We may live in the age of Alexa, but barking the same wake word and hearing the same voice answer our requests can quickly make us feel like we're the robots.
If you want to say something different than Alexa to command your smart speaker then the good news is that it's possible - albeit in a limited way; you can't just call Alexa anything you want.
Unlike its rivals, Amazon allows users to change the Alexa wake word and add a pinch of variation to the Echo devices experience although there are only four different wake words on offer: Ziggy, Amazon, Computer and Echo.
If you'd prefer a different Alexa voice or accent reading out your weather report or reminders, there are steps for this, too.
Read this: Funny things to ask Alexa
Follow the steps below and learn how to change it all on your Amazon Echo speaker.
Changing Alexa’s name / wake word
Sick of saying Alexa’s name? Want a different wake word to trigger the voice assistant on your Echo devices? Well, customisation options are very limited, but you can change the wake word from “Alexa” to "Ziggy", “Echo”, “Amazon” or “Computer”.
1. In the app menu, select Devices.
2. Choose the device for which you want to change the wake word.
3. Tap on Wake Word.
4. Choose the one you want, then hit OK.
5. Once the orange light stops flashing, the name you use to wake Alexa should be changed.
Change Alexa’s voice or accent
In mid-2021, Amazon launched a new male voice for Alexa. The new tone was launched along with the new Ziggy name.
The new voice is only available in the US for now and you can enable it by saying, "Alexa, change your voice."
Alternatively, you can change the voice within the Alexa app. Note that Amazon doesn't call the voice options male or female; rather original or new.
- Tap Settings > Device Settings.
- Choose your Echo smart speaker.
- Tap Settings.
- Choose Alexa’s Voice and select either New or Original.
Other Alexa voices to try
If you're not in the US, there are other ways to switch Alexa's voice up if you’re sick of the same tones and intonations.
If you’ve ever fancied giving your Echo speaker a British accent or an Aussie twang, you can do so. You can also have Alexa speak English in an Indian accent.
Listen here: What all of Alexa's accents sound like
However, be warned, Alexa's brain is also localised to where you set it, meaning a change in accent may pull up different answers, so it may alter the experience a little.
1. In the app menu, select Alexa Devices.
2. Choose the device you want to change the voice of.
3. Scroll down and tap on Languages.
4. Hit the drop-down box and choose the language you want.
5. Hit Save changes.
Changing Alexa to a celebrity voice
It's not just the name you can jazz your Alexa digital assistant up with, you can also add a bit of celebrity fun to the mix.
Amazon announced a new Samuel L. Jackson voice for Alexa in 2019 and there are now two more celebrity voices available for Alexa: Shaquille O’Neal and Melissa McCarthy.
They don’t take over the whole Alexa experience – but can be summoned for different tasks.
More Amazon Alexa guides
- How to control Sonos with Alexa
- Play podcasts with Alexa
- How to use Alexa to control your lights and devices
- Use your Amazon Echo with Alexa as an alarm clock
- How to make Alexa talk faster or slower
- How to set up and use Alexa Routines for a smarter home
- View camera footage on your Amazon Echo
- Set up and use Alexa Drop In and Calling
- Alexa and Spotify guide
- Alexa Brief Mode explained
