Amazon.com.au: Meet Alexa - Calling & Messaging: Amazon Devices & Accessories

Communication

Staying in touch with friends and family is easy, thanks to Alexa. Call, message, send a hug and make announcements between Echo devices or via the Alexa app.

Echo dot on a kitchen shelf with cookbooks

Communicate with friends and family

Staying connected with your friends and family has never been easier. To set up calling and messaging, follow these steps:

Download the latest version of the Alexa app and sign in on your mobile phone.
Along the bottom of your app, select Communicate.
Add and verify your mobile phone number and grant permissions for calling and messaging.
You can import up to 10 contacts at any given time. To do this, enable Contacts from the Communications page in the app by selecting the person-shaped icon in the top right corner of the screen. Alternatively, Alexa will ask permission to create a contact as you dial a new number. Your 10 contacts can be updated once per calendar year.

Try saying:

"Alexa, call Ben's mobile."*
"Alexa, message Mum."*
"Alexa, send Grandma a hug."*

*Examples only. Contact names must match the names in your linked contact list.

Drop In

Like a modern-day intercom, this feature allows you to drop in on supported Alexa-enabled devices. When you receive a drop in, the light indicator on your Echo pulses green and you connect to your contact automatically.

Remember: before you can get started, you and your contacts will need to opt-in to use Drop In.

To set up, follow the steps below:

In the Alexa app, select the Devices icon located at the bottom right of the screen.
Select Echo & Alexa and then select the device you’d like to enable.
Select Communication.
Select Drop In and then select which permissions to enable.

How to use Drop In

Drop In is turned off by default for all contacts in your contact list. To allow contacts to drop in, select the Contact in your Alexa app and turn on Allow Drop In. Your contacts will also be required to enable Drop In before using this feature.

To Drop In on your devices from the Alexa app, go to the Communicate option in the app and tap Drop In near the top of the screen.

Try saying:

"Alexa, drop in on Kitchen Echo."
"Alexa, drop in on Dad."
"Alexa, drop in on Sarah."

Favourite contacts

When a person is marked as a favourite, they’ll show up at the top of your app contacts list and Alexa will make them your default contact.

To set up favourite contacts, follow these steps:

In the Alexa app, go to Communicate.
In the top right of the screen, go to Contacts.
Select Contact and Add to Favourites.

To limit calling and messaging to just your favourite contacts, go back to your Contacts view and follow these steps:

Select the vertical three dots on the top right of the home screen.
Select Contact Access and Favourite Contacts Only.

Call my phone

With this feature, Alexa can help put an end to the days of saying, “Has anyone seen my phone?” As long as you're signed in to the Alexa app, you can have your Echo device call your phone.

To try it, just say: "Alexa, call my phone."

Group calling

With Group Calling, you can connect with multiple people at once. You can easily create and name groups in the Alexa app.

To set up:

Open the Alexa app.
Open Communicate.
Select Contacts.
Select Add New.
Select Add Group.
Add group members and select Continue.
Name the group and select Create Group.

FAQs

Q: Why can't I link one of my contact's numbers?
A. If you have any difficulty linking your phone number, contact Customer Service.

Q. Can Alexa call 000?
A. No, Alexa cannot place calls to 000.

Q. What is Drop In?
A. Drop In is an optional feature that lets you connect instantly to supported Alexa-enabled devices, like an intercom. Visit this page to learn more about Drop In.

Q. How do you set up Drop In?
A. To drop in on your household devices, first ask Alexa to drop in and she will request your permission to enable the feature. Once enabled, members of your household account will be able to drop in on household devices. To drop in on a contact with a different Amazon account, your contact must first grant you Drop In permissions using the Alexa app. You cannot control which of your contact’s Alexa-enabled devices you drop in on.

Q. How do I avoid audio feedback?
A. For best results while using Drop In, enable Drop In on only one device per room.

Q. How do I use in-call reactions and effects?
A. During an Alexa-to-Alexa video call or drop-in, tap the smiley face or effects button in the bottom-left corner of the screen to expand the menu. Select the reaction or effect to play on all sides of the call. Reactions disappear on their own. Remove an effect using the Clear button.