Guide to securing your Amazon Echo

If your Amazon Echo devices are not registered to your Amazon Account, you will need to reset it and set it up as new. This will allow you to have full control over how the devices work. Follow the below steps to reset your device.

For 1st generation Amazon Echo devices, complete the following steps:

1. Locate the Reset button within the pinhole on the bottom of the device. Use a pin, paper clip or similar tool to press and hold the reset button until the light ring turns orange.
2. The light ring will then turn blue.
3. Wait for the light ring to turn off and then turn orange again.
4. Your Amazon Echo device is now reset to factory settings.
   
5. You can now create a new account and link this to your Echo device.

For 2nd generation Amazon Echo devices, complete the following steps:

1. Press and hold the Microphone off and Volume down buttons at the same time, until the light ring turns orange. These buttons are found at the top of your device.
2. The light ring will turn blue.
3. Wait for the light ring to turn off and then orange again.
4. Your Amazon Echo device is now reset to factory settings.

1. Open or download the Alexa app from your mobile device’s app store. If you’re not already logged in, type in your Amazon account login credentials on the home page of the app. If you don’t yet have an account, you can create one from the home page.
2. Amazon will prompt you to agree to the Alexa user conditions (e.g. that you’re happy with your voice being sent to Amazon to be analysed for commands and service improvements). It’s recommended that you opt out. Remember, all voice recognition recordings picked up by your Amazon speaker are available as a transcript. This means that someone with access to your Amazon account would be able to access them and may place you at risk if your Amazon account is not secure.
3. You can change these settings in the Alexa app. Select the More button in the bottom left of the screen, then select settings.
4. Tap on Alexa Privacy and then on Manage Your Alexa Data.

1. Review how long recordings are saved in your account. To do this, Select the More button in the bottom left of the screen, then select settings.
2. Tap on Alexa Privacy and then Manage your Alexa data. From here you can select a time period you’re comfortable with. Otherwise, you can select Do not save recordings to disable this feature. This may be the safest option if you are worried your account may be compromised.
3. In the section Manage your Alexa data you can choose to stop Alexa from using your voice recordings to develop new features if you want to.
4. This is turned off and on by a slider further down the page, under Help Improve Alexa.

The Alexa has a feature allowing you to set up a household profile, which can provide a personalised service to multiple people in the home. If household profiles are set up, Alexa will be able to recognise your voice and give you personalised answers. The feature is set up to ensure other people don’t accidentally gain access to your calendar or contact information. If you want to remove someone from gaining access to your personal information accidentally, complete the following steps:

1. Tap on More in the Alexa app and then tap on Settings.
2. Tap on Account Settings and then on Recognised Voices.
3. To teach Alexa your voice, select Your voice and then Learn my voice. Alexa will guide you through the process of teaching her your voice. This can limit what information Alexa can tell anyone else about your accounts should they ask Alexa a question like ‘what’s on my shopping list?’ If Alexa recognises a voice isn’t you, it shouldn’t respond with your personalised list.
4. If there are learnt voices registered for people who should no longer be using the Alexa, you can remove them by tapping their name, and then selecting Delete my voice.

Alexa’s “drop in” feature allows your contacts to send a voice message to your Alexa devices without you having the option to accept or decline the message. If you are worried that someone will “drop in” without you knowing. You can disable this feature by following these steps:

1. Tap on More in the Alexa app and then tap on Settings.
2. Go to Device Settings and select the device you want to edit the “drop in” settings for. Tap on Communication and then on Drop In.
3. Here you can disable “drop in” by selecting Off or limit drop in to only registered users in your household by selecting My household. You’ll need to edit these settings for each device you own.