Top Privacy Settings to Change Right Now

Published on April 12, 2025

by Max Roven

Your smart devices are powerful—but they also collect a lot of data. While they can simplify everyday tasks, they may also be tracking your voice, habits, or usage patterns behind the scenes. The good news? You can take control by adjusting key privacy settings today, often in just a few taps.

Why Smart Home Privacy Settings Matter

Smart home tech is designed to respond to your behavior—but that also means it observes it. By default, many devices store voice recordings, location data, or usage history to “improve service.” But if you don’t adjust these settings, your personal information may be stored longer than you expect.

Reviewing privacy settings isn’t just good digital hygiene—it’s essential to creating a home that’s secure, respectful of your data, and truly under your control.

Privacy Settings You Should Change Today

Here are 10 of the most important settings to review and adjust right now for a safer, smarter home.

1. Disable Voice Recording Storage

Most voice assistants like Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri save recordings by default. You can turn this off.

Why it’s worth doing:

Reduces the amount of audio stored on company servers
Prevents accidental captures of private conversations
Available in Alexa, Google, and Apple settings
Can be turned off by default going forward
Often buried in ‘Privacy’ or ‘Data’ settings menus

2. Review Device Activity History

Many smart home ecosystems keep a log of what devices were activated, when, and how.

Reasons to check this regularly:

See when lights, locks, or plugs were used
Detect patterns that don’t make sense
Spot unusual behavior or access
Clean up unneeded history for privacy
Log access is often under ‘Activity’ or ‘History’

3. Turn Off Personalized Ads

Smart platforms use your behavior to tailor ads. You can limit or disable this in most settings menus.

How this setting protects your privacy:

Stops your behavior from training ad systems
Reduces targeting across platforms and devices
Less personalized = less invasive
Findable in ‘Ads’ or ‘Personalization’ settings
May reduce creepy ad coincidences

4. Limit App Permissions

Many smart home apps ask for more access than they need—like location or microphone use at all times.

Adjust these to keep control of your data:

Remove location access if not needed
Restrict microphone access to in-use only
Avoid apps tracking when running in the background
Revoke permissions you don’t recognize
Often buried under phone OS-level settings

5. Delete Old Voice Commands

You can erase your voice history from smart assistants with a simple voice request or app command.

Why this is a smart habit:

Use voice commands like ‘delete everything I said today’
You can auto-delete after 3 or 18 months
Reduces data risk if accounts are compromised
Manageable from Alexa/Google privacy settings
Builds a healthy digital hygiene habit

6. Disable Camera Access When Not Needed

If you use smart displays or indoor cameras, you can set them to turn off or stop recording when you’re home.

How this helps you stay private:

Stops unintentional video capture
Avoids recording family moments at home
Some devices offer schedules or home/away modes
Light indicators show when camera is off
Useful when hosting guests or kids’ playdates

7. Use Guest Mode on Smart Displays

Many smart screens have a guest or incognito mode that hides calendar events, search history, and more.

Why guest mode is useful:

Protects personal content on shared devices
Limits access to photos, calendars, and notes
Great for visitors or roommates
Can be toggled easily from settings menu
Also available on some smart TVs

8. Set Up Two-Factor Authentication

Enable 2FA for your smart home apps and accounts to prevent unauthorized access.

Security advantages of this setting:

Adds an extra layer of login protection
Prevents remote access from bad actors
Available through app or account settings
Works via SMS, app, or email codes
Takes only minutes to set up

9. Review What’s Shared With Third Parties

Some platforms let you opt out of data sharing with partners or third-party services.

Why this setting matters:

Stops your data from being sold or shared
Improves transparency and trust
Settings often under ‘Data & Privacy’
Disabling doesn’t affect device performance
Shows how your data is used

10. Turn Off Always-Listening Features

Some devices are always waiting for a wake word. You can turn this feature off when privacy matters most.

Situations where this is helpful:

Improves privacy during sensitive times
Can mute listening features when not needed
Some devices offer a physical mute switch
Helpful in home offices or bedrooms
Easily toggled in device settings or apps

Why This Matters

Your smart home should work for you—not track you unnecessarily. Adjusting these settings gives you greater control over your data and reduces your risk of leaks, misuse, or discomfort.

With just a few minutes of your time, you can ensure your devices are set up to protect your space and your privacy without sacrificing convenience.

Tips for Beginners

If this is your first time diving into privacy settings, don’t feel overwhelmed—just start with one device at a time.

Here are beginner-friendly ways to take action today:

Start with the device you use most often
Use official privacy guides from the manufacturer
Schedule a quarterly privacy checkup
Turn off features you don’t understand
Use guest access when sharing devices with others

Further Advice for a More Private Home

Smart privacy isn’t about paranoia—it’s about proactive choices. Keep your digital life clean and your home secure with a few ongoing habits.

Try these extra steps for long-term peace of mind:

Regularly review your device activity logs
Update device firmware to patch vulnerabilities
Use home network encryption and strong passwords
Create separate Wi-Fi networks for smart devices

Takeaway

Smart home devices bring incredible convenience—but they don’t need to compromise your privacy. With these quick changes, you’ll protect your data, limit tracking, and enjoy a more mindful, secure home environment that puts you in control.