But even if you’ve been using an Echo for years, there are probably a few settings you’ve never changed. And some of those settings are worth taking a look at because they can make your Echo experience even better.
1. Enable Brief Mode
If you find Alexa’s speaking style a little too chatty for your taste, you can enable Brief Mode. With Brief Mode turned on, Alexa will respond to your requests with shorter, less wordy responses.
Brief Mode doesn’t change everything about the way Alexa speaks, but it does cut down on the amount of “OK” responses you get when making requests, like adjusting the volume or changing the temperature.
To enable Brief Mode, open the Alexa app for iOS or Android and go to Settings in the More tab. Tap Voice Responses and then toggle Brief Mode On.
If you want to be able to buy things just by asking Alexa, you’ll need to enable voice purchasing in the Alexa app. To do that, open the app and go to Settings in the More tab. Select Voice Purchasing and select the preferred setting in Purchase controls.
If you have young kids in your home, it’s probably a good idea to keep voice purchasing turned off or change the settings from the Kid Skill Purchasing default to Require Approval. That way, you’ll have to confirm any purchases your kids try to make with their voices.
3. Create a Voice Profile for Each Person in Your Household
If you share your Echo with other people in your household, you can create separate voice profiles for each person. That way, Alexa can keep track of each person’s individual preferences and provide a more personalized experience for everyone.
To create your voice profile, open the Alexa app and go to Settings in the More tab. Select Your Profile & Family and tap on Your Profile. Tap Add Your Voice and follow the instructions to create your profile.
Once you’ve created your voice profile, Alexa will be able to recognize you when you speak and personalize your experience accordingly.
4. Choose Your Default Music Service
To do that, open the app and go to Settings in the More tab. Select Music & Podcasts and tap on the Default Music Service. From there, you can select the service you want to use as your default.
If you don’t see your preferred service listed, you can enable it by tapping on Link New Service. You’ll be able to choose from a list of available music and audio services
5. Listen to Alexa’s Hunches
One of the more interesting new features in the Alexa app is called Hunches. Basically, it’s Alexa’s way of giving you suggestions based on your current behavior.
For example, if you usually turn off the lights in your living room at night, Alexa might hunch that you want to do the same thing tonight and offer to turn them off for you.
To enable Alexa Hunches, open the app and go to Settings in the More tab. Select Hunches and toggle the feature on.
No need to worry about forgetting to turn off the lights or lock the front door. With Alexa’s hunches, you can relax knowing that your Echo has got your back.
To view and change your Echo privacy settings, open the Alexa app and go to Settings in the More tab. Select Alexa Privacy and review the settings.
7. Choose Your Preferred Alexa Flash Briefing
A flash briefing is a quick update on the news, weather, or other information you might be interested in. By default, Alexa will play a pre-selected flash briefing from NPR when you ask for your daily briefing.
But if you’d prefer to hear something else, like the latest sports scores or traffic report, you can change your default flash briefing in the Alexa app.
To do that, open the app and go to Settings in the More tab. Select News and tap on Flash Briefing. From there, you can choose from a variety of different news sources.
To add a new source, tap on Add Content and search for the source you want to add. Once you’ve found it, tap on the Enable Skill button and follow the instructions.
8. Connect Your Calendar
If you want Alexa to be able to keep track of your schedule, you can connect your calendar to the Alexa app.
To do that, open the app and go to Settings in the More tab. Select Calendars and tap on Add Calendar. You can then choose from a variety of different calendar providers, including Google Calendar, Apple Calendar, and Microsoft Outlook.
Once you’ve selected your provider, follow the instructions to sign in and grant Alexa access to your calendar.
Now you’ll be able to ask Alexa about upcoming events, and it’ll be able to add events to your calendar. No more forgetting important appointments and meetings.
So take some time to play around with your Echo and see what else you can do. You might be surprised at how much this little device can do.
