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How to Change Alexa’s Wake Word, Name, Voice, or Language

Change the setting you mean: Alexa’s wake word, an Echo’s app name, its response voice, or its language. Each uses a separate Alexa app control.
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“Change Alexa” can mean four different settings: the wake word that activates an Echo, the Echo’s device name shown in the app, the voice Alexa uses to reply, or the device’s language. Each has its own control. Choose the procedure that matches what you want to change.

Change the wake word Alexa responds to

The wake word is the spoken word that activates hands-free Alexa. In the Alexa app:

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  1. Select Devices.
  2. Choose the Echo device you want to update.
  3. Open Device Settings, then select Wake Word.
  4. Choose an available wake word and select OK.

This setting applies only to the Echo you updated. To use a different wake word on more than one Echo, repeat the steps for each device. Amazon’s wake-word instructions explain the device-specific behavior.

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Change the Echo’s name in the app

An Echo’s name is its app label; changing it does not change the word you say to activate Alexa. In the Alexa app, select Devices, choose the Echo, then select Edit Name. For the activation word, use the separate Wake Word setting instead. See Amazon’s device-name instructions and its Echo support index.

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  • Your favorite music and content – Play music, audiobooks, and podcasts from Amazon Music, Apple Music, Spotify and others or via Bluetooth throughout your home.
  • Alexa is happy to help – Ask Alexa for weather updates and to set hands-free timers, get answers to your questions and even hear jokes. Need a few extra minutes in the morning? Just tap your Echo Dot to snooze your alarm.
  • Keep your home comfortable – Control compatible smart home devices with your voice and routines triggered by built-in motion or indoor temperature sensors. Create routines to automatically turn on lights when you walk into a room, or start a fan if the inside temperature goes above your comfort zone.
  • Do more with device pairing – Fill your home with music using compatible Echo devices in different rooms, or create a home theatre system with Fire TV.
  • Say goodbye to drop-offs and buffering - With eero Built-in, Echo Dot doubles as a mesh wifi extender, adding up to 1,000 sq. ft. of wifi coverage to your existing eero network.

Change Alexa’s response voice

You can ask Alexa, “Change your voice,” or use the app:

  1. Select Devices and choose the Echo.
  2. Open Device Settings, then select Alexa’s Voice.
  3. Select a voice option.

Amazon says an animal voice requires an active Amazon Kids+ subscription, a device with kid mode activated, and the device language set to English. Other voice options may vary. See Amazon’s voice instructions.

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Amazon Echo Dot (newest model) - Vibrant sounding speaker, Designed for Alexa+, Great for bedrooms, dining rooms and offices, Glacier White
  • Your favorite music and content – Play music, audiobooks, and podcasts from Amazon Music, Apple Music, Spotify and others or via Bluetooth throughout your home.
  • Alexa is happy to help – Ask Alexa for weather updates and to set hands-free timers, get answers to your questions and even hear jokes. Need a few extra minutes in the morning? Just tap your Echo Dot to snooze your alarm.
  • Keep your home comfortable – Control compatible smart home devices with your voice and routines triggered by built-in motion or indoor temperature sensors. Create routines to automatically turn on lights when you walk into a room, or start a fan if the inside temperature goes above your comfort zone.
  • Do more with device pairing – Fill your home with music using compatible Echo devices in different rooms, or create a home theatre system with Fire TV.
  • Say goodbye to drop-offs and buffering - With eero Built-in, Echo Dot doubles as a mesh wifi extender, adding up to 1,000 sq. ft. of wifi coverage to your existing eero network.

Change the Echo’s language

In the Alexa app, open More > Settings > Device Settings, choose the Echo, and tap the gear icon. Under General, select Language, then choose the language you want. Amazon cautions that some languages do not support every capability, skill, music selection, or other content. Check Amazon’s language instructions for the setting and its qualifications.

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Which setting should you change?

What you want to change Setting Where to find it Applies to
The word that activates Alexa Wake Word Devices > Echo > Device Settings > Wake Word The selected Echo; update each device separately
The label shown for the Echo in the app Edit Name Devices > Echo > Edit Name The selected device label
How Alexa sounds when replying Alexa’s Voice Devices > Echo > Device Settings > Alexa’s Voice The selected Echo
The language setting Language More > Settings > Device Settings > Echo > gear icon > General > Language The selected Echo; some features and content may not be available in every language
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What to check if the setting is missing

These instructions cover Echo device settings in the Alexa app. Alexa features and functionality can vary by device and service, so a menu or option may differ on another Alexa-enabled device. Amazon’s Alexa and Alexa Device FAQs describe that broader variation. The help instructions do not specify an app version, and menu labels or available options may change; check the current app if a label differs.

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  • KEEP YOUR HOME COMFORTABLE - Control compatible smart home devices. Just ask Alexa to turn on lights or touch the screen to dim. Create routines that use motion detection to turn down the thermostat as you head out or open the blinds when you walk into a room.
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Amazon Echo Dot (newest model) - Vibrant sounding speaker, Designed for Alexa+, Great for bedrooms, dining rooms and offices, Deep Sea Blue
  • Your favorite music and content – Play music, audiobooks, and podcasts from Amazon Music, Apple Music, Spotify and others or via Bluetooth throughout your home.
  • Alexa is happy to help – Ask Alexa for weather updates and to set hands-free timers, get answers to your questions and even hear jokes. Need a few extra minutes in the morning? Just tap your Echo Dot to snooze your alarm.
  • Keep your home comfortable – Control compatible smart home devices with your voice and routines triggered by built-in motion or indoor temperature sensors. Create routines to automatically turn on lights when you walk into a room, or start a fan if the inside temperature goes above your comfort zone.
  • Do more with device pairing – Fill your home with music using compatible Echo devices in different rooms, or create a home theatre system with Fire TV.
  • Say goodbye to drop-offs and buffering - With eero Built-in, Echo Dot doubles as a mesh wifi extender, adding up to 1,000 sq. ft. of wifi coverage to your existing eero network.
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

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