Is there a way to turn on Amazon Guard when I leave home and the mode changes to “away”? I haven’t found a way to turn Guard on (or off) other than by talking to it, I’d like to automate it if I can.
1 Like
We’ve been talking about this in the existing thread on this feature. It looks like at present there is no way to do it officially except by either talking to it or using the Amazon app.
However, it is possible to use SmartThings to have one Amazon device speak the words and have a second Amazon device react to that. Or you could definitely use a non-Amazon text to speech device in this fashion. It’s clunky, but it can work.
Updated to add I just realized you can use the two device method with Amazon’s own Geolocation option in their own routines without needing smartthings for this. You have to use the Amazon Alexa app on your phone then create a routine there for when your phone comes and goes. Have that routine speak the activation phrase on one echo device at your home so that another echo device at your home can hear it. Geolocation was only added to using Amazon routines a few months ago, but it is there. 
Using SmartThings with the virtual sensor method would allow you to set up a lot more filters on when it happens, and the Amazon-only method is not going to work well for a lot of multi person households, but this is an option for simple use cases.
Here’s the existing discussion (the thread title is a clickable link)
Amazon Guard Available yet? (May 2019)
Other than that, we’ll just have to wait until Amazon makes more options available.
Officially automated Alexa guard. Need two echos within earshot of each other. Could do this with standard automation if you have a Sonos or Samsung speaker.
1 Like
thanks for the info! Is this using the CORE piston?
WebCore, yes.
1 Like
How did you get the echo show to show up in Webcore?
Getting a " Access to graph-na02-useast1.api.smartthings.comwas denied" when enabling the oath. Do I need to setup heroku before that?
Are you using Google Chrome?
For some reason you need to use incognito mode in chrome
1 Like
lol, that’s so random.
1 Like
I agree it seems to only affect app setting changes
1 Like
Thanks, got it all in there. I’ll test it when i get home.
They need to open API for guard, so we can either use webcore, or IFTTT.
1 Like
What’s the downside to leaving it on all the time? I would want to know if glass breaks when I’m home too.
Nothing if you don’t find the flashing white light ring annoying.
It’s in our kitchen so I’ve been leaving it on all the time. The light is annoying, it looks like we have a message or something.
1 Like
FYI, the new alexa speaks app has this integrated. You can use routines or SHM.
Just as an FYI, and I apologize if someone has already mentioned this.
I discovered last night that you can create routines that trigger custom actions.
So rather than one Echo announcing to another Echo, “I’m home,” you can create a routine that is triggered by an open/close sensor that will fire a custom action “I’m home.”
- In the Alexa app, tap Routines,
- Create a Routine
- Enter Routine name
- Choose your trigger (I have a virtual device that is open when I want Guard off and closed when I want it on)
- Tap Add Action, and select Custom at the top of the options.
- Input “I’m home” (without the quotes) as the custom action.
- Profit
Hope this helps someone else!
2 Likes
Good point, and definitely better than the two device method!
Custom actions were added as an option after the original posts in this thread were written. They work well, with a couple of caveats.
At the time of this writing:
- you can only have one custom action per Alexa routine.
- it must be the last step in the routine.
- you are limited to a total of 99 routines per Alexa account.
AND AN EVEN EASIER METHOD FOR SETTING GUARD TO AWAY
Separately, again since the earlier posts were written, Amazon has added turning Guard on as an option for routines! At least for some customers. (I don’t know if you have to have one of the premium Guard plans to have this option.)
You just choose it as the action for the routine.
However, this only works for turning it on (Away), they don’t let you turn it off this way. So you still have to use the custom action option for that. 
I use the Guard arming action in a routine and do not have the premium Guard plan, so it works with even the free Guard tier.
1 Like