Check for wiring first
Look at your current doorbell button. If it’s a wired button with a chime that rings inside, you almost certainly have low-voltage doorbell wiring. Turn off the power at the breaker before unscrewing anything. If you only have a wireless plug-in chime, or no doorbell at all, plan on a battery model.
Then check the transformer
A video doorbell needs more power than a plain button, so check the transformer that feeds your doorbell. It’s a small box, often near the electrical panel or furnace, or in a closet or attic, and its label lists volts (V) and volt-amps (VA).
Compare that with the doorbell’s requirement before you buy. Google’s Nest Doorbell (Wired), for example, needs 16–24 V AC, and Google explains how to upgrade the transformer when yours falls short. Ring, eufy and other makers publish their own requirements. If you can’t find the transformer or read its label, an electrician can check it and swap it if needed.
Why wired is better when you can
A wired doorbell never runs flat, can record more often and usually wakes faster when someone presses the button. It can also ring your existing indoor chime. The Nest Doorbell (Wired) is our pick for Google homes.
Constant power is also what round-the-clock recording needs, on the models and plans that offer it. Battery doorbells save short clips when something happens instead, and Google’s battery Nest Doorbell can’t record continuously even when it’s wired (Android Police). The one catch: in a power cut, a wired-only doorbell goes dark with the lights.
When battery makes more sense
Renters, apartments, and doors with no wiring. Battery life depends on how busy your door is: expect a few months between charges. The Nest Doorbell (Battery) and Ring Battery Doorbell Pro are both good, and the eufy E340 runs either way.
Battery doorbells in the cold
Batteries don’t like freezing weather. Google has confirmed that its battery-powered Nest doorbells and cameras won’t charge in freezing temperatures (Google), and Ring publishes cold-weather guidance for its battery devices. Because the limit is on charging the battery itself, wiring a battery doorbell doesn’t necessarily get around it. If your winters freeze, charge the battery fully before the first frost, expect less time between charges, and think seriously about a wired-only doorbell, which has no battery to charge.
The middle ground: a battery doorbell on your wiring
Many battery doorbells can also connect to existing doorbell wires, which keeps the battery topped up and, on some models, lets your indoor chime ring. The Nest Doorbell (Battery) can be installed wired or wire-free, and it only rings a wired chime when it’s wired (Google). Ring’s battery doorbells can be hardwired to keep charging, and the eufy E340 charges over USB or from doorbell wiring (eufy).
It’s a good fit if you want to stop charging but keep the battery as a backup, or if you might move and want a doorbell that can go back to battery power.
Swapping in a wired doorbell, in outline
Your doorbell’s own instructions come first, but most wired installs follow the same steps:
- 1Turn off the breaker that feeds the doorbell transformer. If the panel isn’t labeled, turn off the main breaker.
- 2Unscrew the old button and photograph the two wires before you disconnect them.
- 3If the doorbell came with an adapter for your indoor chime, fit it inside the chime box now.
- 4Screw the new mounting plate to the wall. If the button sits at an awkward angle to your door, a wedge mount turns the camera toward visitors.
- 5Connect the two wires to the doorbell’s terminals, attach the doorbell and turn the power back on.
- 6Finish setup in the app, then press the button to test the indoor chime.
Install checklist
Whichever you pick:
- 1Check your Wi-Fi signal at the front door with your phone.
- 2Charge the battery fully before mounting.
- 3Mount it at about 48 inches (1.2 m) high.
- 4Set motion zones so passing cars don’t wake it all day.
- 5Turn on two-factor authentication in the app.
Which type is wrong for you
Rule one out first:
- Skip wired if you rent and can’t touch the wiring, have no doorbell wires at all, or your transformer is too weak and you don’t want to replace it.
- Skip battery if your winters freeze, your door is busy enough to drain it quickly, or you want 24/7 recording.
- Not sure? A doorbell that does both, like the eufy E340, can start on battery and be wired later.
- Comparing specific models? See the best video doorbells, which counts the subscription cost of each.
Where these facts come from
We haven’t installed these doorbells ourselves. Power, wiring and charging details come from the makers’ help pages, checked on September 30, 2026:
