In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the most useful commands and skills that you can use with your Echo device and Alexa. Note that you can enable any Alexa skill by simply saying “Alexa, enable the NameOfSkill skill” .
54. Ask Alexa About Her Skills
If you’re not sure what you can ask Alexa, just say “ Alexa, what things can I try? ” and she’ll start telling you different commands you can speak. If you want to know what kinds of skills Alexa has that you can enable without having to look them up online, just ask “ Alexa, what are your most popular skills? “.
If you want specific skills, you can ask about those too. For example, you can ask “ Alexa, what are you games skills? ” or “ Alexa, what are your smart home skills? “, etc.
53. Brew A Cup Of Coffee
52. Learn A Bit Of History
51. Can You Say That Again?
Reconfirm what was said by saying, “ Alexa, can you repeat that? ” or, “ Alexa, can you say that again? ” This high-tech personal assistant repeats what she said as many times as a user needs. Interested in looking up recent responses? Then check out the Home tab of the Alexa app. The user can also listen to the recordings of all the things that have been said to Alexa to-date.
50. Change The Wake Word
49. ChatBot Skill
Consumers that are active at work when they’re on-the-go will find the Chat Bot Skill pivotal to increasing productivity. By enabling the ChatBot skill, workers can audibly request Alexa to post on their behalf.
48. Check Capital One Bank Balance
If the user has a Capital One card, then checking their balance is hands-free. Just by saying “ Alexa, open Capital One ,” a consumer is able to check their account details: from checking your current balance to viewing available credit and cash on hand to seeing credit card due dates and recent transactions.
47. Check Stocks
Just by saying, “ Alexa, ask Opening Bell, ” a consumer is able to check the stock market. Furthermore, ask Alexa for the price of a stock using the company’s name instead of its symbol. By and large, the data from this service is provided by Market On Demand. Additionally, TD Ameritrade offers a similar skill.
46. Clean The Apartment or House
Enable the cleaning function along with the Neato Botvac Connected, the iRobot Roomba 690, 890, and 960, or the Samsung PowerBot VR7000 series. In this way, cleaning becomes handsfree. By saying “ Alexa, start cleaning ,” the high-tech assistant communicates with the wireless vacuum. As a result, the vacuum immediately goes to work cleaning the apartment or house.
45. Connect With Your FitBit
The Fitbit skill lets a consumer ask, “ Alexa how many steps have I taken? ” or “ How well did I sleep? “. Users can also check how they did on other metrics recorded by their Fitbit activity tracker. Alexa is a savvy trainer too that is ready to talk the consumer through their workout.
44. Control The Thermostat
Smart thermostats like the Nest Learning Thermostat , Honeywell Lyric , and Ecobee are connectable to Alexa. Thanks to which, changing temperatures is simpler than ever. Specifically, Ecobee4 has Alexa built into it.
43. Create Distinctive Voice Profiles
Setting up voice profiles enables Alexa to distinguish who is issuing the command. As a result, it provides personalized results. By listening to a particular voice and asking, “ Alexa, what’s on my calendar? ” Alexa replies with upcoming events from the voice profile’s calendar. Then if another voice asks “ Alexa play music “, it will then select music based on their voice profile’s personal preferences. Read about how to create a voice profile here.
42. Create Reminders
Alexa, like a personal assistant, helps in reminding the user of their aforementioned personal tasks and errands. Therefore, tell Alexa exactly what you need to remember and it will remind you of that said task and time. To create a reminder, just say the task and its time such as, “ Alexa, remind me to workout at 10 a.m. every Monday ”
41. Create Routines For Multiple Commands
There are strings of commands which encompass particular times of the day. For instance, the user can create a routine for the phrase Good Morning . A string of commands could be linked together into a routine. Therein, when the user wakes up and says “Good morning,” the routine turns on the lights, start the coffee maker, speaks the morning weather, and starts the car to warm it up. Currently, they only work for smart home devices, news, traffic and weather updates.
To create a routine, open the Alexa app, go to Settings , then tap on Routines .
A list of everything recorded appears. To delete a recording from that list, tap it, then tap Delete voice recordings .
39. Exclusive Deals
38. Explore Space
The Red Planet poses plenty of questions while igniting a curiosity and the NASA Mars skill keeps users abreast with the goings-on of the Curiosity rover. It also delivers answers to commonly asked questions about the Red Planet.
There are also a couple of other great skills too like NASA Breaking News , NASA New s and Daily Dose of Space and Space Facts .
37. Test Your Music Skills
Love listening to music? Well, why not test out how good you are at identifying songs and artists by playing the Song Quiz skill . It plays music from every decade starting from the 60’s. You can also play against someone else for true competition.
36. Get First Aid
Providing basic first aid answers, The Mayo Clinic released a skill checklist for first-aid from minor scratches to CPR. For instructional purposes only, this function briefs the user on vital life-saving techniques. It’s not to be used in a life-threatening or emergency situation though. In that case, it’s best to call 911.
35. Get Help
Tell your loved ones and significant others that you need help. While this is no substitute for 911, it is a service that quickly connects to your support system. When you can’t reach your phone, the Ask My Buddy skill sends an emergency notification by text, SMS or phone call to a preselected person. Another good one is SafeTrek .
34. Get Rules For Board Games
The Board Game Answers skill lets Alexa remind the user of the directions for popular games. If further clarification is needed during a game, then call out, “ Alexa, ask Board Games who goes first in Monopoly .” Enabling the Board Game Answers command, Alexa becomes an on-hand digital referee that’s all ears.
33. Get Recipes
The Campbell’s Kitchen skill and command is by far the most popular function to find recipes, along with the AllRecipes skill . Five recipes are featured daily on the Campbell’s Kitchen skill. Most importantly, after selecting a recipe, the ingredients and directions are sent to the user’s Alexa app.
32. Get A Weather Report
The Big Sky skill offers local forecasts based on the user’s street address. Using information from Dark Sky, data such as wind speed and humidity is provided. Overall, Alexa also has built-in support for weather forecasts. Just say “ Alexa, tell me the weather .”
31. Get The News
A 5-minute briefing of the day’s headlines, which is updated every hour, is available on The NPR News Now skill. Likewise, CNN, the Associated Press, and the BBC offer similar skill functions as well.
30. Find Your Phone
With Alexa, a consumer has immediate assistance in finding their phone using their voice. According to the reviews, the phone will ring even if it is on silent. It may not work, though, if your phone is in Do Not Disturb mode. You can also add multiple people by name to call different phones instead of just one.
29. Hear Your Horoscope
Daily Zodiac readings are available in several different apps. The Elle magazine’s Astro Twins skill provides one of the most popular horoscope readings. Once the skill is enabled, the user is able to receive personalized horoscopes from the Astro Twins. These identical twin sisters provide daily readings. Other good skills for horoscopes are Daily Taro Reading and Astral Nina Daily Horoscope .
28. Hear a Motivational Quote
Receive insight and motivation from the Inspire Me skill . Serving inspirational quotes from famous people, from Maya Angelou to Christopher Walken, users are never at a loss for wise words. Uniquely, the quotes are spoken by the individuals themselves rather than via Alexa, which enriches the experience.
27. Listen To A Podcast
26. Call Another Alexa Device
It’s possible to make voice or video calls to and from other Alexa-enabled devices. Compatible devices, for example, include the Echo, Echo Dot, Echo Show, as well as the Alexa app on the user’s smartphone.
In detail, Alexa pilfers your address book to find compatible devices, and then it offers the option of calling or texting them. Just say “ Alexa, make a call ” or “ Alexa, send a message “.
25. Make Individual Profiles
It’s important to realize that additional members doesn’t mean there are separate shopping or to-do lists. However, it does allow the ability to share content libraries. It’s also worth noting that this command allows those additional members permission to use the primary Prime account to order items.
24. Meditate
Get aligned with your breath and clear your mind with Stop, Breathe & Think, Meditation Timer . This function starts off by asking how long you want to meditate for. It also plays the sounds of forest, rain, or surf to relax.
23. Mix A Drink
Drink connoisseurs will enjoy the Bartender skill . This command gives the user access to more than 12,000 different cocktail recipes. Plus, by asking “ Alexa surprise me with a randomly selected drink “, the user will receive a sporadic drink suggestion.
21. Request A Ride
Once a consumer has set up an account with Uber or Lyft and the payment options are fulfilled, they can request a driver from Alexa. By saying, “ Alexa, ask Lyft to request a ride ” a consumer is nearly ready-to-go. While your wish is Alexa’s command, the ride fare is debited automatically from your account.
20. Order Pizza
By setting up an Easy Order and enabling the Domino’s Pizza skill , the consumer can order pizza effortlessly. By saying “Alexa, open Domino’s and place my Easy Order,” the pizza is ordered. Furthermore, the consumer can check the status of their order on the Domino’s Tracker updates. Pizza Hut also has an Alexa skill if you want to order from there.
19. Order Flowers
Simply saying, “ Alexa, tell 1-800-Flowers to send flowers to Mom ,” the user is able to expeditiously send a Mother’s Day gift. First off, a 1-800-Flowers account is required to enable this skill. Once the consumer is connected, they can easily order a bouquet. To be noted, the user needs to tell the company the addresses for the contacts, the arrangement style, and the preferred size. On the whole, payment info needs to be entered ahead of an order.
18. Pair Alcoholic Beverages With Food
Beverage recommendations based on what you are eating are suggested by MySomm . In sum, hundreds of recommendations in regards to ‘what goes with what’ are available. To activate the function, say “ Alexa, ask Wine Gal to recommend a wine for a Pesto Fettuccine. ”
17. Personal Trainer
Training gets a whole lot easier when the user asks, “ Alexa, start the 7-minute workout . ” This function suggests reportedly tested exercises that’ll increase metabolism, improve energy and reduce fat. For the consumer who needs to make the most of their time, Alexa’s Personal Trainer function is a great tool.
16. Plan A Get-Away
Just like an assistant, Alexa is capable of helping consumers book travel on Kayak.com . By specifically telling Alexa the budget you’re working with, a more concise search is made. To utilize this travel-savvy feature, a consumer need only inquire “ Alexa, ask Kayak where I can go for $400. ”
15. Play & Stream Music
14. Play Games
Another popular game that is an Alexa skill is Yes Sire , where you are the lord of a realm and have to make many decisions.
13. Pregnancy Advice
New moms will love the Everyday Health’s What to Expect skill for Alexa. In essence, it provides daily and weekly tips, guides, and advice for expectant parents. Moreover, it’s customized to the due date of the pregnancy. In the long run, it’s capable of providing advice for the first year of your newborn’s life, too.
12. Program A Song As An Alarm
Wake-up to the preselected soundtrack of your choice. This is accomplished by telling Alexa to play a song, radio station, or music genre at a particular time. For instance, “ Alexa, wake me up to Classic Rock music at 6 am. ”
11. Send Voice Messages
Any contact of yours who also owns an Echo, Echo Dot or Echo Show and has enabled calling is displayed in the Alexa contacts list. Send a message by saying, “ Alexa, send [name] a message. ” The message will send to the respective Echo device and Alexa app on the recipient’s phone.
10. Start Your Car
Start your car and warm it up before you get inside. Select Hyundai autos with the Blue Link feature can be started remotely. Moreover, one can lock and unlock the doors. The driver can change the interior temperature and turn on the horn and lights, by using the Blue Link Skill . Mercedes, BMW, and Ford vehicles offer similar skills too.
9. Get a Good Night’s Rest
The most used function on most Echo devices is playing some kind of music or sounds. If you have trouble sleeping, one of the most popular skills of all time on the Echo is Zen Sounds: Healing Sounds. The audio is of high quality and consists of 1 hour streams rather than short little audio clips.
Another one of my favorites is Ambient Sounds , which consists of thunderstorms, rain, ocean, bubbling brooks, and lots more.
8. Solves Quick Math Problems
Quick calculations or conversions, especially while cooking or dealing with foreign currencies can be problematic. Yet with Alexa, currencies or measurements are easily converted. Even mathematic equations are solved without the need for a calculator. Difficult tasks are solved by asking “ Alexa, how many ounces are in a liter? ” or “ Alexa, convert 10 dollars to pound. ”
7. Tell A Bedtime Story
Just by saying “ Alexa, tell a bedtime story to [child’s name] ” parents have an instantaneous storyteller at beck and call. Alexa is capable of helping with story time. Moreover, the Bedtime Story skill is ultimately personalized to the child’s preference.
6. Tune A Guitar
Enable the Guitar Tuner skill to use Alexa like a pitch pipe and tune strings on a guitar. Ultimately, Alexa plays a tune and the user has to tune their strings until its sound matches the note played. This is a clever musical tool.
5. Turn The Lights Off
By saying, “ Alexa turn off my connected lights ,” the user is able to turn off the lights without moving. A key point to remember is that the consumer needs a connected device like a WeMo smart plug for this skill to work. Other companies like Lutron , Samsung SmartThings , Philips Hue and Control4 offer similar skills for turning off the lights too.
3. Use It As An Intercom
Utilize this intercom option to pipe into Echo speakers that are placed within a house. Providing a direct line of communication to the Echo devices around the house, messages are relayed quickly. Say, “ Alexa, drop in on the living room ,” then whatever is said will be played through the Echo speaker in the living room.
2. Watch TV
By connecting Alexa to a Logitech Harmony remote, voice-activated commands eliminate the need to push buttons. By saying, “ Alexa, turn on my TV ” or “ Alexa, pause ,” the command is automatically sent and received. Additionally, Dish customers are quite capable of controlling their satellite TV box using Alexa as well.
1. Word Of The Day
Learn something new every day with the Word Of The Day skill. On the whole, increasing vocabulary is more interesting with the Word Of The Day function. This smart command shares the definition of the word and it also uses the word in a sentence.
Whew! That’s a lot of commands and skills! I’m sure this list will be out of date within a year, so I’ll be sure to come back and update it with new features and skills that Alexa will gain. Enjoy!
- How to Create Alexa Skills for Your Business or Employees
- How to Create Skills With Alexa Blueprints
- How to Shop With Alexa for All Your Shopping
- 10 Cool Alexa Tricks to Try With Your Amazon Echo
- How to Change Alexa Language to Spanish and Other Languages
However, you may be looking for something in particular. Maybe you want a trivia game about your family, a fairy tale where your child is the star character or a guide to your home and neighborhood for a houseguest.
Well, guess what? You can make your own skill using Alexa blueprints. Here’s how!
Browse Alexa Skill Blueprints
Select a blueprint to view more details and check out examples. This helps you see how the babysitter blueprint can help when you’re away, or the family jokes blueprint can liven up quality time.
If you find one you want, pick Make Your Own on the skill information screen.
Create a Skill
The steps are the same whether you’re creating a skill with a blueprint on the web or on your mobile device. However, those steps may differ depending on the type of blueprint you select.
For instance, you’ll enter different information for a birthday trivia skill compared to one for flashcards, the pet sitter, or bedtime stories. You can see these steps when you select a blueprint to view its details.
To show you just how easy it is, we’ll create one on each device.
Make a Chore Chart Skill on the Web
For this first example, we’ll use the Chore Chart blueprint to create a skill on the website. This skill helps keep track of household chores and who is responsible for each one.
- Visit the Alexa Blueprints website, sign into your Amazon account, and choose a blueprint.
- As described above, select Make Your Own directly below the skill name. If you see a short tutorial for building the skill, choose Start Now when you get to the end.
- Next, you’ll be prompted to replace the details for the skill with your own. For the Chore Chart, we’ll fill in the names of our household members and chores.
- Select Next on the top right to move to the next step.
- Here again, you may be asked to enter more details for the skill. For the Chore Chart blueprint, we assign the chores to the household members. Just keep in mind that the number of prompts and requested details depend on the exact skill and blueprint.
- Select Next to continue.
- One step that you’ll find in most blueprints is for customizing the experience. This refers to how you interact with Alexa for that particular skill. For instance, you can enter introduction phrases for when someone opens the skill and then other phrases for when someone completes a chore. These are the phrases Alexa uses for that specific skill.
- Select Next to finish entering the details.
- The final step in creating a skill is to give it a name. Try to use something meaningful that you’ll remember but also something simple enough for Alexa to recognize.
- Select Next one last time to create the skill.
After a few moments to process all the information, your skill should be ready to use!
Make a Whose Turn Skill in the Mobile App
For this next example, we’ll use the Whose Turn blueprint to create a skill in the Alexa app. This skill prompts Alexa to choose whose turn it is to do something.
- Open the Alexa app on Android or iOS and select the More tab.
- Pick See More in the top section and choose Blueprints .
- Browse the options by category, just like on the website. Then, select the one you want to use and tap Make Your Own .
- Replace the details for the skill with your own. For the Whose Turn skill, we’ll add the names for Alexa’s choices.
- Tap Next on the top right to continue.
- The next step for the Whose Turn skill is to personalize the experience. This allows you to customize how Alexa picks a name. After you ask a question, Alexa uses the phrases and sound effects you select in this section. Optionally, you can scroll down for additional customization options.
- Tap Next to name your custom skill.
- Select the text on the name line to edit it or enter your own. Again, pick a meaningful name and one that’s easy for Alexa to recognize.
- Tap Next to create the skill.
You’ll see the progress as your skill is created and a confirmation when the process completes. You can tap the X on the top right to exit when you finish reviewing your skill.
Edit Skills You Create
Once you create a skill using Alexa Blueprints, you may want to make adjustments to it. You can do this on the web and in the mobile app too.
Your Skills on the Web
- Visit the Alexa Blueprints website and sign in. Select Skills You’ve Made at the top.
- You’ll see a list of your skills. Choose Details to the right to open the one you want to edit.
- On the right side, select Edit or Delete . You’ll notice you can also pick Share With Others to make it easy for your family or friends to access or Publish to Skills Store for other Alexa users.
Your Skills in the Mobile App
You can edit your custom skills easily in the Alexa mobile app as well.
- Go to the Menu tab.
- Select See More > Blueprints .
- On the Your Skills tab, select the blueprint you want to edit.
- Use the buttons at the bottom to make your changes.
Take Advantage of Alexa Blueprints
Even though there are many premade skills you can pick from, creating your own Alexa skills gives you great ways to personalize the experience on your Alexa devices, get tasks done, or have a little fun !
- How to Create Alexa Skills for Your Business or Employees
- How to Shop With Alexa for All Your Shopping
- 10 Cool Alexa Tricks to Try With Your Amazon Echo
- How to Change Alexa Language to Spanish and Other Languages
- Why Alexa Is Flashing Yellow, Green, and What Does it Mean?
