How To Set Up Arlo With Alexa

You can watch a live feed from your smart security camera on your Amazon Alexa speaker just by asking. Yep, you can essentially use your Echo Show as a security camera monitor.

If you have an Amazon Echo Show (of any size), Echo Spot, or even an Amazon Fire TV Stick, you can check in on cameras and doorbells such as the Google Nest Cam, Ring Video Doorbell 4 or the Arlo Ultra 2.

It's a simple thing to set up and it means that you can create a security monitor without ever firing up your smartphone or tablet. All you need is one of the three Amazon devices noted in the intro and a compatible smart security camera.

Obviously, with Google owning Nest, you can also use Chromecast to stream Nest security camera footage too.

Security cameras that work with Alexa

The Alexa-compatible security cameras that will display their feeds on an Echo Show, Spot or Fire TV include those from the following brands:

Nest
Netgear
Arlo
Abode
Ring
Logitech
Blink
Ecobee
TP-Link
Honeywell
Kami
Eufy
Wyze
Vivint
Reolink
Zmodo
Canary
Ezviz
Amcrest

Beware of skills for other security camera brands you might see listed in the Alexa app – sometimes the voice controls may be limited to turning them on and off, checking the status and so on.

It's also worth noting that many smart security cameras will display their footage on non-Alexa smart speakers with displays as well.

Connect your security camera in the Alexa app

Go to the menu and tap Skills.
Find the relevant skill (some cameras have specific apps for the cameras, outside of their main smart home apps).
Enable the skill and link the account with Alexa.
Add the camera as a device, using the 'Add Device' button in the smart home section or by asking, "Alexa, discover my devices."

nest feed on echo show 5

Show your security camera using Alexa

The command to see the stream is, "Alexa, show [camera name]". The camera name is the one you have listed in the Alexa app. By default, it will use the name from the camera's parent app, but you can change it. To view the name for your camera in the Alexa app, go to the menu and select Smart Home > Devices.
If you've linked an Echo speaker to a Fire TV device, you can say the command to that in order to see the feed on your TV (or speak through the remote control).
To stop watching, simply say: "Alexa, hide [camera name]," "Alexa, stop," "Alexa, go home," "Alexa, show the home screen," or "Alexa, show the clock," (on a Show or Spot).
You can also press the back button on a Fire TV remote or the Echo screen to exit.
The feed stays on for a time determined by the camera maker – it's 30 minutes on Nest, for example. You have to ask Alexa to show it again once the time is up.

More Alexa guides...