Amazon Frustration-Free Setup Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is Frustration-Free Setup?
Frustration-Free Setup can help reduce or remove complicated steps necessary to connect and setup smart devices through a collection of features such as wifi simple setup, Bluetooth simple setup, Zigbee simple setup, and Matter simple setup. For example, Frustration-Free Setup can help you connect and configure compatible devices without having to remember and re-enter your network password on each device. If you are an Alexa user, Frustration-Free Setup can also automatically connect certain compatible third-party smart home devices to your Alexa account.
2. How does Frustration-Free Setup work?
Frustration-Free Setup utilizes a network of helper devices (such as compatible Echo devices, Fire TV devices, routers, or smartphones with certain Amazon apps) that are already connected to the internet to help you set up new devices in fewer steps. When you turn on a new compatible device, helper devices in range can help it connect to your networks and/or to Alexa via wifi, Zigbee, Bluetooth, or Matter. If you purchase a compatible device from Amazon.com and link the device to your account during checkout, Frustration-Free Setup can begin as soon as you power on your device. If you buy a compatible device somewhere other than Amazon.com, follow your device’s setup instructions.
3. What data is shared when I set up a new third-party device using Frustration-Free Setup?
If your new device uses wifi or Matter, a helper device securely shares your stored network passwords with your new device to help connect it to your network. If your new device uses Zigbee or Bluetooth, a helper device securely sends your new device an access code for your local network. Frustration-Free Setup shares credentials/codes with your new device if you link the device to your account at Amazon.com checkout. If your device is not eligible to be linked to your account at checkout, or you purchase your device somewhere else, Amazon will ask you to confirm on your helper device that you want to set up your new device before sharing credentials.
4. What data does Amazon collect when a third-party smart home device is connected to Alexa?
When you link your device to Alexa, we may receive information about your device, such as device type, name, features, status, and usage. To more accurately control smart home devices and to offer Alexa experiences like Hunches, we receive and maintain a record of the status and use of your smart home devices (e.g., light on/off) when you control them with Alexa or other controls. Learn more.
Wifi simple setup
1. What is wifi simple setup?
Wifi simple setup can help you connect smart devices to your wifi network in fewer steps if you saved your wifi passwords to Amazon. If you purchased a supported device on Amazon.com and linked the device to your account during checkout, simply power it on and it will attempt to connect to your home wifi using your stored credentials.
2. How does wifi simple setup work?
Wifi simple setup uses a supported device with an internet connection – like an Echo Dot or eero Router – to create a simple setup network. Supported new devices can use this secure, low-bandwidth network to temporarily connect to the Amazon cloud and help you complete the device setup process in fewer steps. Once the setup process is complete, the new device can then use wifi passwords saved to Amazon to connect the device to your regular wifi network.
3. What devices can be easily set up and connected to your wifi network through wifi simple setup?
Select Echo devices, Fire TV devices, Fire tablets, Kindle e-readers, and smart home devices – including those offered by partners like TP-Link Kasa, Philips, GE, Lifx, Tuya, Sengled, and Leedarson – can use helper devices to connect to your wifi network.
4. What devices can help me set up my devices and connect them to my wifi network?
Select Echo devices, select Fire TV devices, and smartphones with certain Amazon apps (such as the Kindle app) can act as helper devices to support new device setup. Select routers from brands including eero, TP-Link, Arris, and ASUS can also act as wifi simple setup helper devices. Consult your router manufacturer to review your router’s compatibility with wifi simple setup.
5. Do I need to own a helper device to take advantage of wifi simple setup?
No. Your device can use any simple setup-enabled helper device (like supported Echo or Fire TV devices or routers) that is in range to take advantage of wifi simple setup.
6. How does wifi simple setup use routers to set up new devices?
Supported routers create a separate network, typically called ‘simple_setup,’ to which new simple setup-enabled devices can temporarily connect to enable device setup securely. When a supported device connects to the separate network, the helper device establishes a secure, encrypted connection to an Amazon server to confirm that the device has been pre-registered to your account, retrieve your saved wifi credentials, and provide them to your new device. Information sent over the network is encrypted end-to-end.
7. How can I manage settings for wifi simple setup?
You can disable Frustration-Free Setup for all of your devices by visiting the Manage Your Content and Devices page. From the Saved Network Passwords tab under Preferences, you can prevent new wifi simple setup enabled devices from accessing your stored wifi credentials or you can delete your stored credentials. If you own a router with wifi simple setup turned on and want to prevent your credentials from syncing with Amazon altogether, consult your router manufacturer on how to disable wifi simple setup.
Zigbee simple setup
1. What is Zigbee simple setup?
Zigbee simple setup helps you connect new Zigbee-supported smart home devices to Echo devices with a built-in Zigbee hub (such as Echo Plus and Echo Show (2nd Gen and newer)). Just power on supported devices and say, “Alexa, discover my devices.” Your Echo device can automatically detect and set up Zigbee-supported devices so you can control them with your voice and in the Alexa app.
2. What devices support Zigbee simple setup?
Echo devices with a built-in Zigbee hub, such as Echo Plus and Echo Show (2nd Gen and newer), can seamlessly connect to new Zigbee smart devices such as light bulbs, door locks, switches, plugs, and sensors – including those from brands like Phillips – without the need for a separate hub or app.
Bluetooth simple setup
1. What is Bluetooth simple setup?
Bluetooth simple setup can help you connect smart devices to new Bluetooth devices in fewer steps. Just power on supported devices and say, “Alexa, discover my devices.” Your Echo device will automatically detect and set up those Bluetooth devices so you can control them with your voice and in the Alexa app.
2. What devices support Bluetooth simple setup?
Select Echo devices, such as Echo (2nd Gen and newer), Echo Dot (2nd Gen and newer), and Echo Plus, can seamlessly connect to new Bluetooth devices – including those from brands like Phillips.
Matter simple setup
1. What is Matter simple setup?
Matter simple setup can help you connect Matter-certified devices to your home networks in fewer steps if you saved your network passwords to Amazon. If you purchased a supported device on Amazon.com and linked the device to your account during checkout, simply power it on and the device will attempt to connect to your network using your stored network passwords.
2. How does Matter simple setup work?
Matter simple setup uses a compatible Matter controller device, such as an Echo (4th Gen), to create a secure connection with the device being set up. Once the setup process is complete, the new device can then use network passwords stored with Amazon to connect the device to your home network.
3. How can I manage settings for Matter simple setup?
You can disable Frustration-Free Setup for all of your devices by visiting the Manage Your Content and Devices page. From the Saved Network Passwords tab under Preferences, you can prevent new Matter simple setup enabled devices from accessing your stored network passwords or you can delete your stored network passwords. If you own a router with Matter simple setup turned on and want to prevent your network passwords from syncing with Amazon altogether, consult your router manufacturer on how to disable Matter simple setup.
