Alexa Can Now Alert You if Glass Breaks or Your Smoke Alarm Goes Off

If you ’ve catch anAmazon Echo , it can now double as a secondary alarum system for flak and break - Hoosier State . Today , Amazon is introducing a unexampled feature in the U.S. calledAlexa Guard , which will notify you with audio and video clips whenever it detects your smoke alarm or the sound of broken glass .

To start the feature , you have to go to the setting menu in the Alexa app and select Guard . After that ’s done , you ’ll still have to say “ Alexa , I ’m leaving , ” every time you leave the house , in parliamentary procedure to trigger the gadget ’s Away modality . Once enabled , your Echo machine will listen for smoke alarms , carbon monoxide alarum , and breaking glass . If those racket are detected , it ’ll commit an alarm to your smartphone and you’re able to take to either listen to a 10 - second base audio clip , or if your Echo has a camera , peek in on what ’s happening . If you have Ring or ADT Pulse security system , you’re able to also hook up your Echo to these avail to forward any impertinent alerts .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0i_YAgHqVTI

Photo: AP Images

It ’s authoritative to note that this is not a surety system . Even if Alexa detects a fire or robber in your household , Amazon’sFAQexplicitly submit it is “ not a successor for an alarm clock organisation or liveliness refuge equipment and can not contact emergency services , such as the police or fire department , on your behalf . ” And get word as all Echo devices do n’t have barrage and rely on the cloud , the feature film wo n’t work if your internet is down or the power goes out .

From a concealment standpoint , Amazon says it only listen for alarms or glass breaking when in Away mode . It also says it does n’t put in any recording in the swarm unless a sound is detected . As for recording that are recorded , you could choose to edit Alexa Guard audio frequency via the Privacy preferences in the Alexa app oronline . However , the FAQ for Alexa Guard also warns “ deleting Alexa Guard audio recording may cheapen your Alexa experience . ” Suuuure . As always , if the idea ofAlexa recording everything you ’ve ever askedcreeps you out , perhaps should n’t get an always - hear smart speaker . Or if you already have one , maybe it ’s time tochuck it in the bin .

Overall , this feature seems well - intentioned , though I can think of at least a few example where you might stop up on the receiving destruction of fictitious warning equipment . Like , if your asshole cat decide it wants to destroy that glass cupful you block to put out or that heirloom vase from your grandma . Or , if you forget to tell Alexa you ’re home , start searing meat in your tiny one - elbow room apartment , and the smoke alert goes off . I shudder at the thought of trying to disarm a din sens alarm and the Alexa Guard qui vive at the same time .

Argentina’s President Javier Milei (left) and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., holding a chainsaw in a photo posted to Kennedy’s X account on May 27. 2025.