5 ways to prevent others from using your Alexa Echo device

byFlorian published on

Amazon Alexa is a great voice assistant. But unfortunately, it cannot differentiate your voice from others and can be used by anyone. It puts your privacy at risk. Also, it can be very annoying to see everyone else in your house playing with Alexa when you want her to only respond to your commands. Well, here are some tips you can follow to prevent others from using your Alexa Echo device. Read on.

Prevent others from using your Amazon Alexa Echo device

Echo devices powered by Alexa are packed with features that can make your life easier. However, you cannot yet configure it to only interact with you or the people you want it to talk to. Although it can recognize your voice, it is still not equipped to respond to you only.

Yes, that's a bummer, and some might even argue for calling it a “personal assistant” if it works with anyone who can say “Alexa”. But right now, there's not much you can do unless Amazon plans something.

What you can do instead is change Alexa's wake word, mute her microphone, and turn off communications so others don't disturb your Alexa. All the means are detailed below.

1. Change Alexa's wake word

By default, Amazon Echo speakers listen to the word “Alexa”. Interestingly, you can change your speaker's wake word to "Amazon", "Echo" or "Computer" so that only you know what wakes it up.

To change the Alexa activation word:

  1. Open the Alexa app on your Android or iPhone.
  2. Go to features tongue.
  3. Here click on Echo and Alexa et select your Echo device.
  4. On the next screen, click on the Settings icon top right.
  5. Scroll down and click Wake up word.
  6. Change it from Alexa to Amazon, Computer, or Echo.

Once you change the wake word, the Echo device will no longer respond to the word Alexa, preventing others from using it. However, make sure that the new activation word is known only to you. If you're surrounded by people, whisper the wake-up call to Alexa instead of saying it out loud.

This method won't work if your friends have an Echo device and already know the other wake-up words you can set to get Alexa's attention.

2. Prevent Alexa from listening

Prevent others from using your Alexa Echo device

The other way to prevent others from using Alexa is to mute it. To do this, press the Mute button - the Echo device will begin to display a red ring around it, indicating that the mic has been muted.

However, this also means that it will not be available to you. But it's handy to turn it off on those occasions when you don't want someone else to interfere with what's playing on Alexa.

For example, if you're playing music for a house party and you don't want other guests playing your music, listen to the album you want (via Alexa or Bluetooth) and mute Alexa. This will work assuming others are courteous enough not to turn it back on.

If it's kids having fun with Alexa, turn off the mic and keep it out of reach. Or just disconnect it from the power outlet or Wifi.

3. Disconnect other Bluetooth devices

Echo devices can also double as Bluetooth speakers. Anyone around can say “Alexa, couple” and connect it to their phone via Bluetooth. Some people around you can abuse the functionality by playing whatever they want on the speaker.

If someone else has signed in to your Alexa, you can remove their device from the Alexa app, as follows:

  1. Open the Alexa app on your Android or iPhone.
  2. Go to features tongue.
  3. Here click on Echo and Alexa et select your Echo device.
  4. On the next screen, click on the Settings icon top right.
  5. Now press Bluetooth devices under Bluetooth.
  6. Click on the device you want to remove and press Forget the device.

4. Is anyone else talking about your Alexa?

Alexa has a cool feature called “Drop In”. It's more like an intercom and lets you instantly connect with other Alexa-enabled devices, both in your home and beyond.

This means that if your Echo device is turned on, other household members or approved contacts can sign in and talk through your Echo device. So if you hear an unknown person talking through your Alexa with a blinking green light, turn off the Drop-In feature:

  1. Open the Alexa app on your Android or iPhone.
  2. Go to features tongue.
  3. Here click on Echo and Alexa et select your Echo device.
  4. On the next screen, click on the Settings icon top right.
  5. Scroll down and select Communication.
  6. Tap Deposit yourself and turn it off.

Aside from contacts set to Allow Drop-In, the only other devices that could connect to your Echo would be devices attached to your account or phones where the Alexa app is connected to your account. So, review and remove all unknown devices from here.

5. Can Alexa only recognize my voice and ignore other voices?

Alexa can learn to recognize your voice. To create a voice profile, say, “Alexa, learn my voice”. Then follow the directions like setting your name and whatever it asks you to say. Once he learns your voice, he can call you by name.

However, that doesn't mean that it will only recognize your voice. Amazon has yet to add the feature to restrict Alexa from recognizing or responding to a particular person. This means that anyone around can interact with it.

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It was about how to prevent others from using your Amazon Echo Alexa device. While there is no direct option to prevent Alexa from responding to other people, the above ways should help you to some extent. Try them out and let me know if it makes a difference. Do you have any other tips to add? Please feel free to comment below. Stay tuned for more.

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