Smart speaker privacy: 7 settings worth checking

Before you start

• The Alexa or Google Home app is on your phone, signed in to the account the speaker uses.
• You know who else in the household uses the speaker.
• You have about 15 minutes.

0 of 3 done. Ticking just helps you keep track; nothing is saved or sent.

Steps

1. 1

   Find the microphone button

   Every mainstream smart speaker has a physical button to switch the microphones off. On most models a red or orange light shows when they're off. Use it for private conversations, or in rooms where you'd rather it didn't listen. Remember to switch it back on when you want to use your voice again.

2. 2

   Review your voice history

   In the Alexa app, open Settings, then Alexa Privacy, then Review Voice History. For Google, open the Google Home app, go to your account settings and look for My Activity or Assistant activity, which may open your Google Account in a browser. It's often a useful reminder of how often the speaker wakes up by mistake.

3. 3

   Turn on automatic deletion

   Rather than deleting recordings by hand, you can usually choose to keep them for a limited time. In Alexa Privacy, look for Manage Your Alexa Data. For Google, look in your Google Account's activity controls for Auto-delete under Web and App Activity, which includes Assistant activity.

4. 4

   Check whether recordings help improve the service

   Both companies have offered settings about whether recordings can be used to improve their voice services. Look in Alexa Privacy or your Google Account's activity controls, read the explanation, and choose what you're comfortable with.

5. 5

   Switch off or protect voice purchasing

   Alexa can let people order from Amazon by voice. In the Alexa app, open Settings, then Account Settings, then Voice Purchasing. Turn it off, or set a voice code that must be spoken before an order is placed. Google purchases are controlled through your Google account and payment settings, so check these if you've added a card.

6. 6

   Check who can use the speaker

   Review the household or home members in the app and remove anyone who no longer lives with you. Look at Voice Match (Google) or Voice ID (Alexa) if you want personal results, such as calendar entries, given only to a recognised voice. Turn off personal results if visitors could ask the speaker to read out your calendar or messages.

7. 7

   Review connected skills and devices

   Over time, speakers collect links to other services: music accounts, smart plugs, doorbells and third-party skills. Open the list in the app and remove anything you no longer use.

If this happens, try this

• If the speaker keeps waking up by mistake

  Check the voice history to see what set it off. Alexa lets you pick a different wake word in the device's settings, which can help if a word on the TV sounds similar.

• If someone ordered something by voice

  Check your Amazon orders straight away, cancel anything you didn't want, then turn off voice purchasing or add a voice code.

• If the app looks different from these steps

  The apps change often. Search the official Amazon or Google help pages for the setting's name, such as voice history.

• If you own a different speaker

  Apple HomePod and other speakers handle recordings differently and have their own settings. Check the maker's privacy page for your model.

Things to be careful about

• Passing a speaker on. Before you give away or sell a smart speaker, remove it from your account in the app and reset it, so the next owner can't reach your account.

• Connected cameras and doorbells. Make sure they have their own strong passwords and two-step verification turned on. Our guide to two-step verification for your email explains how it works.

• Shared accounts. Anyone who can sign in to the account behind the speaker may be able to see its voice history. Keep that password to yourself.