How to create Alexa routines – and 3 to use NOW!

From voice-activated lighting to a fridge that can update your grocery list, thanks to smart devices, we’re pretty much living in a futuristic world similar to that popular cartoon, The Jetsons.

Take Alexa, for example. She’s not just the voice that plays your favorite tunes anymore. With Alexa Routines, she’s become that Jetsons robot Rosie in a smart speaker—ready to make your daily grind smoother, your home more secure, and, let’s be honest, make you feel a bit like a tech wizard.

You can have Alexa crank up the thermostat as you wake up, brew coffee when you say “Good morning,” or dim the lights when it’s time to get your horror movie marathon started. Basically, it’s like having a personal assistant who doesn’t judge your coffee addiction or your movie choices.

What are Alexa Routines anyway?

In essence, Alexa Routines are customizable commands for your Alexa-enabled devices, designed to automatically do a series of tasks based on conditions you set. So, depending on the Alexa-equipped hardware you have, you’ll be able create more elaborate Routines.

Here are three examples of Alexa Routines that just might change your life:

Sleep and wake naturally: Who’d have thought lightbulbs such as Govee Floor Lamp could help you sleep better, but here we are. Instead of a jarring alarm, you can set up a bedtime Alexa Routine that slowly dims your lights, helping you wind down in sync with your sleep schedule.

Come home to clean floors: By setting up routines with your Yeedi Cube smart vacuum, you can customize and automate its operations based on specific triggers. For example, you could create a routine that instructs the vacuum to go for a cleaning cycle whenever you trigger your coming home routine.

Automate Storm Proofing: WeatherFlow Tempest can help Alexa Routines in triggering security measures under certain weather conditions. If the Tempest notices that a storm is approaching, it can prompt Alexa to close smart blinds, turn on indoor lights, and send you a notification to secure outdoor furniture, keeping your home safe from potentially damaging winds.

Getting Started: The Basics

Three basic concepts determine which Alexa Routines you can set up – Hardware, Event, and Actions.

Hardware

If you have a specific routine in mind, like say, a morning routine that includes opening your blinds and starting your favorite podcast, you’ll need the right hardware. In this scenario, you’ll need smart blinds and an Amazon Echo device.

Of course, you’ll also need to add these devices with your Alexa app to make sure they can communicate with your smart home hub.

Event

The Event is the trigger of the routine. It can be as simple as saying, “Good morning, Alexa,” a specific time – say, 6 PM, just as you’re wrapping up that work-from-home grind. Or, it could also be something more complicated such as location, sound or motion detection, or even humidity, depending on the smart sensors you have available.

Action

Now, for the Actions—these are the fun bits that happen after you’ve set the wheels in motion. Want your smart bulbs to get the party started with a sultry hue? Done. Craving for your playlist to kick in with some smooth jazz as you don your apron for dinner prep? You got it. The possibilities are as vast as your streaming options on Amazon Prime.

Creating Your First Routine: Walkthrough

Here’s the nitty-gritty on how to create your first routine:

1. Fire up your Alexa app.
2. Tap on More and dive into Routines.
3. Hit that ‘+’ sign like it’s a snooze button on Monday morning.
4. Tap on Add an event, choose your trigger, and tap on Next.
5. Now, tap on Add and action and select which ones you want to execute.
6. Give your new routine a name that’s easy to remember. ‘Party Time’ or ‘Shhh, Baby’s Sleeping,’—you know, something descriptive.
7. Choose your trigger and tap on Save.

Also Read:

1. How to play Apple Music on an Amazon Alexa device
2. How to set up Alexa Home Monitoring, or use Amazon Echo Show devices as a security camera
3. How to add Alexa voice control to Samsung Sound Bar
4. How to customize the screen on Echo Show

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