Amazon is phasing out a lesser-known privacy option that allowed select Echo device users to stop their voice commands from being sent to the company’s cloud servers.
Starting March 28, the “Do Not Send Voice Recordings” setting will be discontinued. This feature previously allowed certain Echo devices to process commands locally, bypassing Amazon’s cloud entirely.
In an email to affected customers, Amazon explained that it’s retiring the setting to support the rollout of Alexa’s generative AI capabilities, which depend on cloud processing. The tech giant noted that evolving Alexa into a smarter, AI-powered assistant requires deeper cloud integration.
Why the Change? Generative AI Demands Cloud Power
Amazon clarified that the privacy tool had extremely limited usage. In fact, fewer than 0.03% of Echo users enabled it. Even more limiting, the feature only worked on three devices — the Echo Dot (4th Gen), Echo Show 10, and Echo Show 15 — and only for users in the U.S. with English as their device language.
While some privacy-conscious users may find the change concerning, Amazon insists it’s committed to data protection. The company says it is prioritizing the privacy features people actually use — and ones that align better with AI-driven experiences.
What Happens Now? Recordings Won’t Be Stored by Default
To ease the transition, Amazon said anyone currently using the feature will automatically be shifted to the “Don’t save recordings” option. This means Alexa will still process commands in the cloud but won’t retain the audio recordings.
“We’ve designed Alexa with customer privacy in mind, and that commitment hasn’t changed,” Amazon said in a statement. “We’re focusing on tools that people trust and that support AI features reliant on our secure cloud.”
Can You Still Control What Alexa Saves?
Yes. While local-only processing is going away, Amazon users can still manage how Alexa handles their voice data. Through the Alexa app, users can review, delete, or stop Alexa from saving voice recordings altogether.
However, with Alexa becoming more AI-driven, it’s clear Amazon’s focus is shifting toward features that leverage cloud computing for smarter responses and richer interactions — even if that means fewer local privacy controls.
