The idea of having cameras in my home has always creeped me out. So what if there was a way to promise peace of mind without the need for the best home security cameras?

A few years ago, Amazon introduced the Alexa Guard. This Alexa Guard is one of the best Alexa skills I have come to rely on in my current lifestyle. As someone who is on the go a lot and has 1-6 Echo speakers, the ability to turn a device without a camera into a danger detector is revolutionary for me.

Alexa Guard turns most of the best Alexa speakers into security devices, listening for signs of trouble like broken glass or a smoke detector going off. When you hear a suspicious sound, the Alexa app notifies you so you can take whatever action you deem appropriate. If you have a smart display like the Amazon Echo Show 8 (2nd generation) or Amazon Echo Show 10 (3rd generation), you can also drop in on the speaker and check the scene.

To be clear, I've been using this feature for the past year or so and have never needed the Alexa Guard service. Nor have I paid for Alexa Guard Plus, a subscription tier that contacts authorities when certain sounds are heard. Alexa Guard Plus can also play fake dog noises and house activity sounds to make it seem like you are in the house. At $50 per year, it's the cheapest professional monitoring service around.

But with the Amazon Echo Dot with Clock and Amazon Echo (4th generation) on standby for the sounds I care about, leaving the house has become much easier: paddleboarding with my Apple Watch, meeting friends I haven't seen in a while, etc, This is especially appropriate now that I'm getting out and about more often thanks to summer activities. [Alexa Guard is not a replacement for a complete home security system. However, if you have third-party systems in place, such as Ring or ADT, Alexa can forward alerts to those systems. In addition, it can automatically arm/disarm systems by toggling Guard Mode on and off. This is possible with the free version of the skill.

The Alexa Usage Guide details how to set up and enable Alexa Guard. Brief instructions:

Open the Alexa app on your smartphone and click on the Devices tab on the bottom toolbar. Below the device icon you will see a button called Guard. Click on it to view a tutorial and review the settings.

Often these days, when you purchase a new Amazon speaker, the option to enable Alexa Guard is included in the setup process. Keep an eye out for it the next time you purchase an Amazon Echo Dot (4th generation).