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(Pocket-lint) - If you've conscionable bought an Echo Show and privation to cognize however to get the astir from it, look nary further - present are our champion tips.
There are a fig of antithetic options, from the Echo Show 15, the largest, down to the Echo Show 5, the smallest.
Set up your Echo Show
This mightiness beryllium obvious, but we person to statesman somewhere: to get started with Echo Show, spot it successful a cardinal location, whether that beryllium your room counter, your surviving room, your nightstand, oregon wherever, past plug the included powerfulness adapter into it and past into a powerfulness outlet, and travel the on-screen prompts that look to prime a language, link to your Wi-Fi and log successful to your Amazon account.
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You request the escaped Alexa app to negociate your Echo Show and diagnostic options. To download the Alexa app, spell to the app store connected your mobile instrumentality and hunt for the "Alexa app" (or, you tin usage the links below). If you don't person a mobile device, you tin spell to this Amazon Alexa site from Safari, Chrome, Firefox, Microsoft Edge, oregon Internet Explorer browsers to negociate your Echo Show.
- Alexa app for Fire OS devices (via Amazon Appstore)
- Alexa app for iOS devices (via Apple App Store)
- Alexa app for Android devices (via Google Play Store)
Navigate your Echo Show
You tin navigate Echo Show utilizing some your dependable and the interaction screen. Here's how:
- Go to the location screen: Say, "Alexa, spell home." You tin besides swipe down from the apical of the Echo Show surface and prime Home. This besides works connected Fire TV, coincidentally.
- See disposable settings: Say, "Alexa, spell to settings." You tin besides swipe down from the apical of the Echo Show surface and prime Settings.
- Scroll done a list: Say,"Alexa, scroll up/down." You tin besides swipe successful antithetic directions connected the surface (left, right, up, and down).
- Media playback: Say, "Alexa, pause" oregon "next", "previous", "go back," and "rewind" oregon "forward [x hours, minutes, oregon seconds]".
Light barroom definitions
The borderline of your Echo Show's surface volition airy up antithetic colours arsenic a ocular indicator. Here's what those colours mean:
- Blue: A bluish barroom appears connected the surface to bespeak that Alexa is processing your request.
- Red: A reddish barroom appears erstwhile your device's microphone is turned off.
- Orange: An orangish barroom appears erstwhile your instrumentality is experiencing connectivity issues.
- Purple: A purple barroom appears erstwhile Do Not Disturb is on.
Change Echo Show's aftermath word
When you privation to pass with your Echo show, conscionable accidental "Alexa," followed by a command. But you tin alteration this "wake word" to Echo, Amazon, oregon Computer, if you prefer. Just say, "Alexa, spell to settings," oregon swipe down from the apical of the Echo Show surface and prime Settings. Then, pat Device Options > Wake Word > and prime the aftermath connection you privation to usage instead. Or you tin bash this successful the Alexa app.
Get Alexa skills
Skills are voice-enabled features that heighten the functionality of your Alexa device. These tin beryllium built-in oregon offered by third-party developers. Enabling Alexa skills connected Alexa devices usage to beryllium complicated, but Amazon precocious streamlined this process. All you person to bash is say, "Alexa, alteration the [name of skill] skill." Go to the Alexa Skills store connected the Amazon website to browse disposable skills.
To presumption and negociate your skills, you volition request to usage the Alexa app. Go to the paper and prime Skills & Games, past prime Your Skills (at the top).
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Decide which cards rotate connected screen
The provender connected the location surface connected Echo Show has respective location cards that rotate automatically. But you tin update which cards look oregon don't appear. Just say, "Alexa, spell to settings," oregon swipe down from the apical of the Echo Show surface and prime Settings. From there, prime Home & Clock, past prime Home Content, and toggle the power adjacent to the paper name. Simples.
Turn disconnected the Echo Show screen
Yes, you tin crook disconnected the surface connected your Echo Show. This is utile if idiosyncratic abruptly walks into the country and you don't privation them to spot what you were watching oregon doing. Just say, "Alexa, crook disconnected the screen." To crook the surface backmost on, interaction it oregon usage your device's aftermath connection (which, by default, is "Alexa"). You tin besides crook your Echo Show wholly disconnected by pressing the mute fastener for a fewer seconds.
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Dim the Echo Show screen
The Echo Show's surface automatically dims itself and reverts to the clock-only show erstwhile you haven't touched it successful a portion (unless you’re watching something, specified arsenic a trailer connected YouTube oregon movie from Prime Video). But you tin besides unit the surface to dim astatine immoderate time. There’s a manual dimmer power connected the Show’s main menu; conscionable swipe down from the apical of the surface and pat Brightness to entree it. Or you tin permission it connected autobrightness.
Create a Sticky Note
You tin inquire your Echo Show to make a Sticky Note to punctual you of things. Just accidental "Alexa, caller Sticky" and you tin dictate a caller note. You'll person to prevention it, but these notes are synchronised crossed your Echo Show devices, truthful you tin spot notes successful different places. Smaller Echo Show devices won't show them each the time, but the Echo Show 15 volition let a Sticky Note arsenic a widget truthful it's ever disposable connected the display.
Help Alexa place who you are
Alexa tin place radical by dependable profiles, truthful that antithetic users tin get applicable accusation for them wrong a household. You tin find retired each astir mounting up Alexa Voice Profiles here. On the Echo Show 15 you tin besides usage Visual ID, truthful the Show 15 tin recognise you tin amusement you accusation that's applicable to you. You'll beryllium guided done mounting it up erstwhile you setup your Echo Show 15.
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Start a video call
With Alexa messaging and calling, you tin spot a video telephone to immoderate Echo Show proprietor (and person one, too); each you person to bash is say, "Alexa, telephone [name of contact]." The interaction volition request to beryllium listed nether the Contact surface of the Alexa app, however. Go here to larn much astir however to acceptable up this feature. To toggle the video aspect, say, "Video [off / on]” oregon interaction the on/off fastener connected your screen.
By toggling disconnected the video, you're fundamentally conscionable having a dependable telephone with the different Echo user. Now, erstwhile you person a video/voice call, your Echo Show volition dependable an alarm and glow green. You tin reply oregon disregard immoderate telephone by saying, “Answer” oregon “Ignore" oregon by tapping the disregard fastener from the Alexa app. To extremity your call, conscionable say, “Hang up." You tin besides pat the extremity fastener from the Alexa app.
Or usage Skype
You tin besides usage Skype connected Echo Show, too. In the Alexa app, spell to Settings > Communication > Skype to nexus your accounts. Then motion successful utilizing the aforesaid Microsoft relationship you usage connected Skype.
Use your Echo Show for mobile calls
You tin usage your Echo (or different Echo devices) to spot mobile web calls with compatible networks. As above, caput into Communication and you'll spot the sign-in options. This volition fto you marque calls utilizing spouse services, specified arsenic AT&T, Verizon, EE oregon Vodafone.
Use Drop In
Drop In lets you instantly link with different Echo Show users. You tin alteration Drop In via the Alexa app and assistance support to radical from your code book. (Go to Amazon's assistance page for much accusation connected granting permission.) To Drop In, say, "Drop In connected [contact name]," or, from the Conversation surface successful Alexa app, prime the Drop In barroom and past take the interaction you privation to Drop In on.
When idiosyncratic Drops In connected you, the airy bar on your Echo Show volition pulse green. The idiosyncratic volition beryllium capable to automatically link and tin perceive thing wrong scope of your device. Meanwhile, you volition spot a frosted solid video that transitions to wide video soon aft connecting. The intent of this is to springiness you clip to hole for the telephone truthful that you are not caught disconnected guard.
Enable Do Not Disturb
Use the Echo Show's Do Not Disturb diagnostic to artifact Alexa from alerting you astir incoming calls and messages. To crook connected Do Not Disturb, say, "Alexa, don't disturb me." To crook disconnected the feature, say, "Turn disconnected Do Not Disturb,” oregon you tin pat the Do Not Disturb fastener connected your Echo Show’s screen. You tin besides docket Do Not Disturb for a circumstantial clip via the Alexa app (under settings).
Discover Alexa
You tin instantly get assistance with your Echo Show by swiping successful from the right-hand side, wherever you'll beryllium capable to entree a scope of cards.
Access your astute location dashboard
The Echo Show is perfect for managing your astute home. If you don't privation to usage voice, swipe down from the apical and pat Smart Home. This volition unfastened your astute location dashboard, showing caller devices, groups and rooms. Here you tin pat to toggle connected oregon off, oregon pat done to marque different changes.
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Access your Alexa Routines
If you bash person a astute home, past Routines tin beryllium truly utile allowing you to link a scope of devices and negociate them. Swipe down from the apical and pat Routines. You tin past spot a database of Routines and you tin crook them disconnected if you don't privation them to beryllium active. To setup Routines you'll request to usage the Alexa app.
Watch a movie oregon TV show
You tin ticker films oregon TV shows connected Echo Show - and not lone from Amazon Prime Video (included with your paid Prime membership), arsenic good arsenic programming from your progressive Amazon Channels subscriptions (like Showtime, HBO, and Starz), but besides Netflix.
Just inquire Alexa to amusement you films oregon TV shows by title, genre, and more. After your video starts playing, you tin usage your dependable to power video playback.
Watch a trailer
Want to instantly ticker a caller movie trailer? Just say, "Alexa, amusement maine the trailer for the movie [film title],” and if the trailer is available, it volition commencement instantly playing.
Pair your mobile device
Your Echo Show is Bluetooth-enabled truthful you tin watercourse fashionable services, whether that beryllium iTunes oregon Google Play Music, from a mobile device. Just say, "Alexa, brace my phone." Then, unfastened the Bluetooth settings paper connected your mobile device, and prime your Echo Show. Alexa volition archer you if the transportation is successful. If it is, you volition beryllium escaped to watercourse audio from your mobile instrumentality to Echo Show.
Enable multi-room music
You tin usage this diagnostic to play euphony crossed aggregate Alexa-enabled devices successful your location (including the Echo Show) astatine the aforesaid time. You tin go here to larn however to set-up multi-room music. But, successful a nutshell, conscionable travel these steps:
- Select Devices successful the Alexa app.
- Hit the + icon apical right.
- Select Combine Speakers.
- Tap connected Multi-Room Music.
- Select the Echo devices you privation successful the group.
- Tap Next. The Alexa app volition corroborate it created your group.
- Once enabled, say: “Play [song oregon artist] [Echo devices' radical name]”.
Adjust the bass
You tin alteration the dependable output from your Echo Show, including expanding the bass, mid oregon treble. Just accidental "Alexa crook up the bass".
Make Echo Show work aloud items you touch
The Echo Show has a VoiceView Screen Reader that reads aloud items you interaction connected the screen. According to Amazon, erstwhile enabled, you tin usage gestures to navigate and interact your Echo Show, and VoiceView volition picture the actions you marque connected screen. This is an accessibility diagnostic that radical with disabilities mightiness find useful. Go here for much accusation astir however to acceptable up and negociate it.
Magnify your Echo Show's screen
This is different accessibility feature. When enabled, the Screen Magnifier volition fto you enlarge items connected your surface to amended readability. To crook connected the Screen Magnifier, say, "Alexa, spell to settings," oregon swipe down from the apical of the Echo Show surface and prime Settings. From there, prime Accessibility and pat Screen Magnifier. Go here for much tips connected however to decently usage the feature.
Used Closed Captions/subtitles
On your Echo Show, you tin alteration Closed Captioning for supported videos and movie trailers. To crook connected closed captions, say, "Alexa, spell to settings," oregon swipe down from the apical of the surface and prime Settings. From there, prime Accessibility and pat Closed Captioning. Go here for much accusation connected however to alteration your Closed Captioning preferences, specified arsenic however they look.
Alexa Show and Tell
Show and Tell is an Alexa diagnostic designed to assistance unsighted and partially sighted people. It uses the Echo Show's camera to assistance place communal household market items.
You tin conscionable accidental to your Echo Show "Alexa, what americium I holding?" oregon "Alexa, what’s successful my hand?" to start. The full thought is that it'll assistance place items that are hard to separate by touch, specified arsenic canned oregon boxed foods. The diagnostic is portion of the Alexa Accessibility Hub.
Reset your Echo Show
If you're having occupation with your Echo Show, restart it to spot if that solves the issues - hey, ya ne'er know. Just unplug the powerfulness adapter from the backmost of the instrumentality oregon from the partition outlet, and past plug the powerfulness adapter backmost in. You tin besides reset it to mill settings. Say, "Alexa, spell to settings," oregon swipe down from the apical of the Echo Show surface and prime Settings.
From there, prime Device Options and pat Reset to Factory Defaults. Keep successful caput this volition delete each your idiosyncratic accusation and erase each your settings connected Echo Show. And erstwhile the instrumentality resets, it begins the setup process, which we elaborate above.
Writing by Maggie Tillman. Editing by Dan Grabham. Originally published connected 25 August 2017.
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