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How does Alexa get access to my contacts without my permission?

Anonymous
2021-09-06T14:07:57+00:00

Why does Alexa have access to my contacts? Am I overlooking something? Is it easy for any app to circumvent my privacy settings?

I have a Windows computers and an iPhone, both with Alexa apps installed. On the iPhone, I explicitly deny access to the contacts, and Alexa cannot display my contacts there.

On the Windows 10 computer, contacts are stored in an Exchange mailbox in the cloud and locally in an Outlook .ost file. The Windows setting to deny Alexa app access to contacts does not appear. There are only a handful of installed apps that appear there, all of which appear to be Microsoft apps. I think the Alexa app I have installed on Windows is a Store app. Alexa does not show up in control panel programs installed. I don't even know if there is such a thing as a desktop Alexa app. The Windows computer is set to allow apps access to contacts. It says I can choose which apps have access. There's reason to doubt that reassurance since Alexa sees my apps and the option to prevent it doesn't even appear. In any case, the allow access to contacts has no effect. If I disable it, Alexa still shows all my contacts.

Does that mean apps that don't appear as options (that's the majority of installed apps) all have access to my contacts despite what the setting page says?

To make the privacy concern even more compelling, Amazon says Alexa cannot access my mailbox because it is an Exchange mailbox. So even though I'd like Alexa to see my calendar items, Amazon says it can't.

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Security and privacy

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

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  1. Anonymous
    2021-10-31T18:45:01+00:00

    Thanks, Vineet_K, for responding. But all that about the app and resetting is nonsense unrelated to my question about Windows security.

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  2. Anonymous
    2021-09-14T07:03:49+00:00

    Hi,

    Thank you for writing to Microsoft Community Forums.

    I understand that you are facing issues with Alexa accessing contacts

    In order to get clarity and to assist you accordingly, please reply with the answers to the questions below:

    • Are you able to see Alexa app in Start menu programs list?
    • Have you been through privacy settings page (granting access for contacts, microphone, etc.) while setting up Alexa?

    Meanwhile, I would suggest you to follow the steps mentioned below and check if the issue persists:

    Reset app

    Refer to the link given below to reset Alexa app

    https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/repair-apps-and-programs-in-windows-10-e90eefe4-d0a2-7c1b-dd59-949a9030f317

    Once the tick mark appears on Reset option, follow the next steps given below

    1. Open Settings (Windows +I)
    2. Go to Privacy, and then navigate to Contacts on the left pane
    3. On the right pane, turn off contacts permission for Alexa from the list of apps

    Let us know how it goes.

    Vineet Kumar

    Microsoft Community – Moderator

    1 person found this answer helpful.
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