If you have an Alexa device such as the Echo smart speaker in your home, anyone in your home can use it. However, associating it with only one account has some disadvantages. It basically means that everyone pretty much shares the same account.
You can do Create what Amazon calls “home”. This means there can be two adult accounts on the device. On the Echo, this means it can view photos from both accounts and allow notifications (for example, to-do lists). Creating a household also allows one member of the household to make purchases using the other’s account; this can be useful if someone has a Prime account. (You can add a code if you prefer not to let the other household member make purchases.) And apart from an Alexa device, owning a household lets you share digital content like ebooks and games.
There are a few limitations.
First, just add another adult (or teen) to a household account. You can add up to four teens aged 13-17 (they can shop on their own with their parents confirming purchases). You can also add four children aged 12 and under. Amazon Kids Plus plan at $4.99 per month for a single child (or $2.99 per month for Prime members) and $9.99 per month for up to four children (or $6.99 per month for Prime members). Also, don’t confuse this with Amazon Household, a public Amazon account-linked service that allows profiles of two adults, up to four teens, and up to four kids to share an account.
Here’s how to add someone to your home:
- go to Amazon Household page on the Amazon website. (You can no longer add a household member using the Amazon app.)
- Select “Add Adult” (or “Add Teen” or “Add Child”)
- Add the name and email address of the adult you want to share the account with. They will be invited to join your Amazon House. (A teen also receives an invitation; you must create a child’s profile yourself.)
Once this is done, simply say “Alexa, switch accounts” to switch from one account to another. (If you’ve ever lost track of whose account you’re using, you can say “Alexa, identify account”.)
Remove a second account
What if you don’t want the other adult on your account anymore? (Separations happen.) You can easily remove them from your home:
- Go to the same “Manage Your Home” page on the Amazon site. On the left, you will see icons representing you and the other member of your household.
- You can choose “Leave” to leave the household yourself or “Remove” to remove someone from your home. Note that no adult who leaves or is removed from a household can join another household for 180 days (i.e. six months).
This 180-day restriction can be a problem, for example, if you’re just trying to transfer a household member to a different account or if you accidentally removed one. Either way, it’s a good idea to get in touch. Amazon customer support via chat or phone. According to a customer service representative I spoke with, Amazon can remove a household member if desired without enforcing the 180-day ban. And if you’ve already removed one, it can reset the account so you can add another before the six-month period is up.
Update March 18, 2021 at 2:15 PM ET: This article was originally published on November 19, 2019 and has been updated to include changes to Amazon’s Home plan.
