Amazon Echo tricks and Alexa commands: the guide you need to get the most out of it

Universal Adventure » General » Amazon Echo tricks and Alexa commands: the guide you need to get the most out of it

Whether you've just gotten an Amazon Echo or have had one for a while, here's a huge guide packed with tips, commands, and Alexa features to help you get the most out of it. We've gathered and rewritten, with a practical approach, the most useful things you can do with your speaker, display, or any device compatible with Amazon's assistant.

The idea is to give you a handy, organized repertoire of common tasks, interesting facts, and key settings for home automation, music, lists, shopping, and more . We've also added tips for clever routines (yes, including the popular "fruitful mode") and lesser-known options like measuring your Wi-Fi speed or reading your ebooks aloud.

Content recently reviewed and aligned with features available in the Alexa app, including fall updates (revision dates: 10/28/2025 and 10/29/2025) so you don't miss a thing.

News, time and weather

To start your day informed without lifting a finger, Alexa centralizes summaries, sports, and weather data for your city or any location you specify . These are very straightforward commands that are worth memorizing.

• Alexa, good morning: initial greeting and summary of the day according to your configured routine.
• Alexa, what's the news of the day?: Play your news flash using the sources chosen in the app.
• Alexa, what's on TV tonight?: quick consultation of television programming.
• Alexa, how has Madrid been?: most recent score and upcoming matches of the team you are asking about.
• Alexa, what is the league ranking?: standings table of LaLiga and other competitions.
• Alexa, what's my sports information?: results and data from your favorite teams.
• Alexa, play Cadena SER: launches the skill of the station you choose (SER, Xataka Now, etc.).
• Alexa, what is the weather like?: current conditions and forecast for the rest of the day.
• Alexa, what's the weather like in Madrid?: weather forecast for any city.
• Alexa, is it going to rain this weekend?: Rain or sun forecast for your area.
• Alexa, is it going to rain this weekend in Barcelona?: specific forecast for another city.
• Alexa, what's the weather going to be like in France?: If you ask for a country, Alexa will ask you for a specific city.
• Alexa, what time is it?: the current time.
• Alexa, what time is it in St. Petersburg?: local time in the indicated city.

With these commands you can set up your morning "briefing" with weather, news and sports, perfect for getting energized in a minute.

Alarms, reminders and calendar

Alexa helps you avoid forgetting things and organizes your day with alarms, reminders, and events . The best part is that you can set everything up with your voice.

• Alexa, set an alarm: Start the wizard to adjust the time and days.
• Alexa, set an alarm for 7 a.m.: Set an alarm for the next day; if it's in the morning, offer to repeat it during the week.
• Alexa, wake me up at 8 a.m. to music: musical alarm with your default service.
• Alexa, wake me up at 8 AM with Queen music: alarm with the artist you indicate.
• Alexa, cancel all my alarms: Deletes all active alarms at once.
• Alexa, what alarms do I have?: list of configured alarms.
• Alexa, postpone ...: postpone sleep for five more minutes.
• Alexa, set a reminderCreate a reminder; Alexa will ask you for the subject and date/time.
• Alexa, remind me to take out the trash at 9 pm: complete reminder with time and subject.
• Alexa, tell me my reminders: upcoming announcements pending.
• Alexa, clear reminder: deletes a specific one (or asks which one to delete).
• Alexa, set a timer for 5 minutes: Quick timers for cooking, exercise, etc.
• Alexa, set a 10-minute timer for pizza: In addition, you can give them names to differentiate them.
• Alexa, add "dinner with friends" to my calendar: Alexa asks for day and time to record the event.
• Alexa, add an event to my calendar: guided process for title, date and time.
• Alexa, add an event to my calendar tomorrow.: Set the day directly and then choose the time and name.
• Alexa, what do I have on my calendar?It reads you the next four events and offers you the option to expand.
• Alexa, what's on my calendar today?: agenda for the day (or the day you request).

If you connect your Google, Microsoft, or iCloud accounts from More > Calendar in the app, you'll see appointments on Echo displays and be able to request daily summaries by voice.

Lists: Shopping and tasks without touching your phone

Lists are a lifesaver for everyday life: in seconds you can jot down what you're missing at home or what you don't want to forget. Plus, everything syncs with the app so you can check it when you're out and about.

• Alexa, add tomatoes to my shopping list: Adds items to the predefined shopping list.
• Alexa, add watering the plants to my to-do list: Add pending items to the to-do list.
• Alexa, create a list: Alexa asks you for a name and content for the new playlist.
• Alexa, create a list named Trip: generates custom themed lists.
• Alexa, add things to the Trip list: starts the guided addition to that specific list.
• Alexa, add Trip to the list: adds an element to that list.
• Alexa, ready: listen to all existing playlists.
• Alexa, what do I have on my shopping list?: review of what is pending to be purchased.
• Alexa, what do I have on my to-do list?: review of noted tasks.
• Alexa, what's on the Travel list?: reading the contents of a specific list.

With a little discipline, these lists become your external memory for shopping and errands , and prevent you from forgetting what's important.

Shopping with Alexa (with caution)

Alexa is very well integrated with Amazon: you can search, check your cart, or review orders using your voice. Use it wisely, because voice shopping is fast, sometimes too fast.

• Alexa, I want to buyAlexa asks what you're looking for and suggests results.
• Alexa, I need to buy water.: Listen to the first two relevant products.
• Alexa, I want to buy technology: browsing by product categories.
• Alexa, buy Xiaomi A2: direct search for a specific model.
• Alexa, how's my basket coming along?: what you have in your cart right now.
• Alexa, how's my purchase going?: status and estimated delivery date of your orders.

If you don't want any surprises, activate a confirmation PIN for voice purchases in the Alexa app.

Local searches and entertainment near you

Configure your postal code in the app so Alexa understands your area and can suggest nearby places, opening hours, or showtimes without you having to fight with your phone.

• Alexa, what restaurants are around here?Popular recommendations in your area.
• Alexa, find a nearby pharmacy: nearby pharmacies based on your location.
• Alexa, where is a post office nearby?: post offices in the area.
• Alexa, recommend me a Chinese restaurant: establishments best rated by type of cuisine.
• Alexa, what are the opening hours of the Prado Museum?: opening hours of specific locations.
• Alexa, what movies are playing near me?: showing in upcoming theaters.
• Alexa, what science fiction movies are in theaters?: movie listings filtered by genre.
• Alexa, what movies are playing at the cinema tomorrow?: : check for upcoming dates.

Ideal for planning an impromptu outing: Alexa gives you express directions based on your preferences and neighborhood.

Music, radio, podcasts and audiobooks

Your Echo is, first and foremost, a speaker. Alexa lets you request artists, albums, playlists, radio stations, or podcasts, as well as ambient sounds and audiobooks.

• Alexa, play Beatles music: random playback on your default service.
• Alexa, play Beatles music on Amazon Music: Choose service on the fly (Amazon Music, Spotify…).
• Alexa, play rock: genre station on Amazon Music or related playlist on Spotify.
• Alexa, play party music: instant party atmosphere.
• Alexa, play Queen: specific artist in random mode.
• Alexa, play the disc DiscName: plays the indicated album.
• Alexa, play 'Bohemian Rhapsody' by Queen: specific song.
• Alexa, play my Queen playlist: own playlist by name.
• Alexa, what song is this?: identifies what sounds.
• Alexa, next / Alexa, previous: track control.
• Alexa, play Cadena Dial: Internet radio with the station of your choice.
• Alexa, play 'The Orbit of Endor': on-demand podcast.
• Alexa, play me the sound of a storm: relaxing noises (rain, storm…).
• Alexa, read the book 'American Gods': Read your Kindle ebooks aloud.
• alexa, stop / Alexa, keep going: pause and resume.
• Alexa, turn up the volume / Alexa, turn down the volumeVolume control.

In the app, go to More > Music & Podcasts and select your default music and podcast services . Alexa supports Amazon Music, Apple Music, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Deezer.

Encyclopedia, dictionary, mathematics and conversions

Alexa also answers quick questions: characters, historical dates, distances, definitions, translations, calculations, and currency exchange.

• Alexa, who is Cervantes?: quick summary of relevant figures.
• Alexa, how old is Penelope Cruz?: age and date of birth of celebrities.
• Alexa, when did Edgar Allan Poe die?: specific biographical data.
• Alexa, how old is Jordi Hurtado?: Careful, there's an Easter egg here.
• Alexa, what does "sempiterno" mean?: definitions with possible meanings.
• Alexa, how do you say 'Thank you very much' in English?: quick translations.
• Alexa, when did man land on the moon?Key historical dates.
• Alexa, how far away is the Moon?: astronomical data.
• Alexa, how far away is Galicia?: distance by road and in a straight line from your area.
• Alexa, how many people live in Denmark?: basic country information (population, symbols).
• Alexa, play the Danish national anthem: hymns through your music service.
• Alexa, how tall is Mount Teide?: mountain heights.
• Alexa, how long is the Ebro River?: river lengths.
• Alexa, what time does the sun rise? / what time does the sun set?: local sunrise and sunset.
• Alexa, what is the square root of 99?: mathematical operations.
• Alexa, what is three plus seven times two?: compound expressions (pay attention to the order of operations).
• Alexa, how many days until summer?Countdown to key dates.
• Alexa, how many dollars is 20 euros?: currency exchange.
• Alexa, how many miles are 10 kilometers?: unit conversions.

If you request complex conversions or calculations, try to enunciate the operators clearly so that Alexa can correctly interpret the operation.

Games, jokes and Easter eggs

Beyond its usefulness, Alexa also has a mischievous side: quick games, jokes, stories, and film references that liven up the living room.

• Alexa, what can you do?: a short tour of outstanding capabilities.
• alexa surprise me: random action (melodies, interesting facts…).
• Alexa, helloSay hello to her, she always replies.
• Alexa, why are you called Alexa?: origin of the name.
• Alexa, how old are you?: “official” age of the assistant.
• alexa tell me something / Tell me something interesting.: anecdotes and curiosities.
• Alexa, how are you?: mood and extra curiosity.
• Alexa, call XXXX / send a message to XXXX: communication with contacts who use Echo.
• Alexa, heads or tails?: coin toss.
• Alexa, roll a dice: result from 1 to 6.
• Alexa, tell me a number from one to one hundred.: random number within range.
• Alexa, rock, paper, scissors: play against Alexa.
• Alexa, tell me a story / tell me the story of Little Red Riding Hood: general or specific stories.
• Alexa, tell me a joke / a Chuck Norris joke: varied thematic humor (Jaimito, cinema, etc.).
• Alexa, tell me something about football: football anecdotes.
• Alexa, tell me a riddle: riddles for the whole family.
• Alexa, sing a song / sing a lullaby: short versions and lullabies.
• Alexa, what is your favorite color/singer/game?: answers with a wink.
• Alex, where do you live?: his classic “head in the cloud”.
• Alexa, can you rap?Yes, he'll rattle off some rhymes.
• Alexa, tell me a movie quote.: random movie quote.
• Alexa, recommend me a skill. / Alexa, open Discover and launch skills.
• Alexa, let's play: catalog of recreational skills.
• Alexa, I want to meditatemindfulness skills.
• Alexa, pretend you're a hero: narrated mini-adventures (or supervillain).
• Alexa, do a magic trick for me.: trick with spark.
• Alexa, meow: animal sounds.
• Alexa, silver or lead: film/series reference.
• Alexa, my name is Inigo Montoya: completes the mythical line.
• Alexa, talk like Yoda: also understands references to Klingon and other geeky stuff.
• Alexa, help me cookStep-by-step recipe skills.
• Alexa, open My Horoscope: your daily horoscope.
• Alexa, what do you want to talk about?: impromptu conversation.
• Alexa, what is a fistro?Yes, there are also traditional Spanish touches.

When friends come over, these commands are perfect for breaking the ice and having a few laughs.

Tips and tricks to get the most out of your Amazon Echo

In addition to commands, there are configuration features that make a real difference in your daily life. Here are some useful and little-known settings and routines.

Measure WiFi speed

With the command “Alexa, measure WiFi speed ”, your Echo runs a test and gives you a summary of the wireless speed it's receiving. Useful for knowing if the speaker is experiencing coverage issues.

Change the wake word

In the app, go to Devices > your Echo > Wake word and choose between Alexa, Amazon, or Echo . This setting is independent for each device, perfect if you have several at home.

Sync your calendar

Go to More > Calendar > Add account and integrate Google, Microsoft, or iCloud . This way, Echo Show devices will display your events, and you can request summaries or add appointments by voice.

Use Echo as a Bluetooth speaker

Say “Alexa, turn on Bluetooth” to put it into pairing mode and connect it via Bluetooth on your phone/PC. Then you can play any audio through the Echo as if it were a regular speaker.

Speaker groups and multiroom

With multiple Echo devices at home, you can create groups from the app to have music in several rooms at once . It's incredibly convenient if you move around the house and want continuous background music.

Choose default music and podcast services

In More > Music & Podcasts, select a default provider for your family and yourself. Alexa supports Amazon Music, Apple Music, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Deezer , and lets you separate music and podcasts.

Read your Kindle books aloud

If you've purchased the ebook, ask "Alexa, continue reading [book title]" and the assistant will convert the text to speech. It's a great way to follow a book while doing other things.

Integrate Fire TV with Alexa

With Fire TV, you can say "Alexa, play Netflix" or control playback, pause, power, and playback. Integration with Echo speakers makes it easy to use your TV with your voice without having to fumble for the remote.

Home automation with Matter

Alexa supports Matter devices (light bulbs, plugs, etc.). The advantage is that it simplifies the pairing process without manufacturer apps and offers greater compatibility between assistants in the ecosystem (it also works with Google Home and Apple Home).

"Fruity Fantastic Mode" Routine

To create an epic atmosphere in your room, set up a routine that activates when you hear "Fruity Fantastic Mode" (or your preferred phrase). In the app: Routines > New > When you say > your phrase > Actions: turn the smart light red and play a song on the speaker (or on your Smart TV if it's connected). And just one command will have you ready to create a fantastic atmosphere.

Whisper mode

Does Alexa talk loudly at night bother you? Activate whisper mode in the assistant's voice settings, or whisper to it and it will automatically adjust its volume.

Food delivery tracking

If your delivery service has a skill feature, activate it and link your account. Then you'll be able to ask "Where's my order?" and see the delivery status in real time.

Powerful shopping lists

Turn your list into your weekly planner. From the Alexa or Amazon app, you can edit, share, and mark items as done to avoid repeat purchases.

“Alexa, find my phone”

If you have the Alexa app installed and set up on your phone, just ask and it will ring your phone so you can find it. It's a super quick way to locate it when it gets lost around the house.

Control the TV with your voice

In addition to Fire TV, if your TV or soundbar is compatible, you can ask it to turn on, off, or play content from Prime Video and other compatible services, without touching the remote.

Use the Echo as a camera

With compatible devices, the Echo can act as a camera and provide live viewing through the app. This is useful for occasional home surveillance if you have an Echo with a screen or additional cameras.

Adjust the voice speed (up to 7 levels)

If it speaks too fast or too slow, say "Alexa, speak slower" or "Alexa, speak faster" until you're happy with it. There are seven speeds available , so fine-tune it to your ear.

Create your voice profile

Set up voice identification so the assistant recognizes you and offers personalized responses (music, calendar, reminders) to each family member.

Customize the wake word

If you'd like a change, remember that you can change "Alexa" to "Amazon" or "Echo" in the device settings. It's a small detail that prevents accidental activations in homes with multiple devices.

With all this arsenal, your Amazon Echo can be the cornerstone of your connected home: from organizing yourself to setting the mood in your home, automating routines and controlling devices , all without touching your mobile phone.