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Amazon always seems to be adding new features to Alexa and ways it can help you with different tasks. So even if you’ve been using the digital assistant for years, there may be a few things you’ve missed. You can quickly learn how to Use your Echo to call someonehow Connect Alexa to Wi-Fi and Bluetooth even How to Use Alexa in the KitchenThere are other Alexa settings you can try for a more personalized experience.
From the Amazon Echo Dot, the huge one Echoshow 15the groundbreaking Echo Studio or the rotating smart display in the Echoshow 10 — There are a lot of tweaks to make Alexa more useful. A few small changes can make a big difference. For example, you might want to update your privacy settings, including automatic delete recordings and disable the setting which allows Amazon employees to listen to those recordings.
Sometimes it can be a little daunting to dive into the settings of an advanced voice assistant, but Amazon has done a good job of making the settings page as self-explanatory as possible. While these changes may be simple, they can have a big impact on how well Alexa can work for you.
1. Update your Amazon Echo privacy settings
One of the first concerns when owning an Echo speaker is privacy. Luckily, Amazon roll out more privacy settingsincluding updates for both Ring and Echo products.
You can delete your entire history of voice recordings. To do this, open the Alexa app and go to Institutions > Alexa Privacy > Rating Vote HistoryThen tap the down arrow next to To display and then the arrow next to it Filter by date. Then tap All history > Delete all my recordings.
You can also prevent Amazon employees from listening to your voice recordings. In the Alexa app, go to Institutions > Alexa Privacy > Manage your Alexa dataSelect here Choose how long you want to store recordings > Do not save Recordings > To confirmThen scroll down to Help improve Alexaand turn on the Use of voice recordings.
For more safety tips about your smart home devices, read our privacy guide on how to keep Amazon, Google and Apple out of your conversations.
Look at this: Alexa gets new features to make it a better listener
2. Enable Shortcut Mode on your Amazon Echo
When you ask Alexa to do something, like play a song or turn on the lights, Alexa will say something like, “OK, turn on the lights.” This is to help you determine why Alexa did something if it wasn’t what you asked. If you don’t want Alexa to repeat what you just said, you can change that setting so that it plays a short sound instead of a spoken response.
To do this, open the Alexa app More menu and select Institutions. Under the Alexa Preferences section, tap Voting responsesthen turn on the switch for Short mode.
Turn on Brief Mode so your Echo plays a short sound instead of a spoken response.
3. Set up your favorite music streaming service
When you set up your Amazon Echo, the music service is set to Amazon Music by default. If you use Spotify, Apple Music, or another streamer, you can link your Echo to it.
Go to Institutions > Music & Podcasts, and then link to a service. On the same page, tap Standard services and switch to your favorite music provider. Now the Echo will play from the music streaming service of your choice when you say, “Alexa, play music.” Note that you can select default settings for family or personal listening.
4. Change Alexa’s wake word
If TV commercials keep waking up your Amazon Echo when they say “Alexa,” you can change the wake word to something less likely to wake the speaker. The other traditional options are Computer, Echo, and Amazon, but there are several newer additions to the wake word you can use like Ziggy And Hey, Disney.
If you want to make a change, just say “Alexa, change the wake word” and make your choice. You can also open the Alexa app, go to Institutions > Device settings. Select your device and then tap Institutions icon and select Wake Up Word to make a choice. Unfortunately, you can’t come up with a name for the speaker yourself, like “Tallulah” or “Digital Overlord.”
5. Enable voice purchasing on your Amazon Echo
You don’t always have time to search Amazon for something you’re out of, like toilet paper. That’s why it can be helpful to set up voice-activated purchasing on your Amazon Echo so Alexa can order products for you.
To get started, you’ll need to enable voice ordering and 1-click ordering. Open the Alexa app and navigate to Institutions > Account settings > Vote purchases > Purchase controls > Select who can make purchasesFor example, you can set up a voice code or profile so that only you can make purchases when you enter a four-digit code.
6. Set up household profiles on your Amazon Echo
If you have multiple people in your home, you’ll want to set up voice profiles for each member who uses the Echo speaker. This helps Alexa learn your voice and differentiate you from others in the home. To create voice profiles, visit Institutions > Your profile and family > Voting ID and follow the on-screen instructions.
You can check if your voice profile is set up correctly by asking, “Alexa, who am I?” The voice assistant will say, “I’m speaking to [your name].”
If you have any favorite tweaks and settings, share them in the comments. Now that you’ve updated these six Echo settings, here are Five Creative Uses for Your Amazon Echo Device, five essential tips for your new Echo device and CNET’s overview of all Alexa commands you can now give.
