Did you know that you can make calls with Alexa on your Echo Dot and any other Echo device? You can use Alexa to make a call to any of your own Echo devices or even a friend’s Echo. Let me show you how it works, and how you can get more out of Alexa and Echo.
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Learn about Making Calls with Alexa
Using Alexa to call other rooms, Echos, and friends is a useful and often overlooked feature.
It’s like using one of these below to call your friend.
If you have one of these, I’m impressed. Or maybe you have one of these….
Except even better! Alexa gives you few unique benefits over smart phones.
Hands Free Calling
It’s tough to beat the ability to shout at Alexa from anywhere in a room and have her call another room or a contact, especially if you have a large house or you don’t have a phone nearby. One extra tip. Check out the difference between Echo and Alexa to help get the most out of Alexa calling.
Intercom
If you do have a phone nearby, you can use the Alexa app to use the Drop In or Announce features.
Drop In allows you to directly connect to another Echo and start listening and talking to that room immediately. It skips the “pick up” part, where whoever you are calling needs to “answer” the call.
Announce allows you to send a text message to Echo. Once you send the message, Alexa will start flashing yellow with a new message.
Now let’s dive into how to make calls with Alexa.
How to Make Calls with Alexa
Requirements
To get started with Alexa calls, there are a few hardware requirements.
You need at least two Echo devices or one Echo and the Alexa App open. Any two Echo devices are ideal, they don’t have to be the same type. For example, An Echo and an Echo Dot, or an Echo Dot and an Echo Show. All combinations will work just fine.
If you use the links above to grab an Echo, I’ll get a small percentage back from Amazon. Thank you for your support.
Two people. Especially if you have your Echo devices in different rooms. Unless you want to run back and forth between rooms?
Two ways to Make Calls with Alexa
First up, let’s start an Alexa call between two differenceEcho’s in your home. To do that, we have to know one very important thing, or really, two important things. What you’re Echo’s name or where is it? For the best results, pick two Echos that are in different rooms.
Let me show you how to find the names of your Echo devices with the Alexa App.
Find your Echo Device Names
Open the Alexa app
Tap on Devices
Tap on “Echo & Alexa” in the top right
Here we are! On this screen you’ll find a list of every Echo and Fire TV you have in your home, including what room (if any) it’s in.
Remember the name of the two Echo’s you want to make a call with.
Now that we know our Echo device names, let’s make the call.
Oh, and by the way, you can rename Echo too if you don’t like the name.
Head over to one of your Echo’s and use this command:
“Alexa, call <other Echo name>”
This one will start a call with the other device, where someone will need to answer your other Echo while it’s flashing yellow.
And now that you have the names of your Echo devices at the ready, you can try these two commands too:
“Alexa, announce Hello World on <other Echo name>”
“Alexa, drop in on <other Echo name>”
Give them a try and let me know what you think.
How to Call an Alexa Contact
Now that you know how to call devices, let’s take it a step further and call a contact. Contacts refer to friends and family, instead of Echo devices directly. Pull up the Allexa Contacts list (same screen from the previous steps) to see what contacts you have.
After you have found a contact, use this command to call them from your Echo.
“Alexa, call Isaac”
With your contact name, not me!
The first time you use this command, Alexa will ask how you want to reach your contact. You can either call their phone, or all of their devices. Up to you!
After you choose how you want to talk to your contact, Alexa will “ring” either their phone, or make all of their Echo devices start flashing yellow.
Tip: See too many contacts in your list and want to remove old ones? Learn how.
How to Call via the Alexa App
One last tip about Alexa Calls. You can make calls directly to contacts and devices right from the Alexa App too. Just open up the Communications tab, click on a contact or device, and finally tap call.
That’s how you make calls with Alexa when using another Echo or the Alexa App itself. You can use Alexa calls to start a chat with another Echo, or call one of your contacts. Know of another useful tip for communicating with Alexa? Let me know below. And finally Check out the Alexa Archives for more Alexa tips.
