How to Get Alexa to Recognize Your Voice

Setting up your Amazon Alexa voice profile is an essential step — whether you just took it out of the box, or are tired of it not "hearing" you. It can be frustrating when your tech isn't doing what you want it to, but setting up a voice profile for your Alexa can help you avoid that.

This guide covers setup, tips, and tricks — everything from changing Alexa's voice to making sure it recognizes everyone in your home by voice.

Step 1: Open the Alexa App

Open up the Alexa app on your smartphone or tablet. At the home screen, select the three-line "hamburger" menu button on the bottom right. From the new menu, select Settings.

In the Settings section, select Account Settings, and then select Recognized Voices.

This is the voice profile hub for Alexa. First, make sure that Automatic Voice Recognition is enabled. This allows Alexa to gather data about unique voices and personalize experiences, which is a key part of creating separate voice profiles. Then select the option to Create a voice profile to begin. Alexa may ask to access your mic before starting.

Step 2: Follow the prompts

The app will proceed to give you a series of prompts that you'll need to say out loud in order for Alexa to learn your voice. If you fail one of the phrases (Alexa doesn't get enough voice data to work with), then you can simply repeat the phrase until it's checked off and you move onto the next one.

To ensure successful creation of your new voice profile, there are some tips you can follow. When speaking the prompted phrases, try to sit or stand in a place where you would normally speak to your Echo device — for example, the dining table or living room sofa. Try to ensure there isn't a lot of background noise, and keep the Alexa device you're interacting with at least 8 inches away from the walls. Then, simply speak to Alexa as you normally would.

Step 3: Add other voices if necessary

If there are multiple people in your home who may be using Alexa for their own music or tools, it's advantageous to set up multiple voice profiles. However, the other voice must have its own Amazon profile to begin.

Log out of the Alexa app, and have the other user log back in under their account. Then, have them set up their own voice profile. Then, both of your voice profiles should be active.

If you already have multiple voice profiles loaded in and have been using them for some time, it's a good idea to try out the Match Voice Profiles option as well. Alexa will play voice commands and have them match to specific profiles to make it easier for the software to tell two or more voices apart.

Step 4: Set Up Amazon Music

If you're subscribed to the Amazon Music Unlimited Family Plan, you'll see a screen pop up at the very end of the profile creation process. It will ask you whether you want to link your voice profile to the Amazon Music Unlimited account. All you have to do is sign in on the screen and enter the information associated with the account. That way, whenever you request Alexa to play music, the device can play music that's curated to the speaker's tastes.

Step 5: Testing — Ask Alexa who you are

Once the process is complete, you can verify that Alexa has learned your voice by asking Alexa, "Who am I?" If Alexa is able to tell who you are, it will respond by saying, "I'm talking to (your name)." Note that Alexa takes about 15 to 20 minutes to learn your voice after you've completed the set-up process, so if the device doesn't recognize your voice right away, try again a little later.

Is Alexa not pronouncing your name correctly? You can send feedback within the Alexa app. On the menu page, tap on "Help & Feedback," then choose "Send Feedback." Scroll through the drop-down menus to select the device and issue, then use the text box to write out your problem.

Step 6: Add more users

If you or the people you live with prefer a more customized experience, you can quickly build individual voice profiles for each of you. Just download the Alexa app and log into the Amazon account that you registered your home's Echo devices under.

Step 7: Start asking Alexa questions

Once everyone has made their own unique voice profiles, you'll each be able to access your profiles by using only your voices. You can do countless things with Alexa, including calling or texting anyone in your contacts, asking for a curated music playlist, learning what your commute time will be each day before heading to work, and even listening to the news from chosen sources. Individualized profiles let everyone create a personal Amazon Alexa experience.

It's possible for Alexa to mistake your voice as someone else's. In this case, just say "Stop" or "Cancel," and Alexa will prevent you from hearing your family member's private content.

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