Alexa begins recording after it detects a wake word or button press, but recordings, communication settings, and skill permissions are still worth reviewing. Most people never check what is stored or which skills have access.
These steps apply to Amazon Echo devices and the Alexa app on iPhone and Android.
Does this affect you?
Use this if you want to see what Alexa recorded, delete voice history, reduce stored data, or lock down communication and skill permissions.
Review and delete voice recordings
This shows what Alexa has sent to Amazon’s cloud for processing.
- Open the Alexa app.
- Tap More > Alexa Privacy.
- Tap Review Voice History.
- Play or inspect individual entries if needed.
- Delete individual recordings from their entry.
- Use the filter or menu to delete all recordings.
- For quick cleanup, say Alexa, delete what I just said or Alexa, delete everything I said today.
Voice history is the place to check when you want to know what Alexa actually captured.
Lock down the microphone and communication features
These settings control new listening and who can reach your Echo.
- Press the physical microphone off button on an Echo to disable the mic.
- On Echo Show devices, use the camera shutter or camera toggle when available.
- Open Communicate > Contacts in the Alexa app.
- Select yourself and turn off Drop In if you do not want contacts or household members opening a live connection.
- Open Settings > Alexa Privacy > Manage Your Alexa Data.
- Choose how long recordings are kept, such as 3 months, 18 months, or do not save recordings.
The mic off button is a hardware cutoff. It overrides software settings until you turn the mic back on.
Manage skill and account permissions
Third-party skills can request access to data such as location, lists, and contacts.
- Open More > Skills & Games.
- Tap Your Skills.
- Disable skills you do not recognize or no longer use.
- Open Alexa Privacy > Manage Skill Permissions.
- Revoke unnecessary access to location, lists, contacts, or similar data.
Recognized Voices can personalize responses by household member, but it does not stop the microphone from hearing other people.
Amazon’s Alexa Privacy Hub centralizes recordings, device data, and privacy controls. Revisit it every few months because Amazon adds and changes options over time.
Turning off the microphone stops new voice commands, but timers and alarms already set still ring on schedule.
Sources
- Amazon Alexa Help – Manage Your Alexa Data (2025)
- Amazon Alexa Help – Alexa Privacy Hub overview (2025)
- Amazon Alexa Help – Turn off the microphone on your Alexa device (2025)