I'm a fan of Echo speakers and smart displays. I use them regularly in my own home to manage tasks as well as entertainment. But that doesn't mean I like all their settings, especially certain Alexa voice assistant features that are enabled by default when you first turn your Echo on. That's even more important to keep in mind now that the more advanced Alexa Plus AI is rolling out with new capabilities.Â
To avoid common irritations as well as privacy concerns, I recommend heading into the Alexa app and making some changes once you're set up. Take a look at these features and how to turn them off for a smoother, less intrusive experience.Â
Turn off Hunches and Things to Try from AlexaÂ
Hunches and other outspoken Alexa features can be quickly disabled.
Amazon's Alexa doesn't talk much, but certain settings make it speak up after conversations are done or without the wake word. The first is “Hunches,” or suggestions on how to use connected devices. Sometimes these suggestions are helpful — for instance, offering to lock your door at night or suggesting a new way to use timers, but they can also be annoying and disruptive. Fortunately, you can shut them down.Â
You can access the features I discuss here by going to the More menu and using these settings.
In the Alexa app, visit the hamburger-line More/Menu icon at the bottom to open the larger menu. The head to Settings > Hunches > the Hunches Settings gear icon in the upper right > Notifications. Here you'll find options to disable Hunches entirely.
Alexa also pipes up about other opportunities, notably, Things to Try. That's also annoying, but it's equally easy to deal with. Head back to Settings > Things to Try and disable the function here.Â
You can try to disable these settings by giving voice commands, such as, “Alexa, disable Hunches.”But I've found this method to be hit or miss, even if Alexa agrees to do it, so if you keep hearing suggestions, try the…