Alexa is a voice-controlled virtual assistant technology that controls several smart devices around you as long as there is internet access using itself as a home automation system.
Alexa turns words into action by asking questions to get answers. Follow through this article to the end to learn how to set up routines on Alexa devices without any hassle. The process is quite simple and fast.
One of the most important features that Alexa provides is Routines. Routines allow you set up an entire range of actions and reactions based on the smart devices around you that are compatible with the Alexa ecosystem.
Routines allow you to set up customized voice commands, give customized responses to action, control smart home devices from various producers just as you want them to.
Alexa routines automatically make things happen (such as turning the music on or turning off the light) at a particular time daily, once Alexa gives a voice command, any time you get to a place or leaves a place or rather when your morning alarm goes off. This post will show you how you can set up routines on Alexa devices successfully.
Alexa can also provide information such as the weather report, sports scores, or even answer your burning questions on any of Amazon’s smart speakers or smart displays around you, as well as control smart home devices with just a voice command.
After creating automation, Alexa can regulate the heating from the smart thermostat, play a specific radio station via the Amazon Echo device itself and turn on your smart coffee machine.
You can also create a routine that has Alexa flash your smart lights in a particular color when the video doorbell is rung, or switch off the lights, lower the heating and turn on a robot vacuum when you inform it, you are heading out.
In other words, routines enable Alexa to do many things all at once, and the trigger for these actions most times is a voice command or an action from another device (like a smart doorbell).
All of these features can be set up using the Alexa smartphone app, and routines can be used with any of Amazon’s Echo smart speakers and displays.
You can use routines on Alexa to control all your smart home devices with just a single command or set them to turn on or off on a schedule. For instance, waking up in the morning, you could say, “Alexa, start my day”, and your smart plug will switch on the coffee machine as your smart speakers begin playing your morning playlist.
Check out how to change Alexa command or Wake’s Word.
You can simply set an Alexa routine to turn on your lights at a particular time that you usually come home every day. This post will show you how to set up routines on Alexa devices, share an Alexa routine, and also how set up a shared Alexa Routine. Read on to learn more.
How to Set Up Routines on Alexa Devices
To create an Alexa Routine, follow the steps below:
- Open the Alexa app (you can download the app from the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store).
- Click on the hamburger icon at the upper left corner.
- Navigate to the Menu and choose Routines.
- Click on the + icon in the top right corner to open a new Routine tab.
- Click “When this happens” to select how to trigger the Routine.
- Click “Add action” to set the actions you want to occur in response to the trigger.
- The action could be the lights coming on or Alexa reporting weather. You can add other multiple actions to a single routine.
- For smart home Routines, choose a smart home and then your installed device or sensor.
- Choose any options, for instance, “detects motion”.
- Click Messaging >> Send notification to receive a notification from a motion or contact sensor.
- To trigger another smart home device, navigate to smart home again and select what you want, for instance, to turn on a light.
- In case you want an Echo to do something you will get a “From” option where you can choose a device to act.
- Click on Save in the upper right corner to set up your brand new routine.
- After you have successfully set up routines on Alexa devices, you can test if it’s working by clicking the blue play button next to the routine name.
To change or delete a Routine, navigate to the Routines section in the Alexa app. Select a Routine listed in the Enabled section to make your changes. Once you can follow the steps above carefully, then you should be able to set up routines on Alexa devices all by yourself.
To share an Alexa routine, follow the steps below:
- Navigate to Routines in the Alexa app.
- Choose the Routine you want to share.
- Click on the Menu top right.
- Tap Share Routine.
- Send the Routine by text, email, or social media platform.
To make use of a shared Routine, follow the steps below:
- Tap the shared URL link on your mobile device.
- Follow the on-screen instructions step-by-step in your Alexa app.
- Search for options in yellow text, which displays more fields to complete setup.
The Best Alexa Routines
The following are the best Alexa routines you can add:
How to Keep your kids on schedule
Some parents might be busy with plenty of household chores to carry out, one of which could be keeping multiple kids on schedule. Alexa routines are a lifesaver, you can always trust them!
You can use them to remind each of your kids about their various activities to perform daily, for instance, when to get ready for soccer practice on Sunday mornings or violin lessons on Thursday evenings, etc.
Below are examples of what Alexa can do via a basic routine:
- Call “[your kid’s name], time to get ready for soccer!” across your household’s Echo speakers
- Tell your kid the weather condition (so he/she will be dressed appropriately)
- You can play your kid a fun song for some motivation to get ready
- Announce “[your kid’s name], we are leaving for soccer now!” Five minutes later
You can automate the things you do when you get home
One of the most fascinating features of Alexa is the ability to trigger a routine based on your location. Here are some things you could automate as part of a location-based routine that begins when you get home:
- Switch on the lights.
- Set the thermostat to your chosen temperature.
- Turn on your favorite music or playlist.
- Alexa says “Welcome home”!
- Announce you are home over your Echo devices.
Waking up and going to bed better
When you wake up in the morning, you can awaken the lights gradually to come on and the room warms up, allow Alexa to brew your morning coffee (all you need for this is an Alexa smart plug) and get your weather, news, traffic, and calendar update for the day.
You can also open up your favorite Alexa game if that inspires you to get you up and going.
Going to bed. Once you are ready to fall asleep, simply say “Alexa, good night” to turn off the lights, play Alexa sleep sounds, and set do not disturb. Routines are one of the best Alexa sleep tricks!
Turn on a playlist
It’s quite easy to play a Spotify playlist on Alexa or a Pandora station on Alexa simply with an Alexa voice command. In case you can’t remember the specific playlist name to summon it with Alexa. You can create an Alexa routine that turns on the playlist whenever you say “Alexa, playlist” by following the steps below:
- You can easily switch the routine to play a different playlist.
- If you want to simply summon multiple playlists, create a few routines with various Alexa command triggers. For instance, “Alexa, morning playlist”, “Alexa, relaxing playlist”, “Alexa, energize playlist”, etc.
Make it look like someone’s home even when you are not around
You can create a simple recurring Alexa routine that switches the lights on and off and plays music or news. In case you want to be fancy, you can set up various routines for different days of the week so the routines look less automated to onlookers or visitors.
This is all about how to set up routines on Alexa devices, you should be able to set up new routines with the various steps stated above in the post. Kindly let us know if you were able to successfully set up routines on Alexa devices in your home. Drop a comment in the section below. Thanks for reading thus far.