How to Watch Live or Recorded Video on an Amazon Echo Show

Watch live streaming or recorded video from a compatible camera system

By
Tricia Goss
Tricia Goss
Tricia Goss
Writer
  • Pima College
Tricia Goss has been a writer and editor for 10+ years. She's written tips and tutorials for Microsoft Office applications and other sites.
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Updated on October 26, 2021
Amazon

What to Know

  • Connect a compatible smart home camera to Amazon's Alexa, and then say, "Alexa, show [camera name]" to view its live feed.
  • Example: If you have a Ring doorbell connected, say, "Alexa, show me the front door." Alexa says, "OK, getting the front door camera."
  • If you enabled a camera-recap skill, view recorded video by saying, "Alexa, show the latest event from the [camera name] camera."

This article explains how to view a compatible security system's live or recorded video on your Amazon Echo Show. This includes video from baby monitors and home security devices.

Amazon Echo Show on a countertop
Smith Collection/Gado / Getty Images

Echo Show Video Commands for Live Feeds

Once you connect a compatible smart home camera to Amazon's Alexa, use simple commands to watch your security camera's live feed on your Echo Show.

View Live Feed

To view the live feed, say the wake word, followed by "Show [camera name]."

The wake word is usually "Alexa," unless you changed the wake word to "Amazon," "Computer," "Ziggy," or "Echo."

For example, if you have a Ring doorbell connected to Alexa, you say, "Alexa, show me the front door." Alexa responds, "OK, getting the front door camera." The camera feed appears on your Echo Show, so you can view and hear what's happening.

Stop watching the feed by saying, "Alexa, hide [camera name]," or "Alexa, stop the [camera name] camera."

Recent Recorded Events

If you enabled a camera-recap skill on your compatible smart home camera, use your Echo Show to view the most recent recorded event on your camera.

Currently, there are camera-recap skills only for Ring, Arlo, Cloud Cam, and August branded cameras, and only for developers in the U.S., although Amazon is working to provide broader support.

To view the recorded recap, say, "Alexa, show the latest event from the [camera name] camera." For example, if you have a Cloud Cam at your back door and you heard a noise from that area, say, "Alexa, show the latest event from the back door." The most recent recording appears on your Echo Show.

Currently, Alexa can't show you the camera feed from a specific date or time.

Echo Show Camera Feed Limitations

Your camera model and its settings determine the length and time your Echo Show displays video. When you exceed your camera's streaming limits, the feed automatically times out. Reopen it by asking Alexa to show you the camera again.

Find out more about the Alexa skills available for your particular smart home camera by searching for Alexa Skills on Amazon or on the Alexa app. Search for the brand name of your camera to find out what skills are currently available. 

Which Smart Home Camera Brands Can You Use?

To view live feeds of your security camera footage, you need a smart camera that's compatible with your Echo Show. Along with the Amazon Cloud Cam, compatible camera brands include Wyze, Arlo, Logitech, Google Nest, Blink, Ring, Zmodo, Wansview, EZVIZ, Amcrest, Ecobee, TP-Link Kasa, Honeywell, August Smart Home, Honeywell Home, Chk-In Cam, Amcrest Cloud, SmartCam, and Canary.

To watch recorded video feeds, you need the Amazon Cloud Cam or a device from Ring, Arlo, or August Smart Home.

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