Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Smart Home
  3. News

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

With a simple command, Alexa can arm all your security devices

By

“Alexa, arm!” Starting Thursday, December 13, with those two words Amazon’s Alexa voice assistant can activate your security system and recruit additional Alexa-supported devices in your home.

The Alexa development team announced a new Security Panel Controller API in the Alexa Skills Kit. U.S. Alexa customers who also have a supported security system from ADT, Ring, Abode, and Scout Alarm can start using Alexa’s new security capability immediately.

Recommended Videos

When you enable arming and disarming Alexa-supported home security by voice, you can use the following syntax:

  • “Alexa, is <device name> armed?”
  • “Alexa, arm <device name> in <mode>.”
  • “Alexa, arm.” — If you don’t specify a mode, the configured alarm system switches into “stay” mode, also called “home” mode.
  • “Alexa, disarm <device name>.”
  • “Alexa, disarm.”

Given the current state of biometric identification security, disarming a home security system with voice without extra protection isn’t safe. The Alexa settings page requires a 4-digit PIN code customers must use when they tell Alexa to disarm the system. Customers with systems that already use 4-digit PINs can use either the established PIN or create a new 4-digit code to use only when disarming the system with an Alexa voice command. Customers who current systems don’t require or support 4-digit PINs still have to create a 4-digit code to use with Alexa disarm commands.

The new Alexa Guard feature, which will be gradually rolling out across the U.S., adds three additional capabilities to Alexa’s bag of security tricks: Smart Alerts with and without security system integration and Away Lighting.

With Smart Alerts, when you set the Guard feature to Away mode, compatible Echo device will listen for specific sounds, including glass breaking, smoke alarms, and carbon monoxide alarms. If an Echo device detects one or more of the configured sounds, Alexa can send an alert notification to your smartphone. If you integrate Alexa Guard with Ring or ADT systems, you can have the alerts sent to the security system monitoring service.

Away Lighting can turn Alexa-connected home lights on and off when you’re away to give the appearance that you’re home.

You can also set up discovery queries with the new security system and Alexa Guard feature.

“Alexa, is my living room window open?” According to Abode Systems, Alexa customers with Adobe security systems will be able to query contact sensors by name. If you have contact sensors on every window and door in your home, you could check each one as long as you keep the names straight.

With Alexa Routines, Abode customers can configure Alexa to react to contact sensors and motion sensors with customized messages. For example, you could configure custom Alexa announcements when door or windows open or close and when motion sensors detect motion or the lack of motion in any area in the house.

Updated December 14, 2018: Alexa Guard is a feature, not a skill.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Bruce Brown
Bruce Brown
Contributing Editor
Digital Trends Contributing Editor Bruce Brown is a member of the Smart Homes and Commerce teams. Bruce uses smart devices…
How to use all Amazon Alexa alarm clock features
Woman in bed looking toward Echo Dot.

Amazon Alexa is a powerful voice assistant. Along with dishing out commands to your smart home devices or updating you on the latest news, Alexa can function as a pretty robust alarm clock. From setting reminders for later in the day to waking you up with music, there's a lot of functionality packed into the assistant.

Before you can start using all these Alexa alarm clock features, you'll need to know how to activate them. And unless you know exactly how to trigger the actions, it can be tricky to figure out how it all works. Here's a comprehensive look at how to use all Amazon Alexa alarm clock features, including setting a one-time alarm, setting alarms on connected devices, and triggering a recurring alarm that activates with music.
A comprehensive list of all Alexa alarm clock voice commands
We'll examine the best commands in detail later on, but here's a look at every Alexa voice command that triggers an alarm (remember to say "Hey, Alexa" before giving each line):

Read more
Home Depot’s Hubspace is a great way to start building your smart home
The Hubspace app shown in front of a living room.

Building a smart home can be intimidating. Not only do you have to figure out which products are best for your needs, but you also need to set them up using an accompanying mobile app and sync them with the rest of your gadgets. It's all a bit confusing for smart home newcomers -- but Home Depot has largely streamlined the process with its Hubspace platform.

Billed as a "smart home platform that makes smart home products easy to set up and control," it sounds like a great fit for smart home newbies. And after going hands-on with a few products in its growing lineup, I can say it definitely hits all the right notes.
Streamlined and simple

Read more
Blink Mini 2 vs. Nest Cam (Indoor): Which is the better affordable security camera?
The Google Nest Cam Indoor on a table.

The Blink Mini 2 and Google Nest Cam (Indoor) are two of the best budget security cameras on the market. They both cost less than $100, are easy to set up, and are packed with features despite their low price. You can't go wrong adding either to your home, but there are some key differences to understand if you're looking to get the best security camera for your property.

From pricing and ongoing fees to resolution and more, here's a comprehensive look at the Blink Mini 2 and Nest Cam (Indoor) to help you decide which is the better security camera for your smart home.
Pricing and monthly fees

Read more