Technology does so much to improve our lives, but with tech advancements come new security and privacy concerns. It’s important to understand how your devices work and take the proper steps to secure your personal information. With home automation, speakers, TVs, and more, Amazon Alexa-enabled devices are affordable and easy-to-use, making them more and more common in homes and businesses. If you use Alexa or have considered adding an Alexa-enabled device to your home, check out our top 11 privacy tips for Amazon Alexa users:

• Start with setting strong, complex passwords for your Wi-Fi network and your Amazon account.
• Set up a guest password to avoid giving out your main network password.
• Change your passwords frequently to increase security and don’t use the same password for multiple accounts.
• Remember that anyone who has access to your Amazon account has access to your devices, any connected smart home devices, your daily routine, the ability to make purchases, etc.
• Some devices come with a camera. The 10-Inch Echo Show has an option to turn off the camera and microphone and covers are also available for purchase.
• View the privacy settings on the Alexa app, and say, “Alexa, delete everything I said today” to delete your history of commands and questions; you can also set it to delete every three or 18 months.
• Review your skill permissions to determine what information is available to third-party apps. Don’t share too much personal information with your skills. See some examples here.
• Avoid placing your Echo near a window or in a location that’s easily accessible from outside your home.
• Change your “wake word” from “Alexa” to something else; for instance, if you have someone in your house named Alexis, it might be a good idea to switch to a word you don’t commonly use in conversation.
• Set up a purchase passcode by going to the Alexa app, Settings > Alexa Account > Voice Purchases. This is especially a great idea for anyone with children to avoid any surprise purchases!
• Read more about Amazon Echo’s privacy settings and how to manage them.

To hear the astounding array of skills available (we’re talking thousands!), ask, “Alexa, what can you do?” Although the list seems endless, ultimately, we do have the final word on the privacy of this device, and that is only getting better with each new generation.