Create your own custom voice command with Alexa!
Create a phrase and choose what Alexa will do when it is said. A custom Alexa command is a great way to control your smart lights with your voice. This guide will show you how to create an Alexa routine with a custom voice command in the Alexa app.
- What is an Alexa Routine?
- Create a Custom Amazon Alexa Command and Light Routine
- Alexa Routine: What do You Need?
- Create a Custom Amazon Alexa Command
- Step 1: Navigate to the ‘Routines’ section in the Alexa menu
- Step 2: Click the + icon in the top right corner to add a new Routine
- Step 3: Select ‘When this happens” and then ‘Voice’ to create your custom Amazon Alexa command
- Step 4: Enter your custom phrase to trigger this routine
- Step 5: Select ‘Add action’, select ‘Smart Home’ and choose the device, group or scene to control
- Step 6: Select the actions you want to take on the device
- Step 7: Repeat the steps above to add as many actions as you want.
- Step 8: Review and test your Alexa routine
- What else can I do?
What is an Alexa Routine?
Routines in the Alexa App are a series of steps performed by Alexa when the routine is triggered or started. There is an ever growing list of triggers to start the routine. Currently, you can start a routine when this happens:
- Voice (When You Say Something) – Build your own Amazon Alexa command! You can create any phrase you want to start the actions you choose. Custom voice commands are the greatest feature of Alexa routines.
- Schedule (At a Scheduled Time) – The time based trigger is primarily for Amazon Echo users that want simple home automation, but don’t have a smart home controller such as SmartThings. Learn more about why I recommend the SmartThings Hub.
- Smart Home – Trigger a command based on actions from your smart home devices. For example, when a door is opened.
- Location – Start an Alexa routine when your smart phone arrives or leaves specific locations.
- Alarm – Trigger actions to start when your Alexa alarm clock goes off.
- Echo Button – Start an action with the push of a button.
- Guard – Start a routine when Alexa Guard is armed or disarmed.
When a routine is triggered, you can select the actions that will be performed. Here is a small list of actions that your Echo device can do:
- Alexa Says – Have Alexa speak a phrase from a pre-defined list. The list consists of phrases related to birthdays, compliments, coming/going, good morning/night, etc.
- News – Alexa will play the Flash Briefing that you setup in the app.
- Smart Home – Control any smart home device, group or scene in the Alexa app. This is the area we will primarily focus on in the tutorial.
- Traffic – Get a report on current traffic your area.
- Weather – Get a weather report from your area.
- Custom – Send any voice command to your Echo or Fire TV devices silently. Very powerful!
Other actions include calendar reads, date and time information, device settings, read email, good news, set Guard to away, IFTTT, messaging, music, skills, Fire TV controls and more.
You can create a list of actions from any or all of these categories in your routine. I created a routine with 21 actions without a problem so it is likely to meet your requirements.
Create a Custom Amazon Alexa Command and Light Routine
With one custom Alexa command, Alexa can perform a series of steps on multiple lights in your smart home.
Alexa immediately turns off all of your downstairs lights except the lamp you need so you can see to walk upstairs. After that, Alexa turns the bedroom lights on and sets the hallway lights to 50%.You can create any command and control any of your smart lights in your home. This is easily done with the Routine feature in the Amazon Alexa app.
Alexa Routine: What do You Need?
You can create a custom Alexa routine with just your Echo Device if you aren’t controlling a smart home product. In this project, we are controlling smart home lights so you will need the following:
1. Amazon Echo Device – There are several Amazon Echo devices to choose from. Learn how you can use the Amazon Echo in your smart home or check the price on Amazon below.
| Alexa Device | Description | Best For | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
 | All-new Echo Dot (4th Gen) | Smart speaker with clock and Alexa | Glacier White | Modern styling to add smart home voice control throughout your home. | Amazon Price |
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Top | Echo Dot (3rd Gen) - Smart speaker with Alexa - Charcoal | Adding smart home voice control in all rooms. | Amazon Price |
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Top | Echo (3rd Gen)- Smart speaker with Alexa- Charcoal | Larger rooms where you want better sound. | Amazon Price |
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Top | Introducing Echo Show 8 - HD 8" smart display with Alexa - Charcoal | Kitchens and bedrooms to see recipes and security cameras. | Amazon Price |
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Top | Echo Plus (2nd Gen) - Premium sound with built-in smart home hub - Charcoal | Entry level smart home controller built-in. | Amazon Price |
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Top | Introducing Echo Flex - Plug-in mini smart speaker with Alexa | Bathrooms and kitchen counter plugs. | Amazon Price |
2. Smart light switch or smart light bulbs
No lights, no problem. You can quickly add or expand smart lights throughout your home with the Philips Hue Hub. Check out why I recommend the Philips Hue Hub.
- WHATS IN THE BOX: Each kit contains 3 Philips Hue White A19 60W LED Smart bulbs (able to fit most lamps, overhead lights, and 4-inch recessed cans ); Philips Hue hub that can reliably control up to 50 Hue lights without slowing your Wi-Fi; and one Smart Button with mounting plates
- VOICE ACTIVATED: By using the Hue Hub, these Smart Bulbs connect to your favorite smart home devices like Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit, or Google Assistant for the ultimate smart home experience
- SCHEDULE YOUR OWN CUSTOM LIGHT SCENES: With the Philips Hue App you can set routines to help you feel energized in the morning, have your lights detect when you arrive home, or turn the smart lights off gradually as you head to bed.
Create a Custom Amazon Alexa Command
Here is a step-by-step guide to create a custom Alexa command. These commands are easy to create and very handy around the house.
Step 1: Navigate to the ‘Routines’ section in the Alexa menu
Open the Routines section in the Amazon Alexa App menu.
Step 2: Click the + icon in the top right corner to add a new Routine
When you open the routines section, you will see a list of all enabled or disabled routines. Press the “+” button in the top right corner to add a new routine.
Step 3: Select ‘When this happens” and then ‘Voice’ to create your custom Amazon Alexa command
First, create the trigger that will start the routine. This is in the “when this happens” area in the menu. Second, create a voice trigger or a time based trigger for your routine. For this routine, we are going to create a custom voice command.
Step 4: Enter your custom phrase to trigger this routine
Type in your custom phrase that will be the voice command you say to Alexa to start the routine. Don’t put a period on the end of your phrase.
Step 5: Select ‘Add action’, select ‘Smart Home’ and choose the device, group or scene to control
Now we will create the actions that happen when you say the trigger command. Select ‘add action’ and choose the ‘Smart Home’ list. You can then choose to control a device, group or scene.
Step 6: Select the actions you want to take on the device
Scroll through your device list and select the item you want to control. Next, select the actions (on/off, dim level, color, etc.) that you want to happen and select next. The final screen will show a confirmation that summarizes the device and actions that will be taken. Click next to place it in your routine.
Step 7: Repeat the steps above to add as many actions as you want.
Complete your routine by adding all of your actions to the routine. As a test, I successfully added 21 devices to one routine. This would be an uncommon situation, but it shows the capability of Alexa routines. Once you add all of the actions, click save to finalize your routine.
Step 8: Review and test your Alexa routine
Your routine should be listed in the enabled routines section. Test your routine by speaking it to Alexa.
You can edit your custom routine by selecting it the Routines section of the app. Also, you can temporarily disable the routine so Alexa won’t respond to it. Routines can control any of your smart home devices. Just have fun with it and be creative!
What else can I do?
The Amazon Echo devices give you a lot of options to control your smart home lights with your voice. Here are some other guides on controlling lights by voice with Alexa:
- Create Light Groups – Control groups of lights or light bulbs with one command.
- Create Context Aware Lights – Just say “turn on lights” and Alexa knows which lights you want to turn on.
Alexa is also great for music. Check out the best speakers for your Echo Dot.
- WHATS IN THE BOX: Each kit contains 3 Philips Hue White A19 60W LED Smart bulbs (able to fit most lamps, overhead lights, and 4-inch recessed cans ); Philips Hue hub that can reliably control up to 50 Hue lights without slowing your Wi-Fi; and one Smart Button with mounting plates
- VOICE ACTIVATED: By using the Hue Hub, these Smart Bulbs connect to your favorite smart home devices like Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit, or Google Assistant for the ultimate smart home experience
- EASY & VERSATILE: The Hue Smart button is easy to use and install. Equipped with magnets, tape, and a wall bracket, the button can be placed in multiple locations in multiple ways. No hard-wiring required. Control your lights without touching your smart phone.
- SCHEDULE YOUR OWN CUSTOM LIGHT SCENES: With the Philips Hue App you can set routines to help you feel energized in the morning, have your lights detect when you arrive home, or turn the smart lights off gradually as you head to bed.
- EXPAND YOUR PHILIPS HUE ECOSYSTEM: You can easily expand on your starter kit when you purchase other Hue light points & accessories. Try adding a Hue Tap switch for control without touching your smart phone. Add a Hue Play to set the perfect scene for your next binge-worthy show.
P.S. Please leave a comment below to ask a question, help someone else or share your experiences. Thanks!
Hi Jason, I set up a Routine to automatically show a ring camera’s live view upon motion detection. The Routine works great, however, the camera’s live view stays on my Echo (Echo Show 10) for ten minutes before timing out. Way too long! I’m trying to find a way to issue a command in the routine to say “Alexa, Go Home” and return to the Echo Show’s home screen. I’m already using a Custom Action and can not add another.
Hi Steve…sorry for the late reply.
My first thought is to add another routine that is triggered when motion is not detected for 1 or 2 minutes. You could then use a Custom Action to say “Alexa, Go Home”.
I didn’t get a chance to test this but I think it would work.
Jason
This was incredibly helpful! Thank you so much. I did a Google search for basically how to create an Alexa voice macro, I want to be able to say a custom phrase, instead of a long phrase such as Amazon play jazz 88.3 FM San Diego from TuneIn, and instead just say a shorter phrase such as Amazon play my favorite jazz and this wonderful help page that you wrote and how to steps taught me about the routines which is basically like smart devices and how they have scenes thank you thank you thank you again
Hello, how can I trigger a set of different reminders using a routine (e.g remind me to do this in 10 min, remind me to that in 25 min, etc)? I set when the routine should happen, select Add Action and then select Customized, I get to enter only one phrase. If I enter more than one, only the last one gets auctioned. If I try repeating by going back and adding another action, Customized is greyed out.
Hi Al,
Unfortunately, you can only add 1 Customized action at this time.
Jason
I would like to simplify commands to my pool. How can I create a custom action for an enabled skill so I can for ex. Turn on the patio lights, pool lights and spa heater in a single command? My pool is controlled by an enabled skill that doesn’t list the pool/spa as a device I can send an action to
Hi Eric,
Can you turn on your spa heater by voice command? If so, then you can create a Routine in the Alexa app with these three actions: 1) turn on the patio lights, 2) turn on the pool lights and 3) use a “Custom” command and enter the voice command to turn on your spa heater. The “Custom” command is found at the bottom of the Routines list.
Jason
I need Alexa to be triggered when front door cam detects a person and then announce “person in front door” and then show front door cam in screen. I succeeded by accident but have no idea of how I placed the 2nd action (show front door cam) in the routine but it works! I did it using Custom. I wanted to ask you how to do it again but you mentioned it was not possible? Please review and let me know also for what and how are the equal symbols used (=).
One more thing: I have 3 dots all online and now a new Echo show also online under a different Email and password. Do they all need to be set up using same Email and password so they can communicate with each other? Thank you great page and answers!
Hi James,
You can do this by selecting your camera motion as the trigger event. The first action is Alexa Says “Person in Front Door”. The second action is custom for “Alexa show front door cam”.
For the second question, yes…you should have all the devices on the same account or you will have issues.
Good luck, Jason
I don’t see the custom action you describe in your post: “Custom – Send any voice command to your Echo or Fire TV devices silently. Very powerful!”
I want to make a routine triggered by “Alexa, time to play videogames” that contains a custom action with the voice command “Alexa turn on Xbox” and also set a certain light scene, etc. etc. with just one command. However I don’t see any custom actions in which I can send a voice command silently as you describe. Can you tell me how to? Or maybe you should edit it out if it’s wrong.
Hi Sebastian…you can do this.
Set up a routine triggered by your voice command as described. In the actions, scroll down to the bottom of the list for “Custom”. This is where you will enter the silent command “turn on XBOX”.
Jason
I spent a lot of hours trying to do this and was very excited when I found the CUSTOM action in routines. My excitement was short lived when i found that I could only add the CUSTOM action only once. When I tried to add a second command using CUSTOM action CUSTOM was grayed out. Am I doing something wroung?
Hi Herschell. You are correct that you can only use one “Custom” action in a routine at this time.
I have 3 separate apps to control my outside Christmas lights through wifi. Can Alexa do this through a single voice command? Also, I have Tidal on my phone and tablet. Can Alexa play my Tidal songs?
Regards,
Terry
Hi Terry,
For Christmas lights, it depends what apps you are using. If you are simply turning the lights on and off at the outlet, then you can get an outlet plug that can be controlled by Alexa. If it is a specific app, then you will have to search the Alexa skills in the app. This is also where you can find the Tidal skill.
Jason
I’m trying to set my ecobee thermostat to change from off to heat mode at 10pm. Unfortunately changing mode is not available on the ecobee programming. I can go to devices under smart home and there is an option for setting the temperature but not changing mode. I created a custom command with “set ecobee plus to heat mode” . This opens up the ecobee app and tells it to change mode but the app is programed to return with the prompt; ” you’re current mode is off, are you sure you want to change mode?” At this point a can verbally say yes, but I want it to get the “yes” via the routine. I tried adding “,yes” at the end of the command. The odd thing is it does not work,but if I set two identical routines to run 1 minute apart, the second one does work.
Hi Richard,
I tried to find a better solution, but I see the same issues as you. The only other recommendation I could give is to use the Comfort Settings in the Ecobee app to warm up the house at 10PM but lower the temperature to a point where it won’t turn on before that.
Jason
Anyone any idea how on gods name you can add a specific task to Alexa?
All I want Is to say to Alexa “jacuzzi” and it internally be programmed to say/do “start the jets on my hot tub”. I can do the latter manually but if I could program some kind of short cut I could add it to a routine!?
Is it possible to automatically mute or switch off an Alexa controlled TV when I receive an incoming telephone call on Alexa. This is for a person who finds pressing buttons on a remote impossible.
Ron,
Unfortunately, there isn’t a trigger to start a routine when a call is received.
However, you might try buying an Echo Button, which would be really easy to press. When a call comes in, you could press the large Echo Button and trigger a routine to set the TV volume to 0. This is found under Actions -> Device Settings in the Alexa Routines.
Jason
Morning – Is it possible to create a voice command that opens up Prime Video, rather than saying Alexa Open Prime Video, and then drilling down even further and saying Alexa Paw Patrol and it opens Paw Patrol? Just that Alexa doesn’t seem to like my sons voice for Alexa Open Prime Video, and so would rather create custom routines he can use. But can’t see that option.
Hi Matt,
I researched this and I would like to do something similar. However, I don’t believe there are any direct or workarounds to do this at this time. I agree that this should be an option for us.
Is there anyway to create a short cut for Alexa so instead of saying Alexa tell Caavo turn on the tv I could just say, Alexa tv
Hi Doug,
I don’t use Caavo so I can’t provide specific information. However, there is a Caavo skill for Alexa and Caavo integrates with IFTTT. Based on this, I am fairly confident that you could set this up. The first thing I would do is check whether or not the Caavo device shows in the smart home section of the routine. If so, then that would be your best option. If not, then you can look into the IFTTT and set this up.
Let us know how it goes.
Thanks,
Jason
Hi Jason,
I have my own home automation system based on microcontroller with LAN communication. How can I make Alexa send some UDP packet or a command through TCP to the device in my home network ?
Hi Pawel,
That sounds really interesting. I suggest you check out the Alexa Developer Console.
https://developer.amazon.com/alexa/
It has been awhile since I built that custom of a setup.
Good luck!
Can I set up a routine that would ask Alexa to unlock the front door and give her the PIN? My husband has some mental challenges and I need to make opening the door for first responders as fool proof as possible. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Hi Sophie,
Several locks work with Alexa that allow you to unlock the device by voice (with a PIN prompt). WiFi locks by August Home and Yale would be a simple choice. There are several other choices if you have a smart home hub. If you want the lock to open without giving a voice PIN prompt, then you will likely need a more complicated solution with a smart home hub. This situation can be useful, but I would caution you on relying on smart home functions in an emergency.
I do this with my garage door using a custom routine. I used custom>”Alexa, Open the garage door, code 2462″
worked well.
Thanks! Worked a treat!
Hello Jason, Like your site and thanks for trying to make this easier for all of us. My questions is regarding my new Echo 5 and the Ring. I want the Echo 5 to show the front door video as soon as motion is detected. My challenge is by the time I get to the device and open the video the person has left my front door. I am trying to avoid the voice command to Alexa to “Show the front door video”. thanks
This is exactly what we need and what I want too. Unfortunately, it isn’t possible at this time. I have to think that this is a feature that Amazon will roll out in a future update.
Is it possible to have Alexa set up an alarm in the morning?
Alexa has multiple ways to setup an alarm in the morning. You can see several examples here: https://www.smarthomefocus.com/best-amazon-alexa-commands/#tab-con-5
The simplest command is to say Alexa, set an alarm for [time]. However, you can set recurring alarms, alarms for specific days and alarms with music.
Let me know if I didn’t answer your question correctly.
Thanks, Jason
I do not find a “Routines” on my application.
Hi Brian,
A checked to make sure there wasn’t an app update that I missed, but the “Routines” section is still listed in the hamburger menu like the picture in the article (on my phone).
I did some more research and a few people have had a similar issue. I would recommend the following:
1. Make sure your app is updated to the most recent version.
2. Contact Amazon support. One person had their issue resolved by Amazon because their account wasn’t set to the United States. This makes me believe that routines are not available in all countries, but Amazon can let you know for sure.
Good luck!
Jason
nice , but i can’t see Echo dot as smart device ?
Hello…can you please clarify what you would like to do with the Echo Dot? The custom command routine can be used with any of your Echo devices (you don’t have to specify). However, you can control “Device Settings” in the routine such as stopping audio, volume control and do not disturb settings.
I want to be able to use a custom command that I can normally use like “Alexa, open firefox” but don’t see how I can do that through the routine. I tried just having her say it, but that didn’t work. Any ideas on workarounds?
Unfortunately, you can’t control Fire TV apps through a routine at this time. However, this is a common request so I would expect Amazon to add this functionality in the future.
Thanks Jason. I was trying to do it through an echo show, but I think your answer describes both. Bummer, routines could be so much better!
Thank You for this page – It’s been royal pain for me to turn my hot water circulator on and remember to turn it off 2 minutes later. In about a minute I have a 3 command hot water on, wait 2 minutes, hot water off setup and works great!!
Awesome! Automating the smallest things can make a big difference day to day. As you said, it literally takes a minute to set up.
I want Alexa to tell me the current time, but I don’t see that as an option in the list of actions that I can add.
Hi Jenny,
Sorry for the my original stupid response. I completely misread your question. I researched this a lot and I currently can’t find any way to add the time to you Alexa routine.
You can use any of these commands for the current time:Alexa…what time is it?
Alexa…what time is it in [city, country, etc.]
Alexa…what time is it in [time zone, GMT, EST, etc.]