5 Alexa Features That You Must Disable
Alexa the voice assistant by Amazon gained prominence very promptly. Launched in 2014, it has gotten more customizable over the years. Alexa is equipped with a number of useful features and allows you to control other devices with just voice commands. However, there are certain features that you may want to turn off. Here, we have six of those features that you might consider switching off.
Drop-In
Using this feature you can speak to a friend or any family member at any time possible. Whenever you get a call through a mobile device, you are asked for permission whether you want to answer the call or not. If you are fine with your friends or family members using this feature at an inappropriate time, then this is a cool feature and it will not bother you at all. Or else, you can disable the Drop-In feature from your Alexa.
From the Alexa app in your mobile device, tap Devices, and tap on Communications. This is where you can turn off drop-ins or restrict them to specific devices.
Hunches
Alexa could be your talk-to buddy at times when you are alone, bored, and looking for a distraction. It does this with the help of Hunches; these are those follow-up questions that Alexa asks when you interact with the uber smart device.
Although, this feature is inserted to assist you with suggestions, it can be annoying when you are on a work call and your voice assistant is blabbering in the background.
If you also find this irritating at times, then disable this feature by following the given instructions.
Tap More in the Alexa app, and go to Settings, and tap on Hunches. Toggle to disable.
Your Voice Recordings
If you value your privacy, then you can turn off voice recording feature by following these steps:
First, open the Alexa app on your mobile device, tap more > Settings > Alexa Privacy. A page will open, where you will find an option to Manage Your Alexa Data. Scroll down to turn off the Use of Voice Recordings.
You may also consider setting your voice recordings to be deleted automatically after three months to gain more control over privacy.
Skill Permissions
You must also consider checking the Alexa Privacy page and also Manage Skill Permissions.
When you scroll down here, you get to see which skills (apps and features in Amazon’s language) are accessing certain unnecessary details.
To check and modify these permissions, tap More > Settings > Alexa Privacy > Manage Skill Permissions.
Brief Mode
While the feature of Alexa parroting your questions and answering back is fun, this can potentially get on your nerves when you are in the middle of something very important.
If this gets disrupted, then you can avoid this by turning on the Brief Mode.
Tap More > Settings > Voice Responses. Switch on Brief Mode from here.
These were some of the Alexa features that you must consider disabling to keep your privacy in check.