You just got that notification on your phone. The one that says your ring is at 10% and might not make it through your sleep tracking tonight. It's annoying, honestly. You're about to jump in the shower or head to bed and you need to know: how long does an Oura Ring take to charge before you can slide it back on?
The short answer? 20 to 80 minutes.
But "20 to 80" is a pretty wide gap. If you’re sitting there staring at the little pulsing white light on your desk, you probably want to know why it sometimes feels like it's done in a flash and other times takes forever.
The Reality of Oura Charging Times
Most people find that their Oura Ring—whether it’s the Gen 3 or the newer Oura Ring 4—hits a full charge in about an hour. If you’re just topping it off from 30% or 40%, you’re looking at more like 30 minutes.
It’s fast. Like, "finish your morning coffee and a quick shower" fast.
Here is the thing though: Oura uses a tiny lithium-ion battery. Because the capacity is so small (we’re talking roughly 15mAh to 22mAh depending on your ring size), it doesn't need a massive amount of juice. However, the charging speed isn't linear. It'll zip from 20% to 80% really quickly, then slow down for that last 20% to protect the battery’s health.
Why the ring size actually matters
Believe it or not, a size 13 ring takes slightly longer to charge than a size 6. Why? Because the larger rings have physically larger batteries tucked inside the frame. More capacity means more "room" to fill, which adds a few extra minutes to the clock.
How to Tell if Your Ring is Actually Charging
Don't just set it on the dock and walk away. I've done that. You come back 20 minutes later and realize the ring wasn't seated right and it’s still at 5%.
- Pulsing White Light: This is the "all systems go" signal. The ring is successfully drawing power.
- Solid Green Light: You’re at 100%. Pull it off and get back to your day.
- Blinking Red Light: This is the "Houston, we have a problem" light. Usually, it means the ring is too hot, too cold, or there’s a connection issue. Try taking it off and putting it back on.
If you’re using the Oura Ring 4, remember that the charger is specific to that model. You can't just swap docks with your old Gen 3 charger and expect it to work perfectly. The alignment is different. For the Gen 4, you want to align the little dimple on the inside of the ring with the LED on the charger. For the Gen 3, you're looking to align the sensor bumps.
The "Shower Trick" for Battery Longevity
Oura officially recommends keeping your battery between 30% and 80%.
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Why? Because lithium-ion batteries hate being at 100% just as much as they hate being at 0%. If you leave your ring on the charger overnight every single night, you're actually wearing out the battery faster over the long run.
The pro move is to charge it in short bursts. Put the charger on your bathroom vanity. Every morning when you hop in the shower, pop the ring on the dock. By the time you’ve dried off and brushed your teeth, you’ve probably added 15-20% back to the battery. That’s usually enough to cover the drain from the previous 24 hours.
Basically, you never have to think about a "full" charge because you’re always topped up.
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What Slows Down the Charge?
Sometimes you’ll notice the ring is taking way longer than 80 minutes. There are usually three culprits:
- Extreme Temps: If your house is freezing or you left the charger in direct sunlight, the ring will throttle the charging speed to prevent a fire hazard. It likes room temperature.
- Dirty Pins: Sweat, lotion, and skin oils build up on those little gold contacts inside the ring. If the connection is weak, the power flow is weak. Use a tiny bit of rubbing alcohol on a Q-tip to clean the ring's interior sensors and the dock's pins.
- Weak Power Source: If you’re plugging the USB cable into an old, dusty laptop port or a cheap airplane seat outlet, it might not be pushing the full current the ring wants. Use a dedicated wall brick whenever possible.
Is Your Battery Draining Too Fast?
If you find yourself asking how long does an Oura Ring take to charge because you're doing it every single day, you might have a setting issue.
Features like "Blood Oxygen Sensing" (SpO2) are battery killers. They use red LEDs that stay on for long periods while you sleep. If you don't really care about your oxygen saturation, turning that off in the app can easily add 2 days to your battery life.
Also, keep an eye on firmware updates. Sometimes a bug in the software causes the ring to "search" for a Bluetooth connection constantly, which drains the juice. Always make sure your app and ring are updated to the latest version.
Your Next Steps for a Healthy Oura Battery
- Clean the sensors today: Grab a soft cloth and wipe the inside of your ring. It takes five seconds and ensures you're getting a solid connection on the dock.
- Switch to "Burst" charging: Tomorrow morning, don't wait for a low battery warning. Just set it on the charger while you do your morning routine.
- Check your SpO2 settings: If your ring isn't lasting at least 4 days, go into the Oura app settings and see if you really need that oxygen tracking turned on every night.