Are you looking to automate your home with the help of Alexa? One of the most convenient features of Amazon’s virtual assistant is the ability to create routines, which are sequences of actions triggered by a specific event.
But what kinds of devices can trigger an Alexa routine?
In this blog post, we will explore the various smart home devices compatible with Alexa routines and how you can use them to create a fully automated and convenient smart home experience.
Home Devices that can Activate Alexa Routines
Contact Sensors
Sensors can tell Alexa when something moves or when you open a door.
Contact sensors are often placed on doors or windows.
You can choose when you want the routine to start based on the state of the contact sensor.
You will need a smart home hub to use a contact sensor with Alexa.
Motion Sensors
Motion sensors can be used to start an Alexa routine.
There are two main motion sensor types: ultrasonic and passive infrared (PIR).
PIR sensors are often found in combination with security cameras.
Some cameras can detect motion by themselves, while others use PIR sensors to help detect motion.
Motion sensors are a helpful tool for triggering routines because they detect when someone is moving.
Motion sensors can add extra security to your home or for turning on lights when you enter a dark room.
Smart Switch
Smart switch motion detectors are special switches that can turn lights on or off based on motion.
They can turn on the light when they detect someone entering a room and turn it off after a certain amount of time has passed without detecting any motion.
Smart switch motion detectors can also be used to trigger an Alexa routine.
They can help save energy by turning off lights when a room is not in use and provide added security by detecting the movements of unwanted guests.
Smart Lights
Even if your lights aren’t “smart” (meaning they don’t connect to the internet), you can still use Alexa to control them.
You need to plug them into a special “smart plug” and then connect the smart plug to Alexa.
If your lights are already smart, you can check to see if they work with Alexa.
Look for words like “Alexa compatible” or “Works with Alexa” on the packaging or product description.
If your smart lights come with a particular app, you can use that app to turn your lights on and off instead of using Alexa.
But check the app first to see if it has this feature.”
To set up your lights to work with Alexa, you will need to connect them to the Alexa app on your phone or tablet.
Once they are connected, you can use Alexa to turn them on and off or create routines for them.”
Amazon Alexa Devices
Specific Amazon Echo models come equipped with ultrasound technology that can detect movement.
The device sends out unique sounds too high for people to hear and then uses its microphone to see if anything is moving around the room.
If it sees something moving, it will think someone might be there.
These features help turn off lights when you leave a room or for starting music when you walk in.
But they might not work for small movements, like waving your hand or sitting still.
These features only work on specific Echo devices, like the 4th generation Echo or Echo Dot.
How do you trigger Alexa routines?
To create an Alexa routine, follow these steps:
- Open the Amazon Alexa app on your phone or tablet.
- Tap on the “Routines” icon.
- Tap the plus (+) sign in the top right corner.
- Select how you want to trigger the routine. You can start the routine with your voice at a specific time, using an Amazon Echo Hub, when you arrive at a particular location when you dismiss an alarm, or by pressing an Amazon Echo Button.
- Choose what actions you want Alexa to complete during the routine.
- Select which of your Amazon devices should control the routine.
- Tap “Create” to save your new routine.
How do I set Alexa routine for all devices?
To create an Alexa Routine, follow these steps:
- Open the Alexa app on your phone or tablet.
- Go to the More tab and select Routines.
- Tap the Plus icon to create a new routine.
- Choose the trigger for your routine by following the prompts in the app.
- To add an action for your routine, select Add action and follow the prompts in the app. You can add multiple actions for the same routine.
- Once you have finished setting up your routine, tap Save to finalize it.
- Note: You can create up to 99 routines on your account.
Can Alexa routine have multiple triggers?
Before, you could only tell Alexa to do one thing by saying one specific phrase.
If you didn’t say it exactly right, Alexa wouldn’t understand and wouldn’t do what you asked.
Now, you can tell Alexa to do the same thing in a few different ways by using multiple voice phrases.
So, if you say one of the phrases you set up, Alexa will know what you want and will do it for you.
Even if you don’t say the exact phrase perfectly, Alexa will still understand and help you.
To add multiple voice triggers to a new Alexa routine:
- Open the Alexa app on your phone or tablet.
- Tap the More tab.
- Tap Routines.
- Tap the “plus” button in the top-right corner of the screen.
- Tap in a name for the routine.
- Tap “When this happens,” then tap Voice.
- Tap in a voice command trigger.
- Tap “Add another phrase,” and a new field will appear for an additional voice trigger.
- Repeat this step to add more voice commands (you can add up to seven).
- Tap Next, then continue creating the routine as you normally would.
To add multiple voice triggers to an existing Alexa routine:
- Open the Alexa app on your phone or tablet.
- Tap the More tab.
- Tap Routines.
- Tap one of your existing routines.
- Tap “View/Edit” under the “When you say” section.
- Tap “Add another phrase,” then add new voice phrases (up to seven).
- When you’re done adding new phrases, tap Next in the top-right corner of the screen.
- Tap the back arrow to update your routine.
How do I add a smart plug to Alexa routine?
A Smart Plug is a device that allows you to control your appliances using just your voice.
With a smart plug, you can easily schedule your appliances to turn on or off automatically, or even when you’re not home.
Simply use the voice command feature on your Alexa device to control your appliances with ease
To use a Smart Plug:
- Plug in the Smart Plug and open the Alexa app on your phone.
- Follow the instructions in the app to set up the Smart Plug.
- Plug in your appliance (like a lamp or coffee maker).
- Turn on the Smart Plug by saying, “Alexa, turn on First Plug.”
- Use voice commands to control the plugged-in appliance, like “Alexa, turn on the bedroom lamp” or “Alexa, turn on the coffee maker.”
What is the difference between a routine and a scene Alexa?
A routine is a set of actions triggered automatically based on certain conditions using an Alexa-enabled device.
You can create routines to perform a series of actions, such as turning on the lights, adjusting the thermostat, and playing music, all with a single voice command.
A scene is a specific set of colors and brightness levels for your lighting devices.
You can create scenes to set the mood or ambiance in a room, such as setting the lights to a cozy warm color for a movie night or a bright cool shade for a workout session.
Routines can include a scene as one of the actions so that you can create schedules or triggers for your scenes using routines.
For example, you can create a routine to turn on the lights in a cozy warm color every evening at a particular time or to set the lights to a bright color every morning when you wake up.
Conclusion
A wide variety of smart home devices can trigger an Alexa routine.
These devices include smart lights, smart thermostats, plugs, smart locks, smart cameras, and more.
Integrating these devices with Alexa allows you to create routines to automate and simplify tasks around your home.
For example, you can create a routine to turn off all the lights, lock the doors when you go to bed, turn on the coffee maker, and adjust the thermostat when you wake up.
With the ability to trigger routines using multiple devices and sensors, you can customize your smart home to fit your needs and preferences.