Amazon a full range of Echo smart speakers and Echo Show smart displays that full advantage of Amazon Alexa, its smart voice assistant,. Their range of Alexa devices have become ever more powerful with each new generation.
With Alexa, it’s possible to use voice control to listen to Amazon Music, watch Amazon Video, control an ecobee smart thermostat with Alexa Skills, and even controlling a complete smart home ecosystem.
But, despite each generation of device bringing a host of new features, benefits and improvements, one constant has remained – Alexa, the Name / Wake Word. What users say to activate Alexa. Don’t worry though, you can change “Alexa” to another wake word.
I’ll be going through the different wake word options, as well as going through the steps on how to change Alexa name and wake word to something else.
What are the Name and Wake Word Options?
First things first, if you want to change the name on your smart voice assistant, unfortunately, the choices are quite limited.
I’m sure you’d love to change “Alexa” to “Jarvis” or “Holmes,” but I’m afraid that isn’t going to happen. When changing the wake word you have 4 options, including “Alexa”:
- Amazon
- Echo
- Computer
- Alexa
Not very original I’m afraid, but if you have an Alex or even a real flesh and blood Alexa living in your home, then changing the name to one of these options will undoubtedly ease a lot of unnecessary confusion.
I’m sure was a bit of a laugh at first, but quickly became a real frustration. Whatever the reason you want to change the name, these are the options that you have.
Where to Change Alexa’s Name?
You can change the current wake word your Echo device uses in a number of ways. Either through the app, a web browser on a computer, or by voice command.
I will detail the steps required to change it in the sections below.
How to Change Alexa’s Name on Mobile App
In this section, I will guide you through the steps required to change the wake word using the Alexa app. If you don’t have it installed, it can be installed on an Apple or Android smartphone or tablet.
- Open the app and select the three horizontal lines option (hamburger icon)
- Depending on the app version you’re using, these will either be located in the top-left corner or towards the bottom-right corner of the screen.
- Select the Settings menu option, then Device Settings
- Select the Alexa-compatible device you want to change the wake word for
- Scroll down the settings page to the Wake Word option
- Select the new wake word you want to use from the displayed options:
- Computer
- Echo
- Amazon
- Alexa
- The wake word has now been changed.
How to Change Alexa’s Name Using Voice Commands
To be honest, the verbal command method of changing the name you use for your Echo device, will just instruct you to go to the app to change it.
However, if you need to be reminded about how to use the app to change this, it does offer some instructions when you ask “Alexa, Change your Wake word” or “Alexa, can you change your wake word?”
Your speaker will then instruct you to go to the Alexa app and change the name from within there.
How to Change Alexa’s Name Using a Computer
If you don’t have the app installed, you can still change Alexa to another name using a web browser. The following steps detail the process.
- Open a web browser on your computer and navigate to alexa.amazon.com, you will need your login details to log into your Alexa account.
- Select the Settings option from the left-side of the screen.
- Select the device you want to change the name of from the listed Devices.
- Scroll down until you see the “Alexa Device Wake Word” Drop-Down Menu.
- Select the new wake word you want to use to replace Alexa and press save.
- It can take a few minutes for the system to update and you won’t be able to use your Echo Device during this period. After a few minutes, the edit will be saved and your smart device will respond to its new name.
And that is all that is required to change the wake word from Alexa to whatever your new choice is. It is a great feature for whatever reason you need to change the wake word. I do wish there was a bit more choice and more personalization available though.
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