A simple way to fix one of Alexa's most annoying behaviors
Virtual assistants like Alexa are helpful gadgets to have around the house. They can help you with the weather, the traffic on the road, or daily reminders. Tap or click here for three great Alexa tricks. But while they do have volume controls, their responses can be rather loud.
And if you have multiple devices that answer in unison across your home, you run the risk of waking up family members when they are sleeping. That is never a good thing, but luckily there is a way to prevent grumpy outbursts of tiredness.
Amazon’s Alexa is packed with technology to make your life easier. And some settings and tweaks will benefit the entire house.
Here’s the backstory
TikTok user Alana Tsui recently explained that she figured out how to make Alexa whisper. So, instead of the assistant blaring a response to any request, the device will use her inside voice.
@jamaica_asthma This is a game changer for talking to Alexa at night if you don’t want to wake your partner or kids up… #alexa #alexatips #alexahacks #heyalexa
Here’s how you can set answers to be whispered:
- Open the Amazon Alexa app.
- Tap the More icon in the bottom right.
- Select Settings.
- Under the Alexa Preferences section, tap Voice Responses.
- Slide the toggle next to Whisper Mode to the right to enable it.
Now when you whisper to Alexa, responses will be whispered back. That’s it. You’re ready to have Alexa answer you without causing a disturbance.
“Don’t want to wake up a sleeping partner or family member when you ask her for the weather in the morning or turn off the alarm? Whisper Mode allows you to whisper to Alexa, and she’ll whisper her response back to you,” Amazon notes in the Skill description.
More Alexa tricks
Whisper Mode is for quieter responses, but you can also change Alexa’s voice and wake word. Other than the default name, you can also call her “Ziggy,” Amazon,” “Echo,” or “Computer.
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Alexa isn't the only thing to call your Echo - Here's what all the other names do
Smart assistants like Amazon’s Alexa or Google Home can make your daily tasks easier. They can also update you on traffic conditions and nudge you with specific reminders.
Even though they are only electronics at heart, you still need to call them by name to get their attention. While the standard “Hey, Alexa” will prick her ears every time, did you know that you can call her something else? Tap or click here to enable celebrity voices like Shaq on your Amazon Echo.
How to enable celebrity voices like Shaq on your Amazon Echo
Mobile navigation devices like TomTom and Garmin had a host of celebrity voices that could give you directions. As things shifted towards a smartphone-driven society, bulky GPS devices fell out of favor.
But the appetite remained for celebrities to tell you what your day is going to be like and the weather you can expect. To bring the two together, Amazon’s Alexa introduced the voice of actor Samuel L. Jackson in 2019.