How to use Alexa with your home security camera

You can use Alexa commands to adjust your thermostat, lights and tons of other connected devices
but you include home security cameras. This will apply primarily to those of you who have a Echo show or one Echo Spot intelligent display, because of the visual component inherent in the interaction with a video camera.

There are too many Alexa compatible security cameras to be listed, but here are some of the models I've tested that work with Amazon's voice assistant:

Alexa works with each camera, but there is also a lot of overlap. Using the Ring Stick Up ring with wire as a guide (Note: Amazon bought Ring in 2018), we will follow the steps to connect it to Alexa – and define the commands that you can use with.

1. Download the Alexa app

We assume that you have already installed and configured your Alexa-compatible home security camera – and that you have one. Smart speaker activated by Alexa. Do you have questions about setting up a Stick Up Camera? Check out this Ring Support page.

Now you need to login to your Alexa app, or create an account if you do not already have one. Simply download the Alexa app and follow the instructions to login / create a new account.

2. Activate Alexa Skill

Open the Alexa app and select "Skills and Games" from the menu. Type "Ring" in the search box (or the name of your camera), open the skill and select "Enable".

You will be prompted to enter your Ring Account ID information to associate your Ring Account with the Alexa App. You are almost ready to use Alexa controls with your Ring Camera, but you must first …

3. Discover new Alexa devices

Once you have activated the Ringtone skill, select "Discover devices" on the screen of the application that is playing or have your smart speaker search for the new device (s). saying "Alexa, discover the devices".

Note: All of the above steps are the same, regardless of the Alexa compatible camera you purchase. The only exception is Amazon Cloud Cam, which is automatically linked to Amazon's Alexa skill so that you can install the camera and start using Alexa commands immediately.

4. Alexa commands for security cameras

Now that you have activated the Ringtone skill and asked Alexa to discover new devices, you are ready to control your Ring Stick Up camera via Wired via Alexa.

Note: Be sure to use a unique name for each device. Because Alexa has multiple devices with the same or similar names, it's hard to differentiate and voice commands may not work.

Here's what you can ask Alexa to do with a Ring Stick Up camera:

• "Alexa, answer the front door (your camera might have a different name)." – Use this command to see and talk with a visitor from an Echo Show or Spot speaker.
• "Alexa, talk to the backyard." – Use this command to see and talk with a visitor from a smart Echo Show or Echo Spot display.
• "Alexa, show the door of entry." – Use this command to see the live stream of your camera on a smart Echo Show or Echo Spot display.
• "Alexa, hide the door of entry." – Use this command to delete the live stream from the Echo Show or Echo Spot Smart View.
• "Alexa, come home." – Use this command to delete the live stream from the Echo Show or Echo Spot Smart View.
• "Alexa, stop." – Use this command to delete the live stream from the Echo Show or Echo Spot Smart View.

Again, the specific controls and features available vary slightly from one camera to another, but that's about what you can expect to be able to do via Alexa when you connect a compatible security camera.

With Amazon Cloud Cam, for example, you can ask Alexa to turn on your camera. You would not need either an Alexa speaker equipped with a screen to do it. You can use anything from one Echo point at an echo show.

Some cameras also allow you to view clips recorded on a Smart Display compatible with Alexa. Cloud Cam customers can say, "Alexa, show me the most recent person at the front door." Users of Arlo security cameras can say, "Alexa, show the last movement detected by my door camera" to display the latest activity.

The use of Alexa with a home security camera is convenient. You can use a smart screen in the center of your house to quickly and easily see who is at the door right now – or to view previous images. Just make sure that you have compatible devices and that you will use Alexa to register on your camera (or your cameras) in no time.