Do I Need Alexa To Use Echo Dot

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

How to use Alexa: Tips, tricks and general instructions

(Prototype credit: Tom'southward Guide)

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

Alexa is available in all shapes and sizes. If yous ain any Echo speaker, including the 4th-generation Amazon Echo, Amazon Echo Dot, and Amazon Repeat Show x, the Alexa voice assistant is ready for you to use.

When you know the best Alexa skills, y'all tin ask the assistant to navigate you to a destination, keep runway your schedule, order products off of Amazon, read books, find local restaurants and reply your questions.

Several third-party gadgets have Alexa built in, likewise, especially in the smart dwelling category. All of the all-time Alexa compatible devices, exist them the best smart light bulbs or all-time smart plugs, tin be controlled using Alexa.

The vocalism-controlled assistant lives within the Burn down TV Cube and other Amazon streaming devices, likewise. There's also a free companion app for Android and iOS devices that shows you how to employ Alexa wherever you are, and so you can control the best smart habitation devices while you're out.

You'll want to make sure you're taking full advantage of this personal banana. These tips on how to utilize Alexa will help you prepare your Alexa speaker, connect it to your smart home devices, play music, and much more.

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

How to set up Alexa

Best Alexa speakers
Before y'all buy an Alexa-enabled speaker, make sure you're getting the 1 that best suits your needs and upkeep.

How to fix the Amazon Echo
The Amazon Echo is the visitor'due south flagship smart speaker. Hither are our instructions for getting it upwards and running.

How to set upwards Amazon Echo Dot
The Echo Dot is Amazon's least expensive and about popular Alexa speaker. Here'due south how to get information technology prepare.

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

How to modify Alexa'due south voice
Requite Alexa a different accent, employ a completely unlike language or switch to Alexa's male person voice.

Alexa tricks and easter eggs
Amazon's Alexa can keep yous and your family entertained if you lot know the right words.

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

How to use Alexa to make vocalization and video calls

How to manage Alexa settings for kids

I apply this 1 Alexa skill to keep my child from waking the states 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 utilize Alexa with smart habitation devices

Alexa smart low-cal colors
Yous can use Alexa to change your colored smart LED bulbs to any of 123 colors; here'south a list of all the colors.

How to connect a Nest Thermostat to Amazon Alexa
Voice command your Nest smart home thermostat by connecting the Amazon Echo to it. Just 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 right out of the box.

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

How to create an Alexa smart habitation routine
Y'all can have Alexa turn on (or off) continued smart dwelling house devices at certain times, or when you say a specific phrase. Here's how to set upward a routine.

How to gear up up and use Alexa Guard
Alexa Guard can let yous know when it hears a concerning sound in your home. Did you know the all-time skill for keeping your abode safety is as well complimentary?

How to use Alexa to play music and podcasts

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

How to use Alexa for smart Goggle box and streaming

How to apply a Burn Television receiver Stick
here'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 become Alexa to read yous a book
Alexa can read select Amazon Kindle books to yous. Here'due south how.

How to use Alexa to increase productivity

Other fun things to do with Alexa

How to gear up upward the Amazon Repeat
The best smart speakers to purchase
How to watch 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-home related. When she's not in cyborg manner, you lot can discover her on an exercise bike or channeling her inner celebrity chef. She and her robot army volition rule the world 1 twenty-four hour period, but until and so, reach her at kate.kozuch@futurenet.com.