What Is Alexa and What Can It Do?

Alexa is Amazon's voice assistant. It lives inside Amazon Echo devices and responds when you say 'Alexa' followed by a question or command. Here is a sample of what you can do with it:

• Ask questions: "Alexa, what is the weather today?" or "Alexa, what time is it?"
• Play music: "Alexa, play some jazz" or "Alexa, play WBAL radio"
• Set reminders and timers: "Alexa, remind me to take my medication at 8 AM" or "Alexa, set a timer for 20 minutes"
• Control smart home devices: "Alexa, turn off the living room lights" or "Alexa, set the thermostat to 70 degrees"
• Make calls: "Alexa, call Mom" — if you have contacts set up
• Shop on Amazon: "Alexa, order more paper towels"

What You Need Before You Start

Setup is quick when you have these things ready.

• Your Amazon Echo device (any model — Echo Dot, Echo, Echo Show, etc.)
• The power adapter that came with the Echo
• A smartphone (iPhone or Android) with the Amazon Alexa app installed — download it free from the App Store or Google Play
• An Amazon account — if you do not have one, you can create one free at amazon.com
• Your home Wi-Fi network name and password

Setting Up Your Amazon Echo

The setup process takes about 10 minutes and is guided entirely by the Alexa app.

1. 1Plug the Echo into a power outlet using the included adapter and wait for the orange light ring to appear — this means it is ready to set up
2. 2Open the Alexa app on your phone and sign in with your Amazon account
3. 3Tap the Devices icon at the bottom of the screen (it looks like a house)
4. 4Tap the plus (+) button in the upper right corner, then tap Add Device
5. 5Select Amazon Echo from the list, then select your specific model
6. 6Follow the on-screen instructions — the app will connect your phone to the Echo's temporary Wi-Fi network automatically
7. 7Select your home Wi-Fi network from the list and enter your password
8. 8Wait for the Echo to connect — the light ring will turn blue and then Alexa will greet you when setup is complete

Getting Started: Useful Things to Try First

Once your Echo is set up, here are some commands to try that most people find immediately useful.

• "Alexa, what is the weather today?" — great for checking the forecast each morning
• "Alexa, set a timer for 10 minutes" — perfect for cooking
• "Alexa, play relaxing music" — Alexa will start playing music through Amazon Music (free tier available)
• "Alexa, what is on my calendar today?" — works if you connect your Google or Outlook calendar in the Alexa app
• "Alexa, turn off" — puts Alexa into do not disturb mode temporarily
• "Alexa, help" — Alexa will explain what it can do

Connecting Alexa to Smart Home Devices

One of the most powerful things Alexa can do is control other smart home devices — lights, thermostats, locks, and more. Here is how to connect them.

1. 1In the Alexa app, tap the Devices icon at the bottom
2. 2Tap the plus (+) button and select Add Device
3. 3Select the type of device you want to add (Light, Thermostat, Lock, etc.)
4. 4Select the brand (Philips Hue, Nest, Ring, etc.)
5. 5Follow the instructions to link your account for that brand
6. 6Once linked, Alexa will discover all compatible devices automatically
7. 7You can then control them by voice: "Alexa, turn on the kitchen lights"

Privacy: Managing What Alexa Hears

Alexa is always listening for its wake word ('Alexa'), which some people find concerning. Here is how to manage your privacy.

• Mute the microphone: Press the microphone button on top of the Echo to turn off the microphone. The light ring will turn red to show it is muted. Alexa will not respond to voice commands while muted.
• Review and delete voice recordings: In the Alexa app, go to More, then Settings, then Alexa Privacy to review and delete your voice history
• Turn off voice purchasing: In the Alexa app, go to More, then Settings, then Account Settings, then Voice Purchasing to require a confirmation code before Alexa can place orders