We are firmly in the era of smart speakers. Maybe you trust Siri or the assistant built into your phone, but you probably also have a full-fledged AI assistant in your home.
Alexa, incorporated into Amazon Echo, is everywhere. If you have an Echo, there’s a good chance that Alexa will drive you crazy once or twice with follow-up questions. Tap or click here to get 5 quick fixes for Amazon Echo annoyances.
While you’re tweaking the settings, don’t ignore security. Tap or click to get the essential privacy settings that you should check now, including who can turn on your Echo’s camera and see what you’re doing.
With that adjusted, here is an inspiration for new fun, useful and smart ways to use your smart speaker.
1. Use Alexa to make calls
Stop holding the phone when making a call and use Echo as a speakerphone. Put Alexa to work. You can call most landline and cell phone numbers here in the USA
- Open the Alexa app and tap To communicate, then the Contacts icon, followed by Manage contacts icon.
- Touch Add contact and enter a name and number. Repeat for all other contacts you want to add.
- You can also choose Important contacts to make it easier.
- Do you have a number but no contact information? Just say the number and Alexa will make the call.
Sign up for technical tips in your inbox.
2. Tell Alexa to watch out for thieves
Alexa Guard is like a pair of ears that you can leave at home. Your Echo device will hear sounds and alert you as needed.
- Open the Alexa app and tap the Most icon in the lower right corner, then settings.
- Touch Guard > Configure sound detection.
- Toggle the smart alerts you want to activate and tap confirm.
When you are leaving home, say: “Alexa, I am leaving”. When you get home, say, “Alexa, I’m home”.
3. Use Alexa as an intercom in your home
Do you remember those old intercom systems in larger houses? Think of this command as the modern version.
Just say “Alexa, appear on all devices”. Wait for the tone and then speak. You can also target just one device, saying, “Alexa, show up [device name]. “
4. Watch your favorite show or movie
With an Echo Show or Spot and an Amazon Prime Video account, you can watch and stream straight to your smart speaker. If you don’t have a Prime Video account, try it free for 30 days with this link. You can also stream Netflix, Hulu, NBC and other services.
Try commands like “Show me my video library”, “Show me (title)” or “Show me movies with (actor)”.
5. Ask Alexa to share a photo of you
If you have an Echo device with a screen, such as Show, you can take a picture and send it to another Echo user.
- Open the Alexa app and tap To communicate, then the Share camera icon.
- Touch Camera and take your selfie.
- Select a contact or device and tap Share.
6. Tell Alexa to lock the doors, including the garage door
Protect your doors with just a few words. You will need a smart lock to do this. Tap or click here to see our list of the best smart locks. If you are looking for a smart garage door opener, the Chamberlain MYQ it is an affordable and reliable option.
The instructions for configuring the lock and garage door may vary, but you will probably say: “Alexa, lock the (front door)”. You will have to work a little harder to set up voice commands for the garage. See the steps here.
7. Make Alexa start your audiobook
You may be used to listening to audiobooks on your phone with a pair of headphones, but Alexa can also play your book.
- Open the Alexa app and tap the Touch button.
- Next to Audible Library, tap see it all. Choose your book and then select which speaker you want it to play on.
- Or say, “Alexa, read [title of book] Audible. “
Not an Audible member? You can try Audible Plus for 30 days free.
8. Tell Alexa that you need white noise to sleep
Snoring husband? Or you may not be able to stop hearing all the creaking and groaning in your home.
Search for “white noise” or “sleep sounds” in the Alexa app and enable the ones you prefer or say “Alexa, play sleep sounds” for some options.
Try to be more specific, like “Alexa, touch sleep looks like rain”. Soothing!
9. Ask Alexa for news from sources you trust
You can ask Alexa to play the news, but what if you want a specific source? You can configure this.
- Open the Alexa app and tap the Most icon then settings.
- Scroll down to select News, then touch To edit beside My news channel.
- Add the channels you want.
When you want to hear the news, say: “Alexa, play the news from [news source]. “
10. Lost your phone? Ask Alexa to find you
When you can’t find your phone, you usually ask someone else in your house to call you, right? What if you are alone and do not have access to another phone? Alexa can help.
- Open the Alexa app and tap the Most icon then Skills and games.
- To search for Find my phone and choose from the list of skills.
- Touch Throw to configure the skill.
11. Change Alexa’s voice or accent
Mix it up if the default voice got old.
- Open the Alexa app and tap the Most icon then settings.
- Touch Device configurationif you select your Echo device.
- Touch Tongue and select from the list of languages and options and tap OK.
12. Play more than 5,000 games with Alexa
Think of a game that you grew up playing. There is a good chance that it is an Alexa skill. Simply say, “Alexa, open [name of the game]. “
There’s tic-tac-toe, bingo, rock paper scissors, blackjack, 20 questions, memory game, escape from the room, true or false, Jeopardy !, Heads Up !, Deal or No Deal, categories, dice and more.
Make sure to check if the skill costs money before you enable it.
13. Start your day with a personalized Alexa routine
Routines save you time by putting together a lot of actions. You can create customized routines with Alexa to start the day or relax after work.
- Open the Alexa app and tap the Most icon.
- Touch Routines > Create Routine and add a name and commands with actions
- You can also go to Routines > Emphasis to get some ideas and inspirations.
Need help? We guide you through the process step by step here.
14. Make Alexa smile with a joke
Alexa’s repertoire ranges from tacky to ridiculous. Use your imagination or start with any of these:
- Alexa, can you tell me a “yo mama” joke?
- Alexa, what happens if you step on a Lego?
- Alexa, why did the chicken cross the road?
- Alexa, tell me a joke.
15. Remind Alexa of important events
If you don’t want to pick up your phone, Alexa can remember specific dates and events for you.
Say “Alexa, remember …” followed by everything you would like her to follow. For example, “Alexa, remember that I have a doctor’s appointment at 9 am on Wednesday” or “Alexa, remember that I put the check on the nightstand”.
16. “Alexa, adjust the volume to [number between 1 and 10]”
Echo’s speakers have volume buttons on the top to adjust audio levels, but you don’t have to get up and go to the speaker to change it. Instead, you can just tell Alexa at what volume level you want her to play.
Try experimenting with different levels to see which one you like best. You can also ask Alexa to “Set the volume to 11,” that maximizes the volume completely. It is a sneaky reference to a classic film. Can you guess?
17. Who is this actor?
You can ask Alexa to identify an actor from a movie you are watching. Say: “Alexa, who plays [character] at the [movie or show]? ”Just be sure to say the name of the character and the title of the show or movie clearly.
18. End a discussion or learn something new
If you are the type who loves to resolve discussions on the fly, this command is for you. Just ask Alexa to “Wikipedia” a topic you want to discuss and she will read a preview of the full article aloud.
19. Identify a song on the spot
With this command, you can ask Alexa to identify a song that is playing on the speaker. Ask “Alexa, who sings this song?” or “When was this song released?” This is useful if you put up a playlist that you’re not familiar with or if you like listening to new artists. To activate this feature, just say “Turn on Song ID. “ You can also ask her to disable the feature if she no longer wants to use it, saying “Turn off the Song ID.”
20. One more for movie nerds
Alexa is a great resource for curiosities and pop culture. Asking her about specific films will give you a brief overview of the film’s director, the starred actors and the plot. It will even tell you the IMDb rating. Ask “Alexa, tell me about the movie 20 smart new Alexa commands for your Amazon Echo. “
NEED A HAND WITH A SLOW PC, SMARTPHONE PROBLEMS OR A SOFTWARE PROBLEM YOU CANNOT CRACK? Post your technology questions to get concrete answers from me and other technology professionals. Visit my question and answer forum and get technical help now.
What digital lifestyle questions do you have? Call Kim’s national radio show and tap or click here to find it on your local radio station. You can listen or watch Kim Komando Show on your phone, tablet, television or computer. Or tap or click here for Kim’s free podcasts.
By clicking on our links, you are supporting our research. As an Amazon associate, we earn a small commission on qualifying purchases. The recommendations are not part of any commercial incentive.