Tech Reference

You can't change Alexa's name on your Amazon device, but you can change its 'wake word' — here's how

Written by Steven John
Amazon Echo
You can change your Amazon speaker's "wake word" to four different options. Elaine Thompson/AP
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Since the release of Amazon's digital assistant Alexa in late 2014, that name has been said billions of times by millions of people followed up by a command like: "Play 'Africa' by Toto" or "turn off the lights."

However, if you're tired of calling out to Alexa every time you want to hear "Africa" or have the thermostat turned up, then you have some options at your disposal. You can change your device's "wake word" to four different options, including Alexa.

To change your Alexa device's "wake word," open the Alexa app and follow these steps.

Check out the products mentioned in this article:

Amazon Echo (From $99.99 at Amazon)

iPhone 11 (From $699.99 at Best Buy)

iPad (From $329.99 at Best Buy)

Samsung Galaxy S10 (From $899.99 at Best Buy)

How to change your Alexa speaker's 'wake word' using a mobile device

1. Open the Amazon Alexa app on your iPhone, iPad, or Android device.

2. Tap the three horizontal lines in the top-left corner.

Can you change Alexa's name
Tap the three bars to open a menu.  Steven John/Business Insider

3. Tap "Settings."

Can you change Alexa's name
Select "Settings" from the menu.  Isabella Paoletto/Business Insider

4. Tap "Device Settings."

Can you change Alexa's name
Select "Device Settings."  Isabella Paoletto/Business Insider

5. Tap the Amazon device that you'd like to change the "wake word" for. 

6. Scroll down and tap "Wake Word."

Can you change Alexa's name
Tap "Wake Word."  Isabella Paoletto/Business Insider

7. Tap the wake word that you'd like to use on your device. You can select from "Alexa," "Amazon," "Echo," and "Computer."

Can you change Alexa's name
Select your new "wake word" for your device.  Isabella Paoletto/Business Insider

How to change your Alexa speaker's 'wake word' using your speaker

Simply walk over to your Amazon speaker and say "Alexa, can you change your wake word?" and then follow her prompts to change your device's "wake word" to one of the other options.

 

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Steven John
Steven John has been a freelance writer for more than a dozen years and has been a regular contributor to Business Insider since 2017. His work includes a focus on the tech world, covering companies including Apple, Microsoft, Meta, Google, and others. He also reviews restaurants, shares how-to cooking articles, and writes general interest pieces.Steven also writes for publications including Architectural Digest, The Daily Beast, Forbes, and more. In the past, he also wrote for New York Magazine, Mashed, U.S. News & World Report and other outlets. He runs his own outdoor lifestyle site, Dad Gear Review, and co-hosts the Fact Trekkers podcast with his son. He has had two novels published, Three A.M. and Outrider. He graduated from Emerson College with a degree in communications focused on filmmaking.He is an avid outdoorsman and can be frequently found in a kayak or on a mountain trail, often with his family along for the adventure.Expertise:Tech industryTech hardwareOutdoorsCookingRestaurantsDIYPopular articles:Microsoft: A history of the software giant co-founded by Bill Gates, its products and services, jobs, layoffs, and moreYouTube is a major entertainment force. Here's the platform's history, plus how to create a channel and upload videos.Inside the life and career of Bill Gates, the Microsoft co-founder, billionaire, and philanthropistTim Cook net worth: How the Apple leader earns and spends his moneyBecoming an Amazon seller is a simple process. Here's what's involved, plus how you make money and get paid.