Alexa Commands

Basic commands

• Ask for help: "Alexa, help."
  
• Mute or unmute: "Alexa, mute" or, "Alexa, unmute."
  
• Stop or pause: "Alexa, stop" or, "Alexa, pause."
  
• Change volume: "Alexa, set the volume to 5," "Alexa, volume up/down" or "Alexa, turn up/down the volume by 2."
  

Media controls

• Play music: "Alexa, play some music."
  
• Stop music: "Alexa, stop the music"
  
• Queue specific song or artist: "Alexa, play music by [artist]."
  
• Play a song based on context: "Alexa, play the latest Avett Brothers album" or "Alexa, play that song that goes 'Gotta gotta be down, because I want it all.'"
  
• Play music based on a theme: "Alexa, play relaxing music" or "Alexa, play rock music for working."
  
• Play the song of the day: "Alexa, play the song of the day."
  
• Play a radio station: "Alexa, play [radio station]"
  
• "Alexa, play music”
  
• "Alexa, repeat this song"
  
• “Alexa, play music from the 90s"
  
• "Alexa, play music from the 60s"
  
• "Alexa, play country music"
  
• “Alexa, play classical music"
  
• "Alexa, stop playing in 45 minutes."
  
• Song information: "Alexa, what's playing?"
  
• Music controls: "Alexa, play" or "Alexa, next."
  
• Restart song: "Alexa, restart."
  

Time and date

• Set an alarm: "Alexa, set an alarm for 7 a.m." or "Alexa, wake me up at 7 in the morning."
  
• Set a music alarm: "Alexa, wake me up to [artist, song, genre, playlist or album] at 8 a.m.," "Alexa, set an alarm to Band of Horses" or "Alexa, wake me up to Kiss FM on TuneIn."
  
• Set a repeating alarm: "Alexa, set a repeating alarm for weekdays at 7 a.m."
  
• Set a timer: "Alexa, timer" or "Alexa, set a timer for 15 minutes."
  
• Create a named timer: "Alexa, set a pizza timer for 20 minutes."
  
• Set multiple timers: "Alexa, set a second timer for 5 minutes."
  
• Check timer status: "Alexa, how much time is left on the pizza timer?" or "Alexa, what are my timers?"
  
• Cancel a timer: "Alexa, cancel the pizza timer" or "Alexa, cancel the 15-minute timer."
  
• Ask the time: "Alexa, what time is it?"
  
• Ask the date: "Alexa, what's the date?"
  
• Ask when the next alarm is: "Alexa, when's my next alarm?"
  
• Cancel an alarm: "Alexa, cancel my alarm for 2 p.m."
  
• Snooze alarm: "Alexa, snooze."
  
• Check dates: "Alexa, when is [holiday] this year?"
  

Calls and messaging

In May 2017, Amazon introduced calling and messaging between users of its Echo speakers. Later, it added another feature, called Drop In, that lets users call different Echo devices throughout their home, intercom style. (You can also call and message from the Alexa app, but no commands are needed.)

This year, Amazon has added new features like Announcements and the ability to send text messages with your voice.

• Call another Echo user: "Alexa, call [name]."
  
• Answer an incoming call: "Alexa, answer the call" or "Alexa, answer."
  
• Hang up: "Alexa, hang up" or "Alexa, end the call."
  
• Message another Echo user: "Alexa, message [name]" or "Alexa, send [name] a message."
  
• Play messages: "Alexa, play messages."
  
• Send an SMS: "Alexa, send an SMS to [contact name]," or "Alexa, send an SMS."
  
• Number check: "Alexa, open phone number check" → "tell me about 301-555-5555" or "please provide information about 301-555-5555."
  

Notifications

To turn on notifications, open the Alexa app or go to alexa.amazon.com and go to Settings > Notifications > Shopping Notifications and move the toggle to the on position. Then your Echo speakers will light up yellow when you have new notifications.

• Check missed notifications: "Alexa, what did I miss?," "Alexa, read my notifications" or "Alexa, what are my notifications?"
  
• Navigate through notifications: "Alexa, next" or, "Alexa, previous."
  
• Delete notifications: "Alexa, delete all of my notifications."
  

To-do and shopping lists

• Add task to to-do list: "Alexa, add 'go to the grocery store' to my to-do list" or "Alexa, I need to make an appointment with the doctor."
  
• Create a new to-do item: "Alexa, create a to-do."
  
• Check calendar events: "Alexa, what's on my calendar for tomorrow?"
  
• Add an event to a calendar: "Alexa, add [event] to my calendar for [day] at [time]" or "Alexa, add an event to my calendar."
  
• Move a calendar event: "Alexa, move my meeting from 12:00 to 3:00."
  
• Create a shopping list: "Alexa, add eggs to my shopping list" or "Alexa, I need to buy laundry detergent."
  
• Check your shopping list: "Alexa, what's on my shopping list?"
  
• Create a reminder: "Alexa, reminder" or "Alexa, remind me to check the oven in 5 minutes."
  
• Check on existing reminders: "Alexa, what are my reminders this weekend?" or "Alexa, what reminders do I have tomorrow?"
  
• Donate money to your favorite charity by saying "Alexa, make a donation to American Cancer Institute INC."  or any number of approved charities.
  
• Want to check your American Express balance? Just say "Alexa, open Amex," and look at your account.
  

News and weather

• Ask for your Flash Briefing: "Alexa, what's my Flash Briefing?"
  
• Add music news to your Flash Briefing: "Alexa, enable Today in Music."
  
• Check headlines: "Alexa, what's in the news?"
  
• Check weather: "Alexa, what's the weather like?" or "Alexa, will it rain today?". You can also ask "Alexa, will I need an umbrella today?"
  
• Get a weather forecast: "Alexa, what's the weather going to be like this weekend?
  
• Get traffic information: "Alexa, what's my commute look like?" or "Alexa, what's traffic like?" 
  

Entertainment

• Find movies in nearby theaters: "Alexa, what movies are playing?" or "Alexa, what action movies are playing tonight?"
  
• Get information on movies playing: "Alexa, tell me about the movie [title]."
  
• Get movie quotes: "Give me a [movie] quote."
  
• Get IMDb rating: "Alexa, what is the IMDb rating for [movie or TV show]?"
  
• Get casting for a movie or show: "Alexa, who plays in [movie or TV show]?"
  
• Find out who an actor is: "Alexa, who plays [character] in [movie or TV show]?"
  
• Find an actor's latest work: "Alexa, what is [actor]'s latest movie?"
  
• Find out who sings a particular song: "Who sings the song [title]?"
  
• Get the names of band members: "Who is in the band [name]?"
  
• Get album information: "What year did [band] release [song or album]?"
  
• Find popular music from an artist: "Alexa, what's popular from [artist]?"
  
• Sample music from an artist: "Alexa, sample songs by [artist]."
  
• Find a particular album or song: "Alexa, find [song or album] by [artist]."
  

Food and businesses

• Get a recipe: "Alexa, how do you make chocolate chip cookies?"
  
• Discover nearby restaurants: "Alexa, find me a nearby pizza restaurant" or "Alexa, what's the nearest coffee shop?"
  
• Get operating hours or a phone number for local businesses: "Alexa, find the address for Bank of America" or "Alexa, find business hours for Harris Teeter."
  
• Saying "Alexa, open Wine Finder" let's Alexa help you match the best vino with your meal. If you tell Alexa you’re eating shrimp, it will tell you the best wine.
  

Read more: The best Alexa commands for exercise, better sleep and stress relief.

Math

• Convert units: "Alexa, how many [units] are in [units]?"
  
• Convert units: "Alexa, how many [units] are in 2 [units]?"
  
• Basic math: "Alexa, what's 5 plus 7?" or "Alexa, what's 56 times 33?"
  
• Advanced math: "Alexa, 70 factorial." (Warning: Alexa will list numbers you didn't know existed for about a minute.)
  

Settle a score

• Roll a die: "Alexa, roll a die" or, "Alexa, roll a 26-sided die."
  
• Flip a coin: "Alexa, flip a coin."
  
• Pick a number: "Alexa, pick a number between 1 and 50."
  

Definitions and spelling

• Get the definition of a word: "Alexa, what's the definition of [word]?"
  
• Get the spelling of a word: "Alexa, how do you spell [word]?"
  

Sports

• Check the results of a finished game: "Alexa, what was the score of the [team] game?"
  
• Ask if a team won: "Alexa, did the [team] win?"
  
• Ask when the next game is scheduled: "Alexa, when do the [team] play next?"
  
• Find out the results of your favorite teams: "Alexa, give me my Sports Update."
  
• Get Fantasy Football update with the Yahoo Fantasy Football skill: "Alexa, ask Yahoo Fantasy Football for a score update" or "Alexa, ask Yahoo Fantasy Football if Colin Kaepernick is playing this week."
  
• Get league standings: "Alexa, what are the MLB standings?"
  

Search

• Get Wikipedia information: "Alexa, Wikipedia: [subject]."
  
• Tell Alexa to continue reading a Wikipedia entry: "Alexa, tell me more."
  
• Ask a general question: "Alexa, how tall is [person or object's name]?"
  
• Ask a general question: "Alexa, how many people live in America?"
  
• Whether it's a bull or a bear market, users can check their stock values by saying "Alexa, ask Opening Bell for Microsoft" (or any other publicly traded company).
  

Questions & Answers

Ask about science, math, and geography

• "Alexa, why is the sky blue?"
  
• "Alexa, what are Newton's three laws of motion?"
  
• "Alexa, what is 100 divided by 16?"
  
• "Alexa, who is the Prime Minister of Denmark?"
  
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Translations 

• "Alexa, how do you say 'I love you' in French?"
  
• "Alexa, how do you say 'good morning' in Japanese?"
  
• "Alexa, how do you say 'thank you' in Italian?"
  

Holidays

• Find out when a holiday is: "Alexa, when is [holiday]?"
  
• Holiday limerick: "Alexa, tell me a holiday limerick."
  
• Learn about a holiday: "Alexa, why do we celebrate [holiday]?"
  
• Ask about Santa: "Alexa, how old is Santa Claus?" "Alexa, is Santa Claus real?" or "Alexa, where does Santa Claus live?"
  
• Ask about Santa's reindeer: "Alexa, who's your favorite reindeer?" "Alexa, what can you tell me about Santa's reindeer?" or "Alexa, what do you know about Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer?"
  
• Track Santa: "Alexa, where is Santa?" or "Alexa, track Santa."
  
• Sing a Christmas carol: "Alexa, sing a Christmas carol."
  
• Have Alexa read "The Night Before Christmas": "Alexa, read "The Night Before Christmas."
  
• Spin the dreidel: "Alexa, spin the dreidel."
  
• Ask for holiday jokes: "Alexa, open my gift," "Alexa, how ugly is your/my holiday sweater?" or "Alexa, tell me a snowman joke."
  
• Ask for holiday movies?: "Alexa, what's your favorite holiday movie?" or "Alexa, what are the top holiday movies?"