How To Turn Off Sidewalk on Alexa (and Why You Should)

In 2021, Amazon introduced a new feature called Amazon Sidewalk. This was intended as a way to create a blanket wireless network that extends far beyond the confines of your own router. And when Amazon launched Sidewalk, it automatically opted most devices into the program, raising privacy and security concerns.

Amazon can grab your home Wi-Fi and mesh it with other Sidewalk users’ Wi-Fi by using certain Sidewalk-enabled devices like Echo smart speakers and Ring cameras as bridges. This allows devices to work even while away from your home network.

Sidewalk sounds both creative and scary, and there are pros and cons to leaving the service turned on. If you aren’t keen on the service, we’ve laid out ways to disable Sidewalk. If you do want to use Sidewalk, keep reading for tips to secure your network.

How to opt out of Amazon Sidewalk

Amazon uses several of its proprietary devices, like Amazon Echo and Ring, to act as Sidewalk bridges. Each device makes it possible to take Wi-Fi from and share it with other Sidewalk-enabled bridge devices. Devices that use the boosted Sidewalk signal but do not transmit a signal themselves are Tile trackers, Level smart locks, and CareBands.

But if Amazon Sidewalk doesn’t sound like your cup of tea, it’s easy to toggle it off. The entire process takes less than 30 seconds, and Amazon won’t bother you about turning it back on. You can disable Sidewalk in the Alexa app or manage individual devices through your Amazon account. Here’s how to turn off Sidewalk on each of these platforms.

In your Amazon account

1. Log into Amazon, then go to your account page.
2. Once there, go to Account > Digital Services and Device Support > Manage Content and Devices.
3. From there, navigate to Apps to manage each individual device associated with your account. Click on each device and disable Sidewalk. You can also deactivate any Amazon Alexa-enabled device, like an Echo or Echo Show, that you may no longer want to use.

 

In the Alexa app

1. To disable Sidewalk within the Alexa app, open the app on your device.
2. Go to More > Settings > Account Settings > Sidewalk and then choose Disable. This disables Sidewalk, including any Echo and Tile devices, across your entire account.

In the Ring app

If you want to toggle Sidewalk off in just the Ring app but not the rest of your Amazon devices, you can do that through the Ring app itself.

1. Open the Ring app and click on the three lines in the upper left corner.
2. Go to Control Center > Amazon Sidewalk. From there, you can disable Sidewalk. Make sure you accept the settings before exiting to ensure Sidewalk is off.

Why should you turn off Amazon Sidewalk?

The idea behind Amazon Sidewalk is a good one. Amazon wants to create an interconnected mesh network where devices are functional whether you’re inside near a router or out on the, well, sidewalk. This means your elderly neighbor wearing a CareBand can be tracked far from their home. It also allows for your internet to continue working by borrowing from other Sidewalk users if the connection drops suddenly. Amazon also has a partnership with Tile to track devices further using Sidewalk’s technology.

However, with a continued rise in cybersecurity threats, you may not want to be part of this experiment. Even without the cybersecurity concerns, you may not want to share your internet bandwidth with others, especially if you’re on a metered connection. Whatever your reasons, you may want to turn off Amazon Sidewalk unless you’re completely comfortable with all aspects of it, including securing your smart home devices.

Common concerns associated with using Amazon Sidewalk include but aren’t limited to:

Up to 500 MB of data use monthly

While Amazon claims the maximum amount of bandwidth exchanged between the bridge and the server is around 80 Kbps, it can claim as much as 500 MB of data each month. If your internet is unlimited, this may not be a problem, but if you have a metered connection you could be donating a hefty amount to Amazon’s program.

Opening your Wi-Fi connection to potential hackers

Personal Wi-Fi tends to be safer than public Wi-Fi because you’re in control of your security with unique passwords and the ability to hide your network. It’s even easy to tell if someone is using your Wi-Fi at home.

Amazon claims hackers can’t get through its security measures, but things we can be certain of are death, taxes, and the ability to hack anything connected to the internet. Opening these channels to more connections can leave your Wi-Fi vulnerable.

Giving stalkers a wider range

Tile paired with Amazon Sidewalk in an effort to give Apple AirTags some competition. But these little tracking devices aren’t always used to find lost luggage or locate your car keys. Tile trackers can easily be slipped into a purse or backpack, allowing stalkers a wider area to track potential victims.

Creating a blanket surveillance network

Amazon devices like Ring can help keep your property safe and record activity that you normally wouldn’t see, but Amazon has a history of shady data practices[1].

From handing over data to police without consent from the device owner to poor internal data hygiene practices, Amazon likes to lurk but isn’t too keen on discretion when it comes to your personal information.

How to secure Amazon Sidewalk

If you like the idea of Amazon’s interconnected mesh Wi-Fi experiment and you’d like to use the service and offer your own bandwidth up as well, you can take steps to make sure your home network is secure.

There are benefits to using Sidewalk, including CareBands, which help track older people living with dementia and Alzheimer’s if they wander. Maybe you want to make sure your security devices always stay connected even if your internet connection is faulty. Whatever your reason, if you want to continue using Sidewalk, here are some steps for securing your Wi-Fi network.

Change your router’s default name and password

Each router brand has a different method for changing the default name and password. Make sure you also choose a strong and secure password that’s difficult to guess.

Encrypt your traffic through your router

You can usually set your Wi-Fi encryption level within your router’s app or on its website. If you see WPA2, that’s what you need. WPA/WPA2 also works, but WPA2 is the most recent and, therefore, most effective form of encryption.

Use a VPN

Make sure to route your home network traffic through a virtual private network (VPN). Some VPNs may not offer apps specifically for your Amazon devices, but there’s still a way to protect them with a VPN. To protect all of your Amazon devices, look for a VPN provider like NordVPN, which allows installation on your router. 

Turn off name broadcasting

Name broadcasting allows your network to be discoverable by those around you. It’s a good idea to remove your Wi-Fi name from local lists of discoverable networks. Again, because routers are so vast and specific, we recommend searching for how to do this on your individual device.

Use a firewall

If your router has a built-in firewall, make sure it’s enabled. If you don’t have a built-in firewall, consider purchasing a router with security features like NETGEAR or TP-Link.

Keep your router’s software up-to-date

Routers have security flaws just like other devices. Keeping your software updated will make sure you have the latest and most secure version protecting your data.

Use cybersecurity software

Having one of the best kinds of cybersecurity software installed on your computers — and even your router — can make sure your network catches any potential threats before they attack your devices.

FAQs

Bottom line

Whether you’re interested in the applications of Amazon Sidewalk or thoroughly creeped out by it, there’s always the option to disable the feature.

Amazon does make it easy to disable and customize your Sidewalk participation depending on your preferences. It also, thankfully, doesn’t bother you by continuing to request you use Sidewalk. In the years we’ve had Amazon devices, we’ve never been prompted to enable the Sidewalk feature after turning it off the day it launched.

Whatever your reason for wanting to opt out of Amazon Sidewalk, it’s completely valid. In addition to disabling the feature, consider updating your other security settings. We’re interconnected enough without the unsettling idea that a stranger may be in your private internet connection. It’s your internet, you get to decide who uses it. And for an additional layer of privacy, encrypt your web activities with a secure VPN.