How to use Alexa: Tips, tricks and general instructions

How to utilise Alexa: Tips, tricks and general instructions

(Prototype credit: Tom's Guide)

Knowing how to use Alexa will aid you make the well-nigh of your virtual assistant. Alexa, the brain that powers all the best Alexa speakers, is an asset in your smart dwelling house as long as you're using it properly.

Alexa is available in all shapes and sizes. If you own any Echo speaker, including the fourth-generation Amazon Repeat, Amazon Repeat Dot, and Amazon Echo Show ten, the Alexa vocalism banana is ready for you to use.

When you know the best Alexa skills, yous can inquire the assistant to navigate y'all to a destination, keep rails your schedule, club products off of Amazon, read books, find local restaurants and reply your questions.

Several third-party gadgets accept Alexa built in, too, peculiarly in the smart domicile category. All of the best Alexa compatible devices, exist them the best smart low-cal bulbs or all-time smart plugs, tin can be controlled using Alexa.

The voice-controlled assistant lives inside the Fire TV Cube and other Amazon streaming devices, as well. In that location'due south also a free companion app for Android and iOS devices that shows you how to use Alexa wherever y'all are, and so you lot can control the best smart home devices while you're out.

Y'all'll want to make certain you're taking full advantage of this personal assistant. These tips on how to use Alexa will help you prepare your Alexa speaker, connect it to your smart home devices, play music, and much more.

How to gear up Alexa

Best Alexa speakers
Before yous purchase an Alexa-enabled speaker, make certain you're getting the ane that best suits your needs and upkeep.

How to set upwards the Amazon Echo
The Amazon Echo is the company's flagship smart speaker. Here are our instructions for getting it upward and running.

How to set up Amazon Echo Dot
The Echo Dot is Amazon'south least expensive and most pop Alexa speaker. Here's how to go information technology set up.

How to gear up Amazon Echo Dot with Clock
It's not all that much different from the standard, 3rd-generation Echo Dot. But the added LED display supports certain settings you might not know nearly.

How to change Alexa's phonation
Requite Alexa a different emphasis, use a completely different language or switch to Alexa's male vocalisation.

Alexa tricks and easter eggs
Amazon's Alexa can proceed you and your family entertained if y'all know the right words.

Why is Alexa flashing?
Seeing a strange-colored light on your Echo? Here's what it ways.

How to employ Alexa to make voice and video calls

How to manage Alexa settings for kids

I use this one Alexa skill to keep my kid from waking us up likewise early on
Pair your Alexa device with an Echo Glow to keep your kid in bed.

How to manage Alexa privacy settings

How to use Alexa with smart home devices

Alexa smart light colors
You lot can utilise Alexa to change your colored smart LED bulbs to any of 123 colors; here'due south a listing of all the colors.

How to connect a Nest Thermostat to Amazon Alexa
Voice control your Nest smart home thermostat by connecting the Amazon Repeat to it. Simply first yous'll want to connect the Echo to IFTTT.

How to connect your Ecobee to Alexa
The Amazon Echo directly supports the Ecobee smart thermostats correct out of the box.

How to connect WeMo smart plugs to Alexa
The WeMo smart plugs are the best smart plugs, and are useful for turning a lamp or light into a smart device. Here'due south how to control them with Alexa.

How to create an Alexa smart home routine
You can take Alexa plow on (or off) connected smart home devices at sure times, or when you say a specific phrase. Here's how to set upwards a routine.

How to fix and use Alexa Baby-sit
Alexa Guard can let you know when information technology hears a concerning sound in your home. Did you know the best skill for keeping your dwelling house safety is too free?

How to use Alexa to play music and podcasts

How to play Apple podcasts on an Amazon Echo speaker
Listen to your favorite Apple podcasts with any Echo speaker

How to apply Alexa for smart TV and streaming

How to use a Burn down Goggle box Stick
hither'due south our guide for how to employ the Fire Boob tube Stick, which is 1 of the company'southward most popular and affordable streaming device

How to use Alexa for reading books

How to get Alexa to read you lot a book
Alexa can read select Amazon Kindle books to you. Here's how.

How to use Alexa to increase productivity

Other fun things to do with Alexa

How to prepare the Amazon Echo
The best smart speakers to buy
How to sentinel birds using a security camera and a smart brandish

Kate Kozuch is a senior writer at Tom'southward Guide roofing wearables, TVs and everything smart-home related. When she's not in cyborg way, y'all can find her on an practise bike or channeling her inner celebrity chef. She and her robot ground forces will rule the globe i day, but until and so, reach her at kate.kozuch@futurenet.com.