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How to Use Alexa Messaging

Almost anyone can send text messages using Alexa's voice capabilities

By Jerri Ledford Jerri Ledford Writer, Editor, Fact Checker Western Kentucky University Gulf Coast Community College Jerri L. Ledford has been writing, editing, and fact-checking tech stories since 1994. Her work has appeared in Computerworld, PC Magazine, Information Today, and many others. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on September 21, 2021 Reviewed by Ryan Perian Reviewed by Ryan Perian Western Governors University Ryan Perian is a certified IT specialist who holds numerous IT certifications and has 12+ years' experience working in the IT industry support and management positions. lifewire's editorial guidelines Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Smart Home Amazon Smart Home: Alexa & Amazon Echo Your Best Year Ever: College Tech Tips Appliances & Lighting Google

What to Know

In the Alexa app, tap Communicate > Get Started. Follow the on-screen directions to set up your device for calling and messaging.Use the phrases "Alexa, send a message" or "Alexa, make a call" to send texts and make phone calls.To send a text from the app, tap Communication > Message and choose a contact, then compose your text and send it. This article explains how to send text messages and make phone calls using Alexa. When Amazon released the Echo Show device, it came with a feature called Alexa-to-Alexa Calling—the ability to make calls to other Echo users. Since then, Amazon has improved those capabilities for all Echo devices and now calls it Alexa Communication.

Set Up Alexa for Calling and Messaging

You can use your Alexa device to send SMS messages or make phone calls between Echo devices or to mobile or landline phones using the Alexa app for iOS 9.0 and above and Android 5.0 and above, or an Amazon Fire tablet. The capability is free. It works using Wi-Fi and your cellular data, and it only takes a few seconds to set it up. Open the Amazon Alexa app on your Android or iOS device. If you don't have the Alexa app already installed on your smartphone, you must first download and install it. Once you have the app set up, then you can come back to these instructions to enable Alexa Communications. Tap the Communicate icon at the bottom of the screen. On the Communicate screen, you see a welcome message. Tap Get Started. On the next screen, select your name from the list that appears and tap Continue. You're prompted to grant Alexa access to your phone's contacts. Tap Allow. You must grant Alexa permission to access your contacts. This is how the device knows who to send your voice messages and calls to. If you don't want to grant Alexa this access, you won't be able to use this feature of the device. When prompted, enter your mobile phone number and follow the instructions to verify that number. Alexa uses your mobile device for sending messages and making calls. Alexa Communicate is a free service but it does access your cellular data, which means your mobile carrier could charge you for the minutes and data used to send message or make calls through your Amazon Alexa device. Once you verify your phone number, the process for setting up Alexa messaging and calling is complete. Now you can use your voice to stay in touch with friends and family.

How to Send a Text Message With Amazon Alexa

Once you set your Alexa app up for sending SMS messages and making calls, you can use the app or your Amazon Alexa device.

Send Messages and Make Calls With An Alexa Device

Communicating with your Amazon Alexa device—the Echo Show, Echo, Echo Dot, or Echo Spot—is easy. Using an Alexa device say "Alexa, send a message." or "Alexa make a call." Alexa responds with "To whom?" Tell Alexa the name of the person you want to communicate with. When you tell Alexa who you want to message or call, you should use the exact name listed in the contacts on your Mobile device. If not, it may get confused. Fortunately, it does repeat back the name of the person you want to reach, so if you're paying attention you should catch any mistakes. Once you have the recipient set, Alexa asks "What's the message?" Speak the message you want to send. When you finish speaking, there's a short pause and then Alexa says, "Got it. Should I send it?" Response "Yes" and Alexa sends the message to the person you selected.

Send a Text Message From the Alexa App

Sending messages using the Alexa app differs from the device just a bit. If you're using the Alexa app on your smartphone, select Message on the Communication page. Choose a contact on the Start Conversation page. Once you select a contact, you're taken to the messaging screen for that person. If they have an Echo device that's connected to your household, you see three icons at the top: Call, Video Call, and Drop In. The Drop In feature is only available to Alexa devices within the same household. For privacy reasons, you cannot drop in on an Alexa device that belongs to a different household. If you want to send a text message, enter the message into the Type your message text box at the bottom of the screen. You can also tap the blue microphone icon to send a voice message. When you're done, the microphone icon changes to an upward arrow. Tap that icon to send the message. Your message is delivered to the Echo devices that person owns and/or to the Alexa app on their phone. If the person doesn't own an Alexa device, the message is sent to their text app. If the user you're sending messages to has an Amazon Alexa device and/or the Alexa app, the message is delivered through both of those messages. The Alexa device displays a notification to let the recipient know they have a message. The recipient also gets a notice on the Alexa app. They can view the message as text within the Alexa app or listen to the voice recording of the message. Users who don't have the Alexa app on their phone receive a text message through their mobile carrier with the voice message attached as well.

Make Calls With Alexa

Making a call through Alexa works in a similar way to sending a text message. Ask Alexa to make a call, and answer her questions while she determines who you want to speak with. Then, the call is placed, and when answered, is conducted through your Amazon Alexa device. Where the process differs is if you're using your Alexa app to make a call from your mobile device. Rather than routing the call through the Alexa device, it routes the call through your smartphone, leveraging your mobile network to make the call. You can still use the app to call Alexa devices (and make video calls to Alexa Show devices). Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire Can I Call Alexa From My Phone? How to Use Your iPad or iPad Mini as a Phone How to Make Calls Through Your Echo Using Amazon's Alexa How to Use Alexa and Cortana Together How to Set up the Amazon Echo Show How to Connect Your Android Phone to Alexa How to Skype With Alexa Best Free Internet Phone Calls Apps (October 2022) How to Fix It When Your Alexa Alarm Isn’t Going Off How to Play SiriusXM On Alexa How to Fix It When Alexa says the Echo is Offline How to Use Alexa's Drop-In Feature How to Set up and Use the Google Duo Chat App How to Make Alexa Call 911 How to Connect Alexa to Your Computer How to Video Call on an Echo Show Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies