First announced in 2019, Alexa Guard brings a second layer of protection to your smart home by listening for certain sounds that indicate there’s an emergency. The service has a few limitations, but Amazon has addressed those drawbacks with Alexa Guard Plus — a premium subscription that offers tons of enhanced features. But what exactly is the difference between Alexa Guard and Alexa Guard Plus? We break it down in this guide.
What is Alexa Guard?
Alexa Guard listens out for the sounds of breaking glass, smoke detectors, and carbon monoxide (CO) detectors. During setup, you can indicate which sounds you want Alexa to listen for, so if you only want
Once you set up Alexa Guard, just say, “
If Alexa hears a danger sound, the assistant will send a 10-second audio clip to your phone. You can then decide what to do with that clip. You can use the drop-in feature to listen in on your home to check what’s going on, or you can call emergency services for help.
Alexa Guard integrates with some alarm systems (Ring Alarm, ADT Pulse, ADT Control, and Scout Alarm), and
What is Alexa Guard Plus?
Alexa Guard Plus is a more advanced version of the
Alexa Guard Plus can also play sounds (like a siren or barking dog) to deter unwanted visitors. The biggest benefit of Guard Plus is perhaps the available emergency helpline. You can say, “
What’s the difference between Alexa Guard and Alexa Guard Plus?
For starters, Alexa Guard Plus has a fee of $5 per month (or $50 per year), while
The free Alexa Guard service and
If you want to use the Alexa Guard service, it works on Echo smart speakers and smart displays like the Echo, Echo Dot, Echo Plus, Echo Flex, Echo Show 5, Echo Show 8, and Echo Show 10.
How to sign up for Alexa Guard Plus
Ready to sign up for Alexa Guard Plus? Simply open the
You’ll eventually be asked to enter an emergency address — and keep in mind you’ll need a device that supports Guard Plus (such as one of the Echo products listed above). Once all these steps are complete, your Guard Plus coverage will automatically begin.
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