If you have an Amazon Echo device but aren't sure what you can ask Alexa or how to manage your device, the Alexa app (iOS or Android) and website can come to your rescue. From the app, you can get suggestions on what to ask Alexa, change the wake word for your device, rename your Alexa device, and add or modify the location for your device.
The app and website offer similar features, and work with all models of the Echo, Echo Dot, and Echo Show. For the sake of simplicity (and added convenience), I will be using the app for this article. Here's how to manage your Echo device.
Discover Alexa Skills
Learn more about what you can ask Alexa by opening the app. Tap the More icon in the lower-right corner, then select Skills & Games.
Browse through skills to see what you can ask Alexa. The skills on the home screen are based on editor picks, recommended skills, premium skills, latest skills, trending skills, and more.
Tap the Categories heading up top to view specific categories of skills, such as Business & Finance, Education & Reference, Health & Fitness, News, Shopping, and Weather.
If you tap a category that interests you, the app will show you all the things you can ask Alexa in that category.
Curious about a particular skill but can't find it or don't see it listed? Tap the Search icon in the upper-right corner, enter a keyword or phrase, and conduct a search of the app.
Alexa will display skills that match your search term. You can then sort the results by relevance, average customer review, or release date.
Things to Try
You can discover even more that Alexa has to offer if you go to More > See More > Things to Try, which is separated into different categories, including music, audiobooks, skills, and more. Select a particular category you’d like to investigate.
Let’s try News & Information. This page shows a list of commands to give Alexa that involve news, sports, weather, and related topics. If you were to view the category for music, you’d find skills for Amazon Music, multi-room music, and music sharing.
Review Your Alexa History
If you have already asked Alexa certain questions that tap into her skills, you can see your prior questions. Tap More > Skills & Games > Your Skills to see a list of your previous questions to Alexa starting with the most recent ones. You can also sort the list alphabetically.
Tap a particular skill to see how to trigger it. You can also disable the skill from this page.
Write a Review
If you’re having trouble using a specific skill or you want to leave a review, select the skill and scroll to the bottom of the page. Tap the Write a Review button to create a public-facing review, or tap Send Feedback to write directly to Amazon about an issue.
Change the Wake Word
By default, your Alexa device responds when you say "Alexa," but you can change the wake word to something else. This option may be especially handy if you have more than one Alexa device in your home.
To do this, tap Devices in the app’s bottom navigation bar, then tap Echo & Alexa and select the device you want to use. Tap Device Settings in the upper-right corner (it looks like a gear) and tap Wake Word to select the new word you wish to use.
You can pick from Alexa, Amazon, Computer, Echo, and Ziggy. A message tells you that it will take a few minutes to update your wake word. Tap OK and your new wake word will appear. After the change has been made, use the new wake word to talk to the Echo device that you changed.
While you’re here, you can also enable a celebrity wake word, which uses the voice of a celebrity to answer your questions or respond to your requests. Turn on the switch next to the celebrity voice you wish to enable and then use the specific wake word or phrase to ask a question.
Change Alexa's Voice
You can also change Alexa’s voice under the Device Settings screen. Go to Devices > Echo & Alexa, then select the device you want to change. Tap Device Settings and this time go to Alexa’s Voice.
At the next screen, opt to keep Alexa’s original female voice or select New to switch to a male voice.
Rename an Alexa Device
You can also rename an Alexa device, which comes in handy if you have multiple devices. Open Devices > Echo & Alexa, then select the device you want. Tap Device Settings, then tap the Edit Name link under the default name. Now all you have to do is type a new name and tap Done.
Add or Change Location
Giving the device your address helps it find local information, such as nearby restaurants, movie theaters, and stores. To add or change it, open Devices > Echo & Alexa, select the device in question, and tap Device Settings > Device Location.
In the location screen, type your street address, city, state, and ZIP code. If you don't want to share your street address, simply add your ZIP code and the app will use your city and state as your location. Tap Save. Alexa verifies your address and may suggest an alternative or more accurate one. Choose the address you wish to use and tap Select. The new location will then appear on the Device Settings screen.
