We love our smart speakers. They play our favorite playlists, tell us the weather, and settle dinner table debates with a quick fact-check. But have you ever looked over at your Echo device and noticed that tell-tale blue ring spinning silently, even though nobody said the “A-word”?
It’s a little spooky, right?
Your Alexa device is designed to be helpful, but it isn’t perfect. It is constantly listening for its “wake word” (usually “Alexa,” “Echo,” or “Computer”). The problem is that human speech is messy. If you accidentally say a word that sounds similar to the wake word—like “election,” “a letter,” or “unacceptable”—your device might wake up and start recording.
When this happens, the consequences can range from mildly annoying to genuinely invasive.
The Risk of the “Ghost” Activation
When your device wakes up accidentally, it doesn’t just sit there; it acts.
- Unwanted Recordings: The device starts recording your private conversation, thinking it’s a command, and sends that audio to the cloud.
- Accidental Messages: It might misinterpret your conversation as a request to send a text message or call a contact.
- Mystery Shopping: In rare but documented cases, devices have interpreted background noise or TV dialogue as a request to purchase items, leaving you with a surprise charge on your credit card.
The Problem with Low Volume
Usually, Alexa is polite enough to respond when spoken to. It might ask for clarification (“I didn’t quite get that”) or make a chime sound. However, if you keep your device volume turned down low, you lose your primary security alert.
If you are in another room, watching a loud movie, or deep in conversation with friends, you might not hear the quiet mumble of a low-volume Alexa responding to a false wake word. The device is active, listening, and potentially acting, and you are completely oblivious.
Your Active Solution: Crank Up the Volume!
The fix is surprisingly analog: Turn up the volume on your Alexa device.
Think of the volume not just as a way to hear music, but as an auditory security notification system. You want that volume set high enough that if the device activates across the room—or even in the next room—you will hear it respond.
If you hear Alexa start talking out of nowhere, you can immediately shout, “Alexa, stop!” preventing it from recording further, sending a message, or buying that accidental item.
Pro-Tip: Enable “Request Sounds”
For even more security, go into your Alexa app settings and enable “Start of Request” sounds.
- Open the Alexa App.
- Go to Settings -> Device Settings.
- Select your device and look for Sounds.
- Toggle on Start of Request.
This forces the device to make a distinct “bing” sound the moment it hears the wake word, giving you an instant heads-up that it is listening, even before it speaks a response.
Don’t let your smart home keep secrets from you. Turn up the volume and keep your ears open!
