Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Smart Home
  3. Guides

How to delete voice recordings from Alexa-enabled devices, Google Assistant-enabled devices

Ananth Pandian
David Cogen
By and
With the rapid growth of technology over the last several years, privacy has become a hot-button issue in terms of security. Simply put, the idea that an Orwellian “Big Brother” presence in the government or a large corporation can listen in on our daily conversations and monitor our online happenings doesn’t sit well for many.

All isn’t lost, however; there are safeguards in place that, at the very least, can semi-protect us from the government’s prying eyes. These safeguards are baked into a variety of software, allowing you to quickly clear your search history from your browser or your interactions with a host of smart speakers.

Recommended Videos

Both Google Assistant– and Alexa-enabled devices record your interactions with them, and then upload these exchanges to their respective databases in the cloud. This may be worrisome for anyone who chooses to use these types of devices, but the good news is that these recordings are easy to delete.

Related

How to delete recordings from Alexa-enabled devices

Image used with permission by copyright holder

To delete the recordings from an Alexa-enabled device, launch your favorite browser from your desktop and navigate to amazon.com/mycd. It’s important to use a desktop machine when doing so, since the deletion process doesn’t work as smoothly on mobile devices.

Once there, follow the steps below:

  1. Log in with the Amazon account your Alexa device is linked to.
  2. Click the Content and devices tab in the upper-right corner.
  3. Click the Your Devices tab in the center of the page.
  4. Click the three dots beside the device you want to clear history for.
  5. Click Manage voice recordings.
  6. Read the disclaimer and click the yellow Delete button.

Repeat these steps as necessary if you have other Alexa-enabled devices that you want to delete the recordings for.

How to delete recordings from Google Assistant-enabled devices

Image used with permission by copyright holder

For Google Assistant-enabled devices, the deletion process is just as painless. It’s similar to the process you would use for an Alexa-compatible device, and as such, it’s crucial that you use a desktop computer.

To delete Google Assistant recordings, launch your favorite browser from your desktop and navigate to myactivity.google.com.

Once there, follow the steps below:

  1. Click Delete activity by on the left side of the screen.
  2. Specify a time frame. Selecting All time will allow you to delete all activity.
  3. Select Voice and audio from the resulting drop-down menu.
  4. Click the Delete button located below the date range.
  5. Click Delete in the pop-up window to confirm your decision.

Following these steps for either Alexa or Google Assistant-enabled devices will allow you to clear your saved recordings and give you an extra layer of privacy.Who doesn’t want that?

David Cogen — a regular contributor here at Digital Trends — runs TheUnlockr, a popular tech blog that focuses on tech news, tips and tricks, and the latest tech. You can also find him on Twitter discussing the latest tech trends.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Ananth Pandian
Ananth Pandian
Former Digital Trends Contributor
The best smart plugs for Alexa, Google Home, and Apple HomeKit
A Wemo Indoor smart plug on a table.

If there are some non-smart electronic devices in your home that you don't want to get rid of, there's a cheap and easy way of upgrading them -- pair them with smart plugs. Among the features that you can get from them include controlling your devices through a smartphone app, setting timers for switching on or off, and monitoring electricity usage. Smart plugs also integrate well with the different smart home platforms, which will be one of the most important factors to consider when deciding on your purchase. To help you make your choice, we've highlighted our top picks for the three most popular platforms: Amazon's Alexa, Google Home, and Apple HomeKit.
The best smart plugs

Best for Amazon's Alexa:
Best for Google Home:
Best for Apple HomeKit:
Best for outdoor:
Best for energy monitoring:
Best for lamps:

Read more
The 12 best smart home products that support Matter
Amazon Fire TV on Echo Show 15.

Matter is arguably the biggest thing to happen to smart homes since their inception. The interoperability feature lets devices from different ecosystems interact with each other, giving you the freedom to shop for your favorite products regardless of manufacturer. Unfortunately, not all devices have rolled out support for Matter – and not all of them will.

Some notable products support Matter as of today, although dozens more are expected to add the functionality in the coming months. For now, here are the 12 best smart home products that support Matter. For a full list, head over to the official Matter website.

Read more
The best smart home devices for 2023
The X2 Omni dock up against a wall.

With hundreds of incredible products available, it can be intimidating to piece together a smart home. From smart displays and thermostats to smart light bulbs and video doorbells, not only are there tons of categories to browse, but each category is filled with highly reviewed products that can be difficult to distinguish from one another. If you’re in the market for a new smart home gadget or are just starting your smart home journey, there are tons of factors to consider.

If you need help navigating all the products, here’s a look at the best smart home devices of 2023 across a wide variety of categories. It’s hard to go wrong with products from big names like Ring, Arlo, Amazon, and Google, but if you need a bit more guidance, here are some of our top picks.
Voice assistant

Read more