How to delete Alexa recordings and your search history: A step-by-step guide

Why should you delete your Alexa recording history?

One of the biggest security concerns in smart homes is the potential for unauthorized access to your personal data. You should consider deleting your Amazon Alexa recording history because these recordings capture everything Alexa hears after its wake word, which is usually "Alexa." After Alexa hears the wake word, it starts recording what you’re saying.

The recording stops when you finish speaking or when Alexa decides your request is complete. However, Alexa may pick up background conversations or keep recording if it mistakenly thinks you’re still speaking. Because of this, Alexa voice recordings can contain sensitive data — questions, reminders, or even private conversations.

Amazon stores these voice commands to improve Alexa, but they could potentially be accessed by hackers, employees, or anyone with your account information. While Amazon’s security is strong, it isn’t foolproof. By regularly clearing your Alexa voice history, you can reduce privacy risks and keep your personal information safer in case of a security breach.

Note: If you use Google Assistant, check out our piece on how to delete Google Assistant voice search history.

How to delete Alexa recordings on your browser

Use your browser for an easy way to delete all your Alexa voice recordings:

1. 1.

   Log in to your Amazon account, hover over the “Account & lists” menu, and select “Content & devices.”

   
2. 2.

   Hover over “Privacy settings” and click on “Alexa privacy.”

   
3. 3.

   Select “Review voice history.”

   
4. 4.

   Click on “Displaying” and adjust the “Filter by date” setting to show “All history.”

   
5. 5.

   Choose “Delete all of my recordings.”

   
6. 6.

   Confirm your selection.

How to delete Alexa recordings in the app

To delete your Alexa recording history in the app, first download the Alexa mobile app from the App Store. Once you’ve downloaded it and signed in to your Amazon account, follow these instructions on how to delete voice recordings in Alexa:

1. 1.

   Tap the “More” button in the bottom menu.

   
2. 2.

   Tap “Settings.”

   
3. 3.

   Select “Alexa privacy.”

   
4. 4.

   “Review voice history.”

   
5. 5.

   Tap the dropdown labeled “Filters: Today, All devices and profiles.” From here, you can choose which Alexa recordings to review based on the date, the device that recorded your voice, or the user profile. To delete all Alexa recordings, set the date to “All history” and tap “Delete all of my recordings.”

   
6. 6.

   Confirm your selection.

How to delete your Alexa recording history using auto-delete

If deleting your Alexa data manually every now and then sounds like too much work, consider setting up the auto-delete feature to handle it for you. You can enable this feature through both the browser and the app. Navigation in the Alexa app and the Amazon website is similar.

Here’s how to delete all your Alexa recordings automatically using the app:

1. 1.

   Once you’ve opened the Alexa app, tap the “More” button in the bottom menu.

   
2. 2.

   Tap “Settings.”

   
3. 3.

   Select “Alexa privacy.”

   
4. 4.

   Scroll down and select “Manage your Alexa data.”

   
5. 5.

   Tap “Choose how long to save recordings.”

   
6. 6.

   Choose the time period for which to keep the recordings (either until you delete them, for 18 months, for 3 months, or don’t save at all), then select “Confirm.”

   
7. 7.

   Verify your selection by tapping “Confirm.”

   

How to delete your Alexa recording history by voice

Can you delete Alexa recordings using your voice? Given the premise, it would be strange if you couldn’t — so the answer is a definite yes. Here’s how to erase your Alexa recordings with voice commands:

1. 1.

   Once you’ve opened the Alexa app, tap the “More” button in the bottom menu.

   
2. 2.

   Tap “Settings.”

   
3. 3.

   Select “Alexa privacy.”

   
4. 4.

   Scroll down and select “Manage your Alexa data.”

   
5. 5.

   Toggle on “Enable deletion by voice.”

   
6. 6.

   Delete your most recent voice recording by saying, “Alexa, delete what I just said,” or “Alexa, delete everything I said today.” To delete all your previous recordings, you can say, “Alexa, delete everything I’ve ever said.”

Note: These instructions work on both the Alexa app and the Amazon website when using a browser.

How to stop Alexa from recording your voice history

To stop Alexa from recording your voice history altogether, in the “Choose how long to save recordings” setting (refer to How to delete Alexa recording history using auto-delete for instructions on how to get there), pick “Don’t save recordings” and tap “Confirm.” Click “Confirm” once again to verify your selection.

Once you’ve done this, your virtual assistant will no longer save any new voice recordings. Note that selecting this setting will also delete any previous recordings, meaning you won’t have to delete them manually.

Note: You can stop Alexa from recording your voice history in both the Alexa app and the Amazon website. The app and website navigation are nearly identical.

How to stop sharing your Alexa voice data with Amazon

You don’t need to delete your Amazon account to stop sharing your Alexa voice data. By adjusting settings in the app, you can control what Amazon knows about you, making your interactions with Alexa more private and secure. To prevent Amazon from storing and analyzing your Alexa voice recordings, even in anonymized form, follow these steps:

1. 1.

   Once you’ve opened the Alexa app, tap the “More” button in the bottom menu.

   
2. 2.

   Tap “Settings.”

   
3. 3.

   Select “Alexa privacy.”

   
4. 4.

   Scroll down and select “Manage your Alexa data.”

   
5. 5.

   Scroll down until you see “Help improve Alexa.” Toggle off “Use of voice recordings” to prevent your voice recordings from being used to develop new features or undergo human review.

   

Note: These instructions work in both the Alexa app and the Amazon website when using a browser.