Sharing an Amazon Prime account with family or roommates is a great way to save money, but it can put a damper on surprise gifts or make you want to keep certain personal purchases private. When everyone shares one login, your order history becomes an open book. If you’ve ever worried about a gift being spoiled or just wanted a little more privacy for your own shopping, you’re not alone.
The good news is that Amazon provides a couple of built-in features designed specifically for these situations. While you can’t make an item completely invisible from the main account holder, you can effectively hide it from casual browsing and prevent those surprise spoilers.
Using Amazon Household for Separate Profiles
For the best long-term privacy solution, consider setting up an Amazon Household. This free feature allows you to link two adult accounts, each with their own separate login, payment methods, and order history. While you still share the Prime benefits, your individual purchases remain private. This is the most effective way to maintain independence on a shared membership.
Archiving Orders to Clean Up Your History
If setting up a new profile isn’t an option, the “Archive Order” function is your best friend. This feature doesn’t delete the order—you’ll still be able to access it for returns or tracking—but it removes it from the main “Your Orders” page. To archive an order, go to “Your Orders,” find the item you want to hide, and click “Archive Order.” The item will vanish from the default view, making it much less likely to be seen by others sharing the account.
Consider a Digital Gift Card for Surprises
When you’re purchasing a gift for someone you share the account with, a simple trick is to buy an Amazon digital gift card first. Use that gift card balance to complete the actual gift purchase. On the order history, the transaction will only show that you bought a gift card, keeping the final present a secret until you’re ready to give it.
What to Remember About Account Transparency
It’s important to know that while archiving is very effective, the account holder can still find archived orders by searching for them specifically. For complete financial privacy, especially on shared payment methods, communication with your account mates is often the best policy.
With these simple strategies, you can enjoy the benefits of a shared Prime account while keeping your special surprises and personal purchases just for your eyes.
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