile data or Wi-Fi connection. If the owner can see live view but a shared user can’t, the issue is usually the shared user’s connection rather than the doorbell itself.
Shared User Accidentally Removed
Only the account owner can re-add them. Go through the invitation process again from the owner’s app. The shared user doesn’t need to delete and reinstall the app — they just need to accept the new invitation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I share my video doorbell with someone who doesn’t live with me? Yes — on Ring, Eufy, Arlo, and Blink, you can share access with anyone who has an email address, regardless of location. Google Nest requires them to join your Google Home household, which gives them access to all your connected devices. Sharing with someone outside the household is useful for pet sitters, trusted neighbours, or family members who check in on elderly relatives.
How many people can I share my doorbell with? Ring allows unlimited shared users. Google Nest supports up to 6 household members. Eufy supports up to 6 shared users per device. Arlo supports up to 5 friends per account. Blink doesn’t specify a limit but supports multiple shared users.
Does sharing my doorbell use more bandwidth? Only when multiple people view the live feed simultaneously. Each live view connection uses roughly 1-3 Mbps of upload bandwidth from your home Wi-Fi. If three people all open live view at the same time, that’s 3-9 Mbps of upload — which might strain connections with less than 10 Mbps upload speed. Notifications and recorded clips don’t add bandwidth because they use the doorbell’s normal recording process.
Can a shared user turn off my doorbell? On most platforms, no. Shared users typically can’t change device settings, including disabling recording or turning off the camera. Arlo’s Admin permission level is an exception — Admin users can change settings. On Ring, only the account owner can adjust device settings.
What happens to shared access if I change my subscription plan? Shared users’ access to recorded footage depends on the owner’s subscription. If you downgrade from a paid plan to free, shared users lose access to recorded clips (along with the owner). Live view and two-way talk continue to work regardless of subscription status.