How to Connect Smart Home Devices to Alexa

Authored by: Support.com Tech Pro Team

1. Introduction

In This Guide

You'll Learn How To:

• Link your smart home device with your Amazon Alexa enabled system

Before We Begin:

• Make sure your Alexa device is on and set up
• Make sure the device you wish to connect with Alexa is on

2. Compatible Smart Devices

What Can I Link with Amazon Alexa?There are a number of smart home devices that work with Alexa. When it comes to smart home devices, there are two ways for an Intelligent Personal Assistant such as Alexa to interact and control them. 

Some smart home devices, such as the Ecobee4 and the Ecobee Light Switch are able to be directly connected with Alexa and are immediately ready to be controlled.

Other smart home devices must first be connected to a smart home hub in order for them to be controlled. Once these devices are connected to your smart home hub, the hub can then be connected to Alexa, and Alexa can then begin to control these devices via communicating with the smart home hub they're connected to.

There are a variety of smart home devices that Alexa can control. The list of Alexa-enabled devices is constantly expanding. When it comes to home automation, common devices include smart lights, smart plugs, cameras, thermostats, doorbells, locks, etc.

In order to use your smart home device with Amazon Alexa, your smart home devices need to already be setup and functioning.

3. Add Smart-Home Device

There are multiple ways to add a new Smart Home device to the Alexa service.

You may need to switch to another method if one does not work. Some devices need more information to be recognized.

Using Voice Commands

1. Activate Alexa (usually, you can say "Hey Alexa").
2. Say "Discover My Devices".
3. The Alexa system will attempt to find any available smart home devices and prompt you through setting them up.
4. Listen carefully to what Alexa says and respond with the information for your device.

Using The Smartphone App

1. Open the Alexa app on your mobile device.
   

1. Select Smart Home Devices.
   

1. Select Add.
   

1. Select Add Device.
2. Select the category of your device.
3. Select the brand of your device.
4. Follow the instructions on screen to connect your smart home device to Alexa.

Using Your Computer

This option only works if you already have an Alexa speaker setup with your Amazon account.

1. Open your preferred web browser.
   

1. In the address bar, type alexa.amazon.com, and press enter or return.
   

1. Enter your Amazon account Email and Password, then select Sign In.
   

1. Follow the instructions on screen to connect your Smart Home device to the Alexa services.