Alexa Skill Privacy Policy: What Amazon Requires and How to Create One

Published August 13, 2026 · Updated October 15, 2026

Every Alexa skill that collects personal information, uses account linking, or includes advertising needs a hosted privacy policy URL before Amazon will approve it for the Alexa Skills Store. The policy must live at a publicly accessible web address, load without authentication, and describe how the skill handles user data. Skip it and the skill fails certification. Submit a vague or boilerplate document and Amazon's review team rejects it just the same -- they read the policy, not just the URL.

This guide covers what Amazon's certification process actually checks, the data categories developers miss, what each section of your policy needs to say, and how to host the finished document and wire it into the Developer Console. If you need a policy fast, you can generate a privacy policy for free and host it at no cost.

Get Your Alexa Skill Privacy Policy URL

If you just need the URL the Developer Console is asking for, skip ahead to the URL section: the Distribution > Skill Preview field expects a fully qualified https:// link that opens straight to your policy text, with no login wall or redirect. Three steps get you there:

  1. Answer a short set of questions about your skill's data -- voice utterances, account linking, Alexa permissions, persistent attributes.
  2. The tool assembles a policy covering each data type you selected, worded for Amazon's certification reviewers.
  3. Copy the finished document's permanent web address and paste it into the Privacy Policy URL field.

Prefer to skip the manual drafting entirely? Build and host your policy in a few minutes, then come back to the certification details below whenever you need them.

Why Amazon Requires a Privacy Policy URL for Skills

Amazon treats the privacy policy as a gatekeeper for the Alexa Skills Store, similar to how Google Play and the Apple App Store require one for mobile apps. The requirement exists for three reasons.

User trust at the point of enablement. When a customer says "Alexa, enable [skill name]," they have no source code to inspect. No APK to decompile, no network tab to watch. The privacy policy is the only document telling them what data flows where and why. Without it, they are enabling a black box.

Regulatory compliance across jurisdictions. Alexa skills are available in multiple countries. A skill published in the US, UK, Germany, and India simultaneously falls under the CCPA, UK GDPR, EU GDPR, and India's DPDP Act. Amazon cannot audit every skill's data practices against every regulation, so it shifts that responsibility to the developer via a mandatory policy disclosure. The skill's privacy policy is the developer's statement of compliance.

Certification as a quality gate. Amazon reviews every skill before it goes live. The privacy policy URL is one of the fields the certification team checks. Amazon's certification requirements for the Alexa Skills Kit are blunt on this point: the policy section of the content guidelines states that any skill collecting personal information or using account linking "must include a link to a privacy policy that is specific to that skill" and that skills without this link "will fail certification." That is not a soft recommendation -- it is a hard gate. Skills that collect no personal data can optionally include one, but if they do, it still has to pass review.

Other non-mobile platforms enforce the same pattern. Google requires a hosted policy before listing a Chrome extension in its Web Store, and Discord blocks bot verification past 100 servers without a working policy URL in the Developer Portal. The requirement specifics differ, but the gating mechanism is identical: no policy, no distribution.

Alexa Skill Privacy Review: What Certification Checks and Common Rejection Reasons

Amazon's certification team does not just confirm the URL field is populated. Reviewers open the link and verify several conditions before approving a submission. Amazon's own certification guidance on privacy policy URLs boils the privacy review down to three tests: the link must take users exactly to the privacy section of your site or service, the page must be written in one of the skill's languages, and the content should be specific to the skill being submitted. In practice, reviewers check four things:

  • The URL loads directly to the policy text. The link must open to the actual privacy policy content -- not a homepage, not an "about" page, not a landing page that mentions privacy in a sidebar. URLs that redirect to a login wall, return a 404, or require scrolling past unrelated content fail review.
  • The language matches the skill's locale. A skill submitted in en-US and de-DE needs a policy in English or German. Third-language policies get rejected.
  • The content names the correct skill. A policy referencing a different skill name or developer than the submission is flagged immediately. Recycled templates from another product are a fast path to rejection.
  • The page is publicly accessible. The policy must load on iOS, Android, and desktop browsers with no authentication, app install, or account creation required. Amazon's reviewers test across devices.

Why skills get rejected at certification

These are the specific failure reasons Amazon's reviewers cite most often in rejection notices:

  • Privacy policy URL missing or broken. The field in Distribution > Skill Preview is blank, returns a non-200 status code, or redirects to a generic page.
  • Form answers contradict the policy. The Privacy & Compliance page asks whether the skill collects personal information, targets children under 13, contains advertising, or allows purchases. If a developer checks "No" for personal-data collection but the policy describes storing user emails, the submission is rejected.
  • Policy does not mention the skill's actual data practices. A boilerplate document that lists cookies and website analytics but never addresses voice data, account linking, or Alexa permissions fails the relevance check.
  • Account linking enabled without corresponding disclosure. Skills that use OAuth to connect a third-party account must explain in the policy what profile data is retrieved and why. Missing this is one of the top rejection triggers.
  • Policy hosted on an unstable URL. Google Docs links, Notion pages, and Pastebin URLs are rejected because they can change, require login, or display editing UI.

The Distribution section of the Developer Console also includes a Privacy & Compliance page with yes/no questions about data collection, children's content, advertising, and in-skill purchases. Every answer must match what the privacy policy states. Contradictions between the two are a common -- and avoidable -- cause of rejection.

Troubleshooting Certification Rejections

When Amazon rejects a skill submission over a privacy policy issue, the rejection notice arrives by email at the address tied to your developer account. The notice names the specific problem, but the wording is often terse. Below are the most common rejection scenarios, what triggers each one, and the fix.

Privacy policy URL missing, broken, or misdirected

The Privacy Policy URL field under Distribution > Skill Preview is either blank, returns a non-200 HTTP status, or opens to a page that is not the privacy policy itself. Amazon's certification team clicks the link and expects the policy text to appear immediately. A URL that opens to your homepage with a "Privacy" link in the footer does not satisfy the requirement, even if the policy is one click away. A Google Docs link that prompts for login, a Notion page that displays editing chrome, or a Pastebin URL that could change at any time will also fail.

Fix: Paste a fully qualified https:// URL that resolves directly to the policy text. Test it in an incognito browser window on both desktop and mobile. If you do not have stable hosting, generate and host a policy for free at a permanent URL.

Privacy policy language does not match the skill's locale

Amazon requires the privacy policy to be written in at least one of the languages the skill supports. A skill submitted in en-US and de-DE locales must have a policy in English or German. A policy in a third language -- even one Alexa supports -- is rejected. Amazon's certification blog post is explicit: "We do not allow privacy policy pages in a different language than the language(s) of the skill."

Fix: For multi-locale skills, either provide one policy in a shared language or submit locale-specific privacy policy URLs. The Developer Console accepts one URL per locale under Distribution > Skill Preview.

Privacy policy content does not match the skill

The policy names a different skill, a different developer, or a different product entirely. Recycled policies from another app or a previous project that were never updated are the most common trigger. Amazon's reviewer cross-checks the skill name in the submission against the skill name in the policy text.

Fix: Verify that the policy names your skill exactly as it appears in the Developer Console. If you maintain a single policy covering multiple products, add a section explicitly naming the Alexa skill and describing its specific data practices.

Privacy & Compliance toggles contradict the policy

The Privacy & Compliance page under Distribution presents four yes/no questions:

  1. "Does this skill collect users' personal information?"
  2. "Is this skill directed to or does it target children under the age of 13?"
  3. "Does this skill contain advertising?"
  4. "Does this skill allow users to make purchases?"

If you answer "No" to personal-data collection but your policy describes storing email addresses via account linking, the submission is rejected. The same applies in reverse: answering "Yes" to children targeting while the policy says the skill is not directed at children creates a contradiction.

Fix: Before submitting, read through every toggle answer on the Privacy & Compliance page and verify each one matches a corresponding statement in your privacy policy. This single cross-check eliminates one of the most common rejection triggers.

Account linking enabled without corresponding disclosure

Skills that use Login with Amazon or any OAuth 2.0 provider to connect a third-party account must explain in the policy what profile data is retrieved, why it is retrieved, and how it is stored. A policy that mentions account linking in passing without naming the specific data types (name, email, profile photo, access token) pulled from the OAuth provider fails the relevance check.

Fix: Add a dedicated section to your policy that names the account linking provider, lists every data field retrieved from the profile endpoint, maps each field to a purpose, and states the retention period for the OAuth token. If drafting that section from scratch is the holdup, a guided policy tool can produce the OAuth disclosure language and give you a hosted URL to paste back into the Console.

Data a Skill Collects That Developers Overlook

Most developers disclose the obvious inputs: a name and email from account linking, a home address from the Device Address API. But Alexa skills handle several less obvious data categories that trip up certification.

  • Voice utterances. Amazon's cloud processes audio and sends your backend the text transcription. Your interaction model captures every utterance directed at the skill. If your Lambda logs those transcriptions for debugging or analytics, that is personal data collection -- disclose it.
  • User IDs and session identifiers. Every request includes a userId string tied to the Amazon account. Store it alongside usage data and you have a profile linked to a real person, even without a name or email. Session IDs track interactions within a single conversation.
  • Device location. The Device Address API returns coarse location (country and postal code) or full street-level detail. If your skill uses location for any feature, that data flows through your backend and needs disclosure.
  • Account linking data. Login with Amazon or any OAuth 2.0 provider gives your skill access to profile data -- name, email, sometimes phone. Developers sometimes treat this as "Amazon's data." It is not. The moment your backend queries the profile endpoint with that OAuth token, you are collecting personal information.
  • Skill permissions data. Alexa offers granular permissions beyond account linking: customer name, email, phone, reminders, lists, location. Each granted permission sends data to your backend. Each one needs a corresponding line in the policy.
  • Persistent attributes. The ASK SDK's persistent attributes feature (typically backed by DynamoDB) stores preferences, scores, or conversation history across sessions. Tied to a userId, that is personal data storage.

The rule is simple: if your Lambda function receives, processes, or stores anything that traces back to a specific user or device, disclose it.

What Your Policy Must State

A compliant Alexa skill privacy policy covers the same ground as any app privacy policy, but scoped to voice interaction. Six sections do the heavy lifting.

  • What data you collect. List every data type from the section above that applies to your skill. Be specific: "We receive your voice utterances as text transcriptions through Amazon's Alexa service" is useful. "We may collect certain information" is not. Include data collected through account linking, skill permissions, and persistent storage.
  • Why you collect it. Map each data type to a purpose. Utterances power core functionality. A userId persists preferences. An email from account linking sends order confirmations. If you cannot name a purpose, drop the collection.
  • Who receives the data. Name third-party categories: cloud infrastructure (AWS Lambda, DynamoDB), analytics providers, authentication services (Login with Amazon, third-party OAuth), and any other service your backend calls with user data.
  • How long you keep it. Specify retention periods. "We retain persistent attributes while the skill is enabled and delete them within 30 days of disablement" is concrete and verifiable. Open-ended retention ("as long as necessary") invites regulatory scrutiny.
  • User rights and how to exercise them. Under the GDPR: access, correction, deletion, portability. Under the CCPA: opt-out of data sales, deletion. List the rights that apply to your audience's geography and provide a contact email for exercising them.
  • Children's privacy. If your skill targets users under 13, COPPA (US) and GDPR-K rules apply. The Developer Console asks whether the skill targets children -- the answer must match your policy. Not directed at children? State that explicitly.
  • Contact information. A dedicated email for privacy questions. GDPR-covered user bases should also name a Data Protection Officer.
  • Change notification. How you communicate policy updates: a bumped "last modified" date, an email to linked accounts, or a card through the Alexa app.

Worked example: a habit-tracker skill with account linking

Consider a skill called "Daily Habits" that lets users log habits by voice and view streaks in a companion web app. The skill uses Login with Amazon for account linking, stores habit entries in DynamoDB keyed to the userId, and requests the customer email permission so it can send a weekly summary.

That skill's privacy policy needs to disclose at least these data types and purposes:

  • Voice utterances — transcribed by Amazon and sent to the skill's Lambda function to parse habit names. Logged for 7 days in CloudWatch for debugging, then deleted.
  • Amazon userId — stored in DynamoDB alongside habit entries to persist streaks across sessions.
  • Account linking profile data — name and email retrieved via Login with Amazon's OAuth token. Email used to send the weekly summary; name used to personalize Alexa responses.
  • Customer email permission — separately granted through Alexa permissions, used as a fallback delivery address if the account-linked email is unavailable.

The policy also needs a retention statement ("Habit data is retained while the skill is enabled and deleted within 30 days of disabling"), a children's disclaimer (the skill is not directed at users under 13), GDPR and CCPA rights sections covering deletion and access requests, and a contact email. On the Privacy & Compliance page in the Developer Console, the developer must check "Yes" for personal information collection and "No" for children targeting, advertising, and in-skill purchases -- all matching the policy text.

Writing this from scratch takes time when a skill spans multiple data types and jurisdictions. The process mirrors writing a privacy policy for any app: audit your data flows, map them to purposes, identify third parties, and draft each section. A generator can compress that work into a guided form.

Privacy Policies for Child-Directed Skills

Amazon applies stricter rules to Alexa skills directed at children. The age threshold depends on the distribution country: under 13 in the United States, India, and Canada; under 16 in the UK, Germany, Japan, France, Italy, Spain, Mexico, the Netherlands, and Australia; and under 18 in Saudi Arabia. If your skill targets any of these age groups, the privacy policy must address several additional requirements beyond the standard certification checklist.

What Amazon restricts for child-directed skills

Amazon's policy requirements state that a child-directed skill will be rejected if any of the following is true: the skill is a custom skill and the developer is not an Amazon-approved kid skill developer; it promotes products, content, or services; it directs users to engage with content outside of Alexa; it sells physical products or services; it sells digital products without using Amazon In-Skill Purchasing; it collects any personal information from end users; it uses account linking; it includes recommendations for skills not directed to children; or it includes content not suitable for all ages.

The critical restriction for privacy policies is the ban on personal information collection. Under COPPA (the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act; see our COPPA privacy policy guide), operators of online services directed at children under 13 may not collect, use, or disclose personal information without verifiable parental consent. Amazon enforces this by prohibiting kid skills from collecting personal information as defined by COPPA. That means no account linking, no Alexa permissions requests (name, email, phone, address), and no persistent attributes tied to identifiable users.

What the privacy policy must say

Even though a compliant child-directed skill collects minimal data, the privacy policy still needs to address children's privacy explicitly:

  • State that the skill is directed at children. Unlike a general skill where you disclaim child targeting, a kid skill's policy must acknowledge its audience. "This skill is designed for use by children" is the opening the certification team expects.
  • Confirm COPPA compliance. State that the skill complies with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act and that it does not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13.
  • Describe what data the skill does and does not collect. Even if the answer is "none," say so explicitly. If the skill uses DynamoDB for anonymous session data (not tied to a userId), disclose that and confirm the data cannot identify a child.
  • Provide a parental contact mechanism. Include an email address where a parent or guardian can ask questions about the skill's data practices or request deletion of any data inadvertently collected.

On the Privacy & Compliance page in the Developer Console, answer "Yes" to "Is this skill directed to or does it target children under the age of 13?" The policy must match this answer. A mismatch in either direction -- claiming the skill targets children in the console but not in the policy, or vice versa -- triggers rejection.

Privacy Policies for Health Skills

Alexa skills that provide health-related information, collect health data, or reference medical treatments face additional certification requirements. Amazon's policy guidelines single out several categories that require extra disclosure or are outright prohibited.

Health information collection

Amazon restricts skills that collect "information relating to any person's physical or mental health or condition, the provision of health care to a person, or payment for the same." Some health-data-collecting skills may be allowed in certain countries and regions, but the bar is high. If your skill collects any health information, disclose the specific data types in the privacy policy, map each to a clear purpose, and state the retention period.

Required health disclaimer

Skills that provide health-related information, news, facts, or tips must include a disclaimer in both the skill description and the privacy policy. Amazon provides this example language: "This tool does not provide medical advice, and is for informational and educational purposes only, and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, treatment or diagnosis. Call your doctor to receive medical advice. If you think you may have a medical emergency, please dial your local emergency response phone number." Amazon may also require certain skills to deliver this disclaimer by voice at invocation.

Drug dosage and administration

Skills that provide information on drug dosage, usage, or administration must meet additional requirements unless the developer is affiliated with or acting at the direction of the drug manufacturer. These include: providing the data source for drug dosage guidance in the Testing Instructions field under Distribution > Privacy & Compliance; delivering a medical disclaimer at invocation; requiring account linking to establish a clinician-patient relationship before providing specific dosing information; confirming the precise drug name, dosage, and unit of dose with the user; and sending label information to the Alexa app via a home card that the user must confirm.

HIPAA-eligible skills

Skills that process Protected Health Information (PHI) must comply with HIPAA requirements, which include signing Amazon's Alexa Business Associate Agreement (BAA). However, Amazon ended support for third-party HIPAA-eligible skills in the public Alexa Skills Store in December 2022. HIPAA use cases are now scoped to enterprise deployments through Alexa Smart Properties for Healthcare, where skills must be published as hidden (not listed in the Skills Store) and distributed only in the United States.

If your skill handles any health-adjacent data -- fitness tracking, wellness tips, symptom logging, medication reminders -- and you are unsure whether it crosses into regulated territory, err on the side of disclosure. Include a health disclaimer in both the skill description and the privacy policy, and state clearly whether the skill collects, stores, or transmits any health-related information.

Alexa Skill Privacy Policy Generator: How It Works

Writing an Alexa skill privacy policy from scratch means auditing every data flow in your Lambda function, mapping each to a legal basis under every jurisdiction your skill reaches, and formatting the result into a document that satisfies Amazon's certification reviewers. For a skill that uses account linking, requests multiple Alexa permissions, and ships to several locales, that process can take hours of legal research and drafting.

A privacy policy generator compresses the work into a guided questionnaire. You select the platforms your skill runs on, the data types it handles (voice utterances, user IDs, account linking data, persistent attributes), the third-party services your backend calls, and the regulations you need to cover. The generator produces a policy with the correct disclosure language for each selection -- no boilerplate guessing, no missed data categories.

The output is typically a hosted document at a permanent HTTPS URL that you paste directly into the Developer Console's Privacy Policy URL field. That eliminates the separate hosting step and avoids the certification rejections caused by unstable URLs like Google Docs, Notion, or Pastebin links.

Third-party services behind the skill need the same treatment. If your Lambda function sends user data to an outside provider -- Auth0 running the OAuth flow for account linking, Sentry capturing errors, Mixpanel or Amplitude recording usage events -- each one needs its own disclosure naming the service, the data it receives, and why. The third-party service disclosure builder drafts those paragraphs for roughly 25 common providers, ready to drop into the third-parties section of the sample policy below or your generated document.

Generator vs. template vs. manual drafting

  • Generator (fastest for complex skills). Best when your skill uses account linking, requests multiple permissions, or stores persistent attributes. A free privacy policy generator walks you through each data category and produces a ready-to-submit policy with hosting included. Use this path when you need to pass certification quickly without hiring a lawyer.
  • Template (good for simple skills). If your skill has straightforward data practices -- no account linking, minimal permissions, no external APIs -- the sample policy below works after you replace the bracketed placeholders. Remove sections that do not apply and verify the result against the certification checklist above.
  • Manual drafting (for edge cases). Skills that process health data, financial information, biometric identifiers, or children's data under COPPA may need custom legal language that neither a generator nor a template covers. Consult a privacy attorney for these cases, using the required sections list as a starting checklist.

Whichever approach you choose, verify the finished document against Amazon's certification requirements before submitting: correct skill name, every data category disclosed, Privacy & Compliance toggle answers matching the policy text, and a URL that loads on mobile and desktop without authentication.

Alexa Skill Privacy Policy Example You Can Copy

Below is a complete privacy policy written for a fictional Alexa skill called "[Your Skill Name]." It covers the data categories most skills handle -- voice utterances, Amazon user IDs, account linking, skill permissions, persistent attributes, and children's privacy. Copy the entire block, replace the bracketed placeholders with your skill's details, and remove any sections that do not apply.

Sample Privacy Policy — ready to copy

Privacy Policy for [Your Skill Name]

Last updated: [Date]

1. Introduction

[Your Company Name] ("we," "us," or "our") operates the [Your Skill Name] Alexa skill. This privacy policy explains what data the skill collects, why it collects it, who receives it, how long it is kept, and what rights you have over it. By enabling and using the skill, you agree to the practices described below.

2. Data We Collect

Voice utterances. When you speak to the skill, Amazon's Alexa service converts your speech into text and sends the transcription to our backend for processing. We use these transcriptions solely to understand your request and return an appropriate response. Transcription logs are retained in [AWS CloudWatch / your logging service] for [number] days for debugging purposes and then automatically deleted.

Amazon user ID. Each request includes a unique userId string assigned by Amazon to your account. We store this identifier in [Amazon DynamoDB / your database] to persist your preferences and session history across interactions.

Account linking data. If you link your [third-party service] account through the skill, we receive your name and email address via [Login with Amazon / OAuth 2.0]. We use your email to [send notifications / personalize responses] and your name to address you in skill responses.

Skill permissions data. If you grant the skill access to Alexa permissions such as your first name, email address, phone number, or device address, we receive that data from Amazon's API when the skill is invoked. Each permission is used only for the purpose described at the time of the request.

Persistent attributes. The skill stores [preferences / scores / history / other data] in [Amazon DynamoDB / your database], keyed to your Amazon user ID, so your data carries over between sessions.

3. How We Use Your Data

  • Process and respond to your voice requests
  • Maintain your preferences and history across sessions
  • Send notifications or summaries to your linked email (if account linking is enabled)
  • Debug errors and improve skill reliability (via time-limited log retention)

We do not use your data for advertising, sell it to third parties, or share it with data brokers.

4. Third Parties That Receive Your Data

  • Amazon Web Services (AWS). Our skill's backend runs on AWS Lambda and stores data in Amazon DynamoDB. Amazon processes data under its AWS Privacy Notice.
  • [Other third-party service, if applicable]. [Describe what data is shared and why.]

We do not share your personal data with any parties beyond those listed above.

5. Data Retention

Voice transcription logs are deleted after [number] days. Persistent attributes (preferences and history) are retained while the skill is enabled on your account and deleted within [30] days after you disable the skill. Account linking tokens are revoked immediately upon unlinking.

6. Children's Privacy (COPPA)

[If the skill is NOT directed at children:] This skill is not directed at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we learn that we have inadvertently collected such information, we will delete it promptly.

[If the skill IS directed at children:] This skill is designed for use by children under 13. We comply with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). We collect only the minimum data necessary for the skill to function, we do not use persistent identifiers for behavioral targeting, and a parent or guardian may request deletion of their child's data at any time by contacting us at the email below.

7. Your Rights Under GDPR

If you are located in the European Economic Area or the United Kingdom, you have the right to: access the personal data we hold about you; request correction of inaccurate data; request deletion of your data; object to or restrict processing; and request data portability. To exercise any of these rights, contact us at [your-email@example.com]. We will respond within 30 days.

8. Your Rights Under CCPA

If you are a California resident, you have the right to: know what personal information we collect and how it is used; request deletion of your personal information; and opt out of the sale of your personal information. We do not sell personal information. To submit a request, contact us at [your-email@example.com].

9. Changes to This Policy

We may update this privacy policy from time to time. When we make changes, we will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page. If the changes are significant, we will notify you through the Alexa app or via your linked email address.

10. Contact Us

If you have questions about this privacy policy or your data, contact us at:
[your-email@example.com]
[Your Company Name]
[Your Address (optional)]

This sample covers the most common Alexa skill data flows. If your skill handles additional data -- such as health information, financial data, or biometric identifiers -- add dedicated disclosure sections for those categories. Need to generate a policy tailored to your exact data practices instead of editing a template? You can build one for free with the generator.

Privacy Policies for Private and Beta-Distributed Skills

Not every Alexa skill goes straight to the public Skills Store. Amazon offers two restricted distribution paths -- private skills and beta testing -- and each has its own rules around privacy policies.

Private skills (Alexa for Business)

Private skills are distributed through Alexa for Business to a specific organization rather than listed in the public Skills Store. They are typically internal tools: meeting-room booking, IT helpdesk queries, company directory lookups. Amazon does not subject private skills to the same public certification review that store-listed skills go through. However, a privacy policy is still strongly recommended for two reasons.

  • Organizational compliance. The company deploying the skill is the data controller under GDPR or the business under CCPA. Even though Amazon does not enforce a policy URL at publishing time, the deploying organization's legal and compliance teams almost certainly require one. Enterprise procurement reviews routinely ask for a data-handling disclosure before approving any internal tool.
  • Future distribution changes. A private skill that later moves to the public Skills Store will need a privacy policy to pass certification. Writing it during initial development, when the data flows are fresh in mind, is faster and more accurate than reverse-engineering them later.

Beta testing

Amazon's beta testing feature lets developers invite up to 500 users to test a skill before public release. Beta skills must still pass a certification review before testers can access them, and that review includes the same privacy policy checks as a public submission. If the beta skill collects personal data or uses account linking, the privacy policy URL field must be populated and the policy must pass the same relevance and accessibility tests described earlier in this guide.

The practical difference is scope, not requirements. Beta certification checks the same boxes -- working URL, content that matches the skill's data practices, consistency with the Privacy & Compliance page answers. The only thing that changes is the audience size. Do not skip the policy for a beta build assuming you will add it later; the certification gate blocks beta distribution just as it blocks public distribution.

What certification checks for unpublished skills

Whether a skill is headed for the public store, a beta group, or a private organization, Amazon's certification review evaluates the same core criteria whenever the skill passes through it:

  • The privacy policy URL returns a 200 status and loads directly to the policy text on mobile and desktop.
  • The policy names the skill and describes its actual data collection practices.
  • The Privacy & Compliance toggle answers (personal data collection, children's content, advertising, in-skill purchases) are consistent with the policy text.
  • If account linking is enabled, the policy explains what profile data is retrieved and why.

Private skills distributed solely through Alexa for Business bypass this gate, but every other distribution path -- public, beta, or organization-restricted through the Developer Console -- goes through it. Plan the policy at the start, not at the submission deadline.

Alexa Skill Privacy Policy URL: Where to Host It and What to Paste

Your Alexa skill privacy policy URL is the single web address Amazon's reviewers open to read your policy, and the link customers see on the skill's detail page once it is live. It needs to be permanent and publicly accessible. Three hosting approaches cover most Alexa skill developers.

Hosting options

  • Your own domain. If you have a website, host the policy at a path like yoursite.com/alexa-privacy-policy. This is the most professional option and gives you full control over updates.
  • A free hosted policy. If you do not have a website or do not want to manage hosting, you can generate and host a privacy policy for free. The generated URL is permanent and loads without authentication, which satisfies Amazon's certification requirements.
  • GitHub Pages or a static site. A free GitHub Pages site with a single HTML page works. The URL is stable and publicly accessible. Just ensure the page renders properly on mobile, since Amazon's review team checks across devices.

Do not use Google Docs, Notion pages, Pastebin links, or any URL that requires login, displays editing UI, or could change without a stable permalink. Amazon's certification team will reject these.

What the Privacy Policy URL field requires

The Privacy Policy URL field under Distribution > Skill Preview accepts a single, fully qualified URL starting with https://. The console validates URL format when you save the page but does not verify that the URL actually loads -- that verification happens during the certification review. Several format requirements catch developers who fill the field correctly but still fail at review.

  • HTTPS only. HTTP links are rejected. If your current hosting does not support HTTPS, switch to a provider that does -- most static hosting platforms and free policy hosting tools include SSL certificates by default.
  • Direct link to the policy text. The URL must resolve to the privacy policy content itself. A URL pointing to your homepage with a "Privacy" footer link does not count, even if the policy is one click away. Reviewers expect the policy text to appear immediately when they open the link.
  • No authentication or interstitials. The page must load on any device, in any browser, without login, cookie-consent walls that block content, age gates, or app-install prompts. Amazon tests on iOS, Android, and desktop.
  • Stable permalink. The URL must remain live for as long as the skill is published. If the link breaks during a periodic re-review, Amazon can unpublish the skill until the URL is fixed. Avoid URLs tied to free-tier services that expire or document-editor links that change when sharing settings are modified.

For multi-locale skills, you submit one URL per locale. You can reuse the same URL across all locales if the policy language matches at least one of the skill's supported languages, or provide locale-specific URLs for policies translated into each language.

Exactly what to paste into the Privacy Policy URL field

Open the Distribution tab, stay on Skill Preview, and scroll to Privacy Policy URL. It sits after Category and Keywords, directly above the separate Terms of Use URL field. Paste one complete address, https:// included, that opens on the policy text for this skill. Nothing else belongs in the field: no surrounding text, no second link, no link shortener that redirects.

What you pasteOutcome at review
https://www.yourdomain.com/daily-habits/privacyPasses. Opens directly on a policy that names the skill, written in the skill's language.
https://www.yourdomain.com/Fails. Amazon treats a link that opens on your homepage as invalid, even when the policy is one click away.
https://www.yourdomain.com/privacy-es (Spanish) for an en-US and de-DE skillFails. The page must be in one of the skill's languages.
https://www.yourdomain.com/other-app/privacyFails. A policy that names a different skill or company is not valid for this submission.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/...Fails. Shared documents can prompt for sign-in or show editing controls instead of a stable public page.

Before you submit, open the pasted link in a private browser window on a phone and on a desktop. That is the same check the reviewer runs, and it catches login prompts, redirects, and expired hosting before Amazon does.

Two other addresses often get confused with this one. Your skill's own URL -- its detail page in the Alexa Skills Store, or a Quick Link that launches it on an Echo device -- only exists after certification and is not what this field asks for. And Amazon's own Alexa privacy notice describes Amazon's data handling, not yours, so pasting it here fails the requirement that the policy name your skill and company. Both are covered in the FAQ below.

Adding the URL in the Alexa Developer Console

  1. Open the Alexa Developer Console and select your skill.
  2. Click the Distribution tab in the left sidebar.
  3. Under Skill Preview, find the Privacy Policy URL field near the bottom of the page. Paste your full URL including https://. The console validates that the field contains a properly formatted URL but does not check whether the page actually loads -- that happens during certification review.
  4. Click Privacy & Compliance in the left menu under Distribution. This page presents yes/no toggles: "Does this skill collect users' personal information?", "Is this skill directed to or does it target children under the age of 13?", "Does this skill contain advertising?", and "Does this skill allow users to make purchases?" Each answer must match what the privacy policy states. Contradictions between this page and the policy are one of the most common rejection triggers.
  5. For multi-locale skills, verify the privacy policy link loads for each locale and that the policy language matches at least one of the skill's supported languages.
  6. Save and submit for certification.

After approval, the privacy policy link appears on your skill's detail page in the Alexa Skills Store. Customers can review it before enabling the skill.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Alexa's privacy policy?

Amazon's own Alexa privacy terms -- the Amazon Privacy Notice and its "Alexa, Echo Devices, and Your Privacy" help page -- explain how Amazon handles voice recordings, transcripts, and device data. They cover Amazon only. When a customer uses a third-party skill, the data that skill receives is governed by the skill developer's own privacy policy, which is why Amazon requires developers to publish one at a Privacy Policy URL. If you build a skill, that URL must point to a policy naming your skill and your company; linking to Amazon's notice instead will not pass certification.

Can I create my own Alexa skill?

Yes. Sign in to the Alexa Developer Console with a free Amazon developer account, create a custom skill, and either let Amazon host the backend (Alexa-hosted skills, within AWS Free Tier limits) or connect your own AWS Lambda function or HTTPS endpoint. You can test the skill in the console's simulator and on Echo devices registered to your account before submitting it for certification. If the skill collects personal information, uses account linking, or includes advertising, it needs a privacy policy URL before it can pass review. If you do not have one yet, a free policy builder with hosting covers that step in a few minutes.

How to get an Alexa skill URL?

A skill gets a public URL only after it passes certification and goes live. Every published skill has a detail page in the Alexa Skills Store on Amazon's website; find your skill there and copy the address from your browser. For a link that opens a custom skill directly on a customer's Echo device, Amazon's Quick Links format uses your skill ID, which you copy from the Skills list in the Alexa Developer Console: https://alexa-skills.amazon.com/apis/custom/skills/<skill-id>/launch (swap the domain for each marketplace). Neither of these is your privacy policy URL, which points to your policy document and is required before certification.

What does it mean when it says enter your mobile app or Alexa skill URL?

That prompt comes from the Amazon Associates sign-up form, which skill developers complete to earn referral fees through Alexa Shopping. Under "Enter Your Mobile App or Alexa Skill URL(s)," Amazon wants the URL of your skill's detail page in the Alexa Skills Store -- not your privacy policy URL, your skill ID, or your website -- and asks you not to add other websites, apps, or social media handles. Because the detail page only exists once the skill is certified and published, publish first and register second.

Where can I find the Alexa privacy settings page?

In the Alexa app, open the menu, go to Settings, and choose Alexa Privacy. That hub holds Review Voice History and Manage Skill Permissions, where customers can switch off any permission a skill was granted, such as name, email address, phone number, or device address. Because customers can revoke access at any time, a skill's privacy policy should tell them they can withdraw permissions there, and the skill itself should handle a missing permission gracefully.

How can I view my Alexa voice history?

In the Alexa app, go to Settings, then Alexa Privacy, then Review Voice History, where you can filter recordings by date or device, play them back, and delete them. Those recordings are stored by Amazon under the customer's Amazon account. A third-party skill never receives the audio -- its backend gets each request as text, such as the matched intent and slot values -- so a skill's privacy policy should describe what the skill's own backend receives and stores, and leave voice recordings to Amazon's notice.

Do all Alexa skills need a privacy policy?

Not all, but most. Amazon requires a privacy policy for any skill that collects personal information, uses account linking, or includes advertising. Skills that do none of these can skip the policy, though Amazon still recommends providing one. If your skill requests any Alexa permissions (name, email, phone, address, lists, reminders) or stores user data in DynamoDB or another database, you need a policy.

What happens if I submit a skill without a privacy policy?

If the skill collects personal data or uses account linking and no privacy policy URL is provided, certification will reject the submission. Amazon will not publish the skill to the Alexa Skills Store until a valid policy URL is added and the skill passes re-review.

Can I use the same privacy policy for my Alexa skill and my mobile app?

Yes, if the policy covers the data practices of both. Many developers maintain a single policy that addresses their app, website, and Alexa skill under separate sections. The key requirement is that the policy specifically describes the Alexa skill's data collection, not just the app's. Amazon's certification team checks that the content is relevant to the skill being submitted.

Where does the privacy policy URL go in the Alexa Developer Console?

In the Developer Console, select your skill, go to the Distribution tab, and find the Privacy Policy URL field under Skill Preview. You also need to complete the Privacy and Compliance section under Distribution, answering questions about data collection, children's content, and advertising.

Does my privacy policy need to be in a specific language?

Yes. Amazon requires the privacy policy to be written in at least one of the languages your skill supports. If your skill is available in en-US and de-DE, the policy must be in English or German. A policy in a language the skill does not support will be rejected during certification.

What format should the privacy policy be in?

The policy must be a publicly accessible web page, not a PDF, Word document, or Google Doc. It should load on iOS, Android, and desktop browsers without requiring authentication or any app installation. A static HTML page on your own domain or a free hosted policy page both work.

How do I generate a privacy policy for my Alexa skill?

Use a privacy policy generator that asks about the data types your skill collects, the Alexa permissions it requests, and the jurisdictions you need to comply with. The generator produces a complete policy with the correct legal disclosures for each selection. Many generators also host the finished policy at a permanent HTTPS URL so you can paste the link directly into the Developer Console without setting up separate web hosting.

What URL format does Amazon accept for the privacy policy?

Amazon requires a fully qualified HTTPS URL that links directly to the privacy policy text. The URL must load the policy immediately with no redirects to a homepage, no login wall, and no interstitial pages. The Developer Console validates the URL format when you save, but the actual page load is tested by human reviewers during certification.

Can I host my Alexa skill privacy policy for free?

Yes. You can use a free privacy policy generator that includes hosting, a GitHub Pages site with a single HTML page, or any free-tier static hosting provider that supports HTTPS. The URL must be permanent, publicly accessible without login, and render correctly on mobile and desktop browsers.

What happens if my privacy policy URL breaks after the skill is live?

Amazon periodically re-reviews published skills. If the privacy policy URL returns a 404 or redirects to an unrelated page during a re-review, Amazon can suspend or unpublish the skill from the Alexa Skills Store until the link is fixed and the skill passes re-certification. Use stable hosting and check your URL periodically.

What does Amazon's certification reviewer actually check on the privacy policy?

The reviewer opens the URL and verifies four things: the page loads directly to the policy text without redirects or login walls; the language matches at least one of the skill's supported locales; the content names the correct skill and developer; and the data practices described in the policy are consistent with the Privacy & Compliance toggle answers in the Developer Console. The reviewer also checks that account linking, if enabled, is explained in the policy with the specific data types retrieved and their purposes.

Does a child-directed Alexa skill need a privacy policy?

Yes, though the policy will be simpler because Amazon prohibits child-directed skills from collecting personal information, using account linking, or requesting Alexa permissions. The policy must state that the skill is directed at children, confirm COPPA compliance, describe what data the skill does and does not collect, and provide a parental contact email. On the Privacy & Compliance page in the Developer Console, answer "Yes" to "Is this skill directed to or does it target children under the age of 13?" and ensure the policy matches.

Do health-related Alexa skills have extra privacy policy requirements?

Yes. Skills that provide health information, news, facts, or tips must include a disclaimer in both the skill description and the privacy policy stating that the skill is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Skills that provide drug dosage or administration information face additional requirements including account linking for clinician-patient verification. Skills processing Protected Health Information under HIPAA must sign Amazon's Business Associate Agreement, though Amazon ended support for third-party HIPAA skills in the public store in December 2022.

How long does the Alexa skill certification review take?

Amazon typically completes certification review within a few business days, though the timeline varies by complexity. Skills with account linking, Alexa permissions, or child-directed content may take longer because the reviewer must cross-check additional data disclosures against the privacy policy. A rejection resets the clock -- after fixing the cited issue and resubmitting, the review period starts over. The fastest path through certification is submitting a skill whose Privacy & Compliance answers, privacy policy URL, and policy content all match on the first attempt.

Can I update my Alexa skill privacy policy after certification?

Yes. You can update the hosted privacy policy document at any time without resubmitting the skill for certification, as long as the URL stays the same. If you need to change the privacy policy URL itself, update the link in the Developer Console under Distribution > Skill Preview and resubmit the skill for a new certification review. Whenever you change the policy content, update the "last modified" date in the document so Amazon's periodic re-reviews and your users can see when it was last changed.

Do I need a separate privacy policy URL for each Alexa skill?

Not necessarily. You can use one privacy policy URL across multiple skills if the policy explicitly names each skill and describes the data practices of each one in separate sections. Amazon's certification reviewer checks that the policy content is specific to the skill being submitted, so a single-page policy that only mentions one skill will fail review for a different skill. For developers with several skills, a combined policy works as long as each skill's data collection, purposes, and retention are clearly identified.