Smart Home Devices

Start your Smart Home Devices

Smart Home devices from lights and plugs to thermostats and cameras, Alexa can help make your home smarter and more automated by simplifying your everyday routines.

Connecting devices to Alexa

Creating a connected home is easy. Simply plug in and power on your new smart home device. Then say, “Alexa, discover devices.” You can also add devices through the Amazon Alexa app:

1. Open the Alexa app and select Devices.
2. Tap the + icon and select Add Device.
3. Choose the device type and brand.
4. Follow the on-screen prompts.

Expand your Smart Home Devices with

Lighting

Smart lights let you control your connected lights through your phone or by voice when paired with Alexa. You can create timers and routines to automate your entire smart home lighting setup.

Cameras

Smart cameras let you monitor activity inside and around your home. After connecting your cameras to Alexa, you can view footage on compatible Echo devices. Relax and be confident that you can keep an eye on what’s happening with the Amazon Alexa app, no matter where you are.

Televisions

Smart TVs let you use your voice to open streaming apps, change the channel, adjust the volume, and more when paired with an Alexa-enabled device. When you’re done watching, just say, “Alexa, turn off the TV.”

Thermostats

Heating and cooling costs can really add up. Smart thermostats can help you save energy by adjusting your home’s temperature when you’re away.

Do more with your smart home devices

Routines are shortcuts for Alexa

Alexa Routines make several things happen with a single request, so you can do more in fewer steps. For example, in the morning you could have Alexa turn on the lights, read the news, and announce any appointments on your calendar for the day.

Alexa Guard can help you keep your home safe

Set up Guard for free in the Alexa app to get mobile alerts if your Echo device detects the sound of a smoke alarm or glass breaking while you’re away. You can also subscribe to Guard Plus for even more help protecting your home, like an Emergency Helpline you can call with just your voice.

Fewer things to think about with Hunches

With Hunches, Alexa can give you helpful suggestions about your connected smart devices. For example, if you forget to lock a door, Alexa can let you know. You can also choose to have Alexa proactively act on her hunches without having to ask. If Alexa has a hunch that you’re away from home or everyone has gone to bed, she can proactively turn off lights and adjust the thermostat to your preferred sleeping temperature. To learn more, just ask, “Alexa, what are Hunches?”

Alexa just made printing a whole lot easier

Now you can print documents to a compatible printer using only your voice and compatible Echo devices. Try printing a crossword from the L.A. Times, a third-grade multiplication worksheet from JumpStart Academy, or a salmon recipe from Allrecipes. Just say, “Alexa, discover my printer” to get started.

What Is the Apple HomeKit App?

The Apple HomeKit app is named Home App. It is found pre-installed on iPhones or iPads that run on iOS 10 or better. This means that if you use an Android, Windows or other operating system on your phone, or an older version of iOS, you can’t use the app.

Through the app you can control your smart devices such as lights, thermostats and locks using WiFi or Bluetooth, or by voice commands through Siri. The Home app can also be used to create “scenes.” This option allows you to control multiple devices with one command. For example, you can set up a scene for when you wake up in the morning. With one command to Siri, the app can make the lights turn on throughout your house, adjust the thermostat, start your coffee pot and unlock the front door.

How to Use the Home App

Once you locate the app on your phone or tablet, adding new devices is simple. Open the app, tap Add Accessory and use the camera to scan the new device’s eight-digit HomeKit code or QR code. You can find this code on the box, on the device, or on the quick-start guide that comes with the device. From there, follow the on-screen instructions to complete the setup. To control your new device, go to the home screen and simply tap on it.

To create a scene, go to the home screen, tap the plus-sign icon and then tap Add Scene. Choose a suggested scene or create one from scratch. Next, choose a name for your scene, then tap Add Accessories. Choose the devices you want from the list and tap Done. Now you just need to decide what you want each device to do when the scene is activated.

To activate the scene, go to the rooms tab, tap the menu icon, and then tap the room. You can also say, “Hey Siri, (the name of your scene).”

Additional Equipment

The app only works when you’re at home unless you have a hub, which is hardware used to communicate with smart devices. Fortunately, you probably already have a device that works as a HomeKit hub. If you have an Apple TV, Home Pod or iPad, you’re golden. A hub lets you control your devices with the app from anywhere — at work, on vacation, or visiting friends.