Alexa, Amazon’s smart speaker and the number one selling product of 2017, can now be used to make phone calls and send messages. It is convenient for those who want to avoid talking on their phones all day or those who are worried about privacy invading apps like FaceTime that would allow someone else to view them through your camera.
The “how to give alexa permission for calling” is how you can give Alexa permission to call. You should do this before you start using the device.
Alexa, Amazon’s famous smart home software, can do more than just link different smart gadgets. This virtual assistant AI can conduct hands-free calls to anybody on your contact list using any Alexa-enabled device.
So, how can Amazon Alexa make phone calls, and what are the additional features that make this service so useful? We’ll teach you how to contact and message Alexa in this post so you can take use of the feature.
What is Amazon Alexa’s method for making phone calls?
The voice over internet protocol, or VOIP, is used by Amazon Alexa for calling and texting. This is the same technology that is used by apps like Skype and Viber. Your Alexa-enabled smart device can connect to other Alexa devices, mobile phones, and other apps that can send and receive messages as long as it is connected to the internet.
You’ll need an Amazon account, a mobile device running Android 5.0 or iOS 9.0, or an Android Fire tablet to use the Amazon Alexa calling and texting function. You may also utilize Amazon Echo devices, which come pre-loaded with Alexa. Echo Frames, Echo Buds, and Echo Auto, on the other hand, utilize your mobile device to make calls rather than the Alexa app, thus they aren’t compatible.
It’s also worth noting that certain numbers, such as designated emergency lines, 1-900 numbers, dial-by-letter numbers, and the bulk of overseas numbers, aren’t supported. Apart from these limitations, you may call anybody as long as you’re online.
Although the service is free, it does need a functioning internet connection, which comes with its own set of charges. Furthermore, if you have limited data, you may want to stick to voice-only conversations rather than video calls since they consume around a third of the bandwidth that a video call does. A conventional one-on-one video conversation uses a lot less data than an Amazon Alexa conference call.
How can I use Alexa to make calls and send messages?
You’ll need to sign up for Amazon Alexa calling and texting if you want to utilize it. First and foremost, make sure you have the Alexa app installed on your smartphone before proceeding. The Google Play Store and the Apple App Store both have the app available for download. The installation method is straightforward:
- On your smartphone, launch the Amazon Alexa app.
- Tap the Communicate button on the home screen. This is the bottom-of-the-screen speech bubble symbol.
- Your phone number will be required to be entered and verified. Tap Continue when you’re finished. You may opt to skip this step by choosing Skip in the top right corner, but this will prevent Amazon Alexa from contacting or texting you.
- Wait for your phone to get the verification message. The verification code should be automatically entered as it comes. If not, manually enter the verification code and then press Continue.
- Your presently connected Alexa device should play a sound to let you know that the functionality has been turned on. You’ll also be asked whether you want to allow Drop in for your Household on the app. This is essentially an intercom system for many Alexa devices in your house. If you have more than one Alexa device connected, this function may be useful; otherwise, hit Later.
- To give Alexa access to your contacts, go to Settings.
- Select OK.
- Alexa should now have all of your contacts loaded.
All you have to do is talk to your Alexa device to make a call or send a message. For example, to send a text message to someone, just say, “Alexa, send a message,” and Alexa will switch on texting instantly. When Alexa asks, “To whom?” you may respond with a name from your contacts list. After that, an SMS will be sent to the specified contact. To make a call, just say “Alexa, make a call,” and Amazon Alexa will dial a number from your contacts list.
How to Use Alexa to Make Video Calls
You’ll need a device that can take and display video to make Amazon Alexa video chats. The Echo Show, for example, is an Amazon gadget with a display that integrates seamlessly with any smart home network. This functionality does not need the use of an Echo. All you’ll need is a gadget that can make video calls and is compatible with Amazon Alexa.
Amazon Alexa video calls work in the same way as Amazon Alexa calling and texting. “Alexa, make a video call,” or “Alexa, video call ‘contact name’,” once you’ve set up the device according to the steps above. After that, the gadget will attempt to connect with your contact. All you have to do now is wait for the other person to respond.
How to Hold Conference Calls with Amazon Alexa
People in your contact list can use Amazon Alexa’s conference call capabilities right now. You may do so as long as the people you’re phoning have gadgets that can make video calls. To begin, open the Alexa app and establish a video call group.
- On your device, launch the Amazon Alexa app.
- At the bottom of the screen, press the Communicate button. This is the symbol for a speech bubble.
- Select Contacts.
- Select Add New from the menu.
- Select Add Group from the drop-down menu.
- Select the persons you want to add to this video call group by tapping on their names. Continue when you’ve picked all of the persons you want.
- Give the group a name; keep in mind that this will be the contact used when using voice commands to conduct video calls. Tap Create Group after you’ve settled on a name.
After you’ve set up the group, all you have to do now is tell Alexa to contact the group. You may make an Amazon Alexa conference call by simply asking, “Alexa, video call ‘group name,’” and your Alexa device will phone all of the people in the group. It’s only a matter of waiting for them to pick up.
How to Connect Amazon Alexa Devices to Make Calls
If you want to call someone on your contact list who has an Alexa device, just use the same voice instructions you’d use to make a regular phone call. Alexa will phone the number from your contacts if you say, “Alexa call, ‘contact name.’” As if it were a phone call, Amazon Alexa can make a call to another Alexa device.
Alexa includes a feature called Drop In that transforms all Alexa devices into intercoms when you have many devices in your house. You may perform the following to create a home Alexa group for drop-in purposes:
- Open the Amazon Alexa app on your phone.
- Tap the Devices icon in the bottom menu on the home screen.
- Tap on Alexa and Echo.
- Select a device linked to your smart home network from the list.
- Select Communications from the menu.
- Select Drop In from the drop-down menu.
- A list of individual features will be shown to you, which you may activate or disable. After that, the device is now a member of the Drop In network.
You’ll need to know the name of the device you wish to connect to in order to utilize the Drop In function. “Alexa, drop in on Living Room Speaker,” for example, is all you have to say to connect to a device named Living Room Speaker. It’s now possible to utilize it as a two-way speaker. When a gadget receives a request for a drop in, it will pulse green to alert you.
You may perform the following using the Drop In feature:
- Two-way communication between two devices is possible.
- As long as they aren’t set to “Do not disturb,” engage in group discussions with the whole home. “Alexa, drop in everywhere,” for example, may be spoken.
- Drop in on someone who has granted you permission to do so.
- You’ll get drop-ins from people you’ve granted permission to.
How to View the Call History of Amazon Alexa
If you want to look at your Amazon Alexa call history, you may do so either via the app or a web browser.
- On the app for mobile
- Open the Alexa app on your phone.
- Select More from the drop-down menu. This is the symbol with three lines.
- Select Settings from the menu.
- Select Alexa Privacy from the drop-down menu.
- Select a single item from the list, or select a date range from the drop-down menu.
- Using your internet browser
- Select the device you wish to examine and then click on it.
- You may either browse the entries or choose a particular date period.
Alexa’s Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some frequently asked questions about Amazon Alexa:
- Is it possible for Amazon Alexa to dial 911? No. Despite the fact that Amazon Alexa includes an emergency option that enables you to add emergency contacts, the app will not dial 911. One of the limitations of Amazon Alexa is that it cannot call emergency numbers. Alexa will immediately contact your designated emergency contact when you say “Call for Help.” You may then ask them to dial 911 on your behalf. Despite the fact that this is a convoluted method of doing things, it reduces prank calls and incorrectly dialing emergency numbers. This feature may seem unneeded, but having it and not needing it is preferable than needing it and not having it.
- Is it possible for Amazon Alexa to make phone calls on her own? Yes. Alexa may be used to make a call hands-free if the person you wish to call is in your contacts list. Simply say, “Alexa, call ‘contact name,’” and the phone number will be instantly called. If you want to add a new contact to your contacts, follow these steps:
- Open the Alexa app on your phone.
- To communicate, use the Communicate button. This is the symbol for a speech bubble.
- Select Contacts.
- In the top right corner of the screen, press the Menu button. The three-dot symbol is this.
- Select Add Contact from the drop-down menu.
- Tap Save after entering a name and phone number. The new contact may be contacted automatically using voice commands after it has been entered.
- Is it possible for Amazon Alexa to make automatic phone calls to cell phones? Yes. Alexa can connect hands-free to any number that isn’t an emergency number, a premium number, an overseas number, or dialed by letters. This includes phone numbers in your address book.
- Is it possible for Amazon Alexa to take phone calls? Yes. You may utilize Alexa’s voice command capability to answer the phone if someone contacts you via your Alexa device. If you’re called on a landline or a smartphone, you’ll have to answer manually. To convert your landlines and mobile phones to speaker phones, you’ll need a gadget like Echo connect.
- Why is Alexa the name of the Amazon Echo? The Amazon Echo is a smart home gadget that includes the Alexa AI. People were so used to speaking “Alexa” to an Amazon Echo as a result of this that the moniker stuck. It’s still called an Echo, at least by name, but when someone says “use Alexa,” most people think of an Amazon Echo. It’s the equivalent of calling photocopies Xeroxes or photographing a Kodak moment.
- What is the significance of the name Alexa for Amazon Alexa? The sound the X produces is clearly verbally recognized, therefore Alexa was picked by the technology’s creators. This makes it simpler for the gadget to recognize when a voice command is given. In an interview, the creators said that they were seeking for a unique term with soft vowels and a harsh consonant. They also associate the name with the Great Library of Alexandria, one of the greatest and most significant knowledge sources in ancient times.
- Is Alexa the same name for all Amazon speakers? Not at all. To be honest, no Amazon speaker has that name. Although the bulk of Amazon’s speakers are referred to as Echo, they will react to the Alexa command. Because Alexa is incorporated into every Amazon speaker, this is the case.
- Is it possible to make phone calls from an Amazon Echo without using Alexa? Every Amazon speaker comes with the Alexa app, which you can’t use without it. Although the Alexa app is only required for the initial setup of an Echo, the speaker’s smart functions are powered by Alexa software. You don’t need an Echo to use the Alexa app to make calls, on the other hand. You may call anybody in your contacts list by going to the Calling & Messaging option in your mobile app.
- Is it possible to make phone calls using the Amazon Fire 7 and Alexa? Yes. Hands-free calls, video calls, and even drop-in calls are all possible with the Amazon Fire 7. By launching the Alexa app and following the same procedures as previously, the tablet may be used as a phone. In this way, the Amazon Fire 7 functions similarly to any other Alexa-enabled device.
- Is it possible for Amazon Alexa to make free international calls? This is debatable. If you’re attempting to communicate with another Alexa device, international barriers are irrelevant. You may get in touch with them for free via VOIP. However, you may only call people in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, or Mexico who have signed up for the Amazon Alexa calling and messaging service.
Timetables for Virtual Meetings
It’s simpler to remain in touch with a large number of individuals through the internet now that Amazon’s Alexa compatible gadgets are growing more popular. It’s a useful technology for our “virtual meeting” focused times, with hands-free dialing and voice-activated group conferencing.
Knowing how to enable and utilize Amazon Alexa’s call and message functions is essential knowledge.
Are there any more methods to call and message Alexa that weren’t included here? Let us know what you think in the comments area below.
The “alexa phone calls uk” is a device that allows you to call and message on Alexa. This device can be controlled with your voice, and it’s compatible with the Amazon Key
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I call someone elses Alexa?
A: To call someone elses Alexa, you would say the following:
“Alexa, drop-in to [name of friend].”
How do I send messages between Alexa devices?
A: Messages are sent between Alexa-enabled devices using an app. The standard messaging apps available on iOS and Android can be used to send messages, but theres also a dedicated Amazon Alexa app for this purpose. If you dont have the latest version of your phone or tablet, it may not support messaging at all.
Related Tags
- is alexa calling free
- how to register for alexa to alexa calling
- how to set up alexa calling without a smartphone
- alexa communication not working
- alexa drop in