Instructions On How To Set Up Alexa

How to apply Alexa: Tips, tricks and full general instructions

How to use Alexa: Tips, tricks and general instructions

(Image credit: Tom'southward Guide)

Knowing how to utilize Alexa will assistance you lot make the most of your virtual banana. Alexa, the brain that powers all the best Alexa speakers, is an nugget in your smart home as long as you lot're using it properly.

Alexa is available in all shapes and sizes. If you own whatsoever Echo speaker, including the fourth-generation Amazon Echo, Amazon Repeat Dot, and Amazon Repeat Bear witness 10, the Alexa vox assistant is ready for you to employ.

When you know the best Alexa skills, you tin can enquire the assistant to navigate you to a destination, keep track your schedule, social club products off of Amazon, read books, find local restaurants and respond your questions.

Several third-party gadgets have Alexa built in, too, especially in the smart home category. All of the all-time Alexa uniform devices, be them the best smart light bulbs or best smart plugs, can be controlled using Alexa.

The vocalism-controlled assistant lives inside the Burn down Tv set Cube and other Amazon streaming devices, too. There's as well a free companion app for Android and iOS devices that shows you how to use Alexa wherever you lot are, and then you tin can control the best smart home devices while yous're out.

You'll want to brand sure you're taking full reward of this personal assistant. These tips on how to employ Alexa will help yous set up your Alexa speaker, connect it to your smart home devices, play music, and much more.

How to use Alexa — (Image credit: Tom's Guide)

How to ready Alexa

All-time Alexa speakers
Before you lot buy an Alexa-enabled speaker, brand sure you're getting the one that best suits your needs and budget.

How to set up the Amazon Echo
The Amazon Repeat is the company'due south flagship smart speaker. Here are our instructions for getting information technology up and running.

How to set up Amazon Echo Dot
The Echo Dot is Amazon's least expensive and nearly popular Alexa speaker. Here's how to get it set.

How to set Amazon Echo Dot with Clock
It'southward not all that much different from the standard, third-generation Echo Dot. But the added LED display supports certain settings yous might not know about.

How to change Alexa's voice
Give Alexa a different emphasis, use a completely different language or switch to Alexa's male voice.

Alexa tricks and easter eggs
Amazon's Alexa tin continue yous and your family entertained if you know the right words.

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

How to employ Alexa to make voice and video calls

How to manage Alexa settings for kids

I use this one Alexa skill to go along my child from waking us up too early
Pair your Alexa device with an Echo Glow to keep your child in bed.

How to manage Alexa privacy settings

How to utilise Alexa with smart dwelling devices

Alexa smart light colors
Yous tin use Alexa to change your colored smart LED bulbs to any of 123 colors; here's a list of all the colors.

How to connect a Nest Thermostat to Amazon Alexa
Vocalization command your Nest smart home thermostat by connecting the Amazon Echo to it. Only first y'all'll want to connect the Echo to IFTTT.

How to connect your Ecobee to Alexa
The Amazon Echo directly supports the Ecobee smart thermostats right 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's how to command them with Alexa.

How to create an Alexa smart dwelling routine
You can accept Alexa plow on (or off) connected smart home devices at sure times, or when yous say a specific phrase. Here's how to gear up a routine.

How to set up and use Alexa Guard
Alexa Baby-sit can let you know when information technology hears a apropos sound in your domicile. Did you know the best skill for keeping your home safety is also free?

How to use Alexa to play music and podcasts

How to play Apple podcasts on an Amazon Repeat speaker
Mind to your favorite Apple podcasts with whatsoever Repeat speaker

How to use Alexa for smart TV and streaming

How to use a Burn down Television set Stick
hither's our guide for how to use the Fire TV Stick, which is one of the company's most popular and affordable streaming device

How to use Alexa for reading books

How to get Alexa to read you lot a volume
Alexa can read select Amazon Kindle books to y'all. Here'south how.

How to utilise Alexa to increase productivity

Other fun things to practice with Alexa

How to set up the Amazon Repeat
The best smart speakers to buy
How to scout birds using a security camera and a smart display

Kate Kozuch is a senior writer at Tom's Guide covering wearables, TVs and everything smart-dwelling house related. When she's non in cyborg mode, you tin find her on an exercise wheel or channeling her inner celebrity chef. She and her robot regular army will dominion the globe one 24-hour interval, but until then, achieve her at kate.kozuch@futurenet.com.