Voice Commands 101: Making Your Smart Speaker Work for You

First: say the wake word

Before your command, you need to “wake” the speaker so it knows you’re talking to it.

• Alexa (Amazon Echo) — Say “Alexa” first.
• Google — Say “Hey Google” or “OK Google.”
• Siri (Apple HomePod) — Say “Hey Siri.”

Example: “Alexa, what’s the weather today?”

Set reminders and alarms

Great for medication reminders, appointments, and daily tasks.

• “Alexa, remind me to take my medicine at 8am every day.”
• “Hey Google, set an alarm for 7am tomorrow.”
• “Hey Siri, remind me to call John in one hour.”

Play music and podcasts

You can ask for songs, artists, or radio stations.

• “Alexa, play Frank Sinatra.”
• “Hey Google, play classical music.”
• “Hey Siri, play the news.”

Tip: You may need to link a music service (Spotify, Apple Music, etc.) in the app first.

Ask questions

Your smart speaker can answer many everyday questions.

• “Alexa, what’s the weather today?”
• “Hey Google, what time is it in London?”
• “Hey Siri, how many calories in a banana?”
• “Alexa, what’s 15% of 80?”

Control smart home devices

If you have smart lights, plugs, or thermostats, you can control them by voice.

• “Alexa, turn off the living room lights.”
• “Hey Google, set the thermostat to 72 degrees.”
• “Hey Siri, turn on the lamp.”

Note: You’ll need to set up devices in the app first (Alexa app, Google Home app, or Apple Home app).

Make calls and drop in

Some smart speakers can place calls or “drop in” for a quick voice chat with family.

• “Alexa, call [contact name].”
• “Alexa, drop in on Grandma’s Echo.”

Tip: You’ll need to add contacts in the app and allow calling permissions.