Can I Send Messages to a Family Members Echo

Are you lot looking for a way to setup video chats with your loved ane who lives independently or in a facility?

This article tells you how to do that, using the Repeat Testify, without requiring your loved 1 to do any of the "setting up".

New to This Topic?

This is a Deep-dive "How To" article. If you are not yet sure if the Echo Show is the right product for your situation, you probably desire to start with ane of these related pieces of enquiry.

Amazon Echo Bear witness: Older Adults Explore; or
Tin Alexa Aid Fight isolation and Loneliness; or
Technology for Sheltering in Identify; or
All-time Video Call Technology.

Setting the Stage: Common Questions

Let'south listen on in a conversation betwixt two seniors: Bob, whose mother just moved into a nursing home, and Frank, who just completed an Alexa Calling setup for his Mom.

Alexa Calling for Staying in Touch with Mom

Bob: I have been reading that Amazon Alexa Calling is the easiest way for me to take video chats with my Mom, merely I have no idea how to become started for her.

Frank: Amazon Alexa Calling is a great way to do video chats with your Mom. You can accept a video phone call with her even if she is unable to say the proper Alexa command to answer the telephone call or unable to tap the icon on the Amazon Repeat Show screen. That is accomplished using the "driblet-in" characteristic. Here are the diverse Repeat Show sizes (fig 1).

Echo Show Variants

Effigy 1: Different versions of the Amazon Echo Show.
L-R: Echo Show 5; Repeat Prove 8; Echo Show (Gen 2).

But I Can't Visit Mom to Set up It Upward

Bob: Great. I actually setup an Echo Show in my own habitation and have washed video chats with other family members, but they each setup their own Echo Testify… How tin can I setup one for my Mom, peculiarly since she doesn't live nearby?

Frank: Amazon recently offered some communication (Reference 1) on how to do that remotely.

I propose you follow their advice and configure your Mom's Echo Show at YOUR dwelling, using YOUR Wi-Fi, then the only thing that volition have to change at her home is the Wi-Fi.

Tin can't Mom Just Use My Amazon Account?

Bob: Ok, simply as I read their setup procedure, I meet she would demand her own Amazon account. Tin can't she but use mine?

Frank: I recommend getting her a free Amazon account. That way all her preferences such as music and contacts are separate. You will however be able to log into her account when y'all are home to afterward make any changes necessary. In fact, if you keep an Echo device, say an Repeat Dot, at your abode logged into her account, you can remotely help her troubleshoot problems. And… y'all will be able to remote "button" family photos to her Echo Evidence every bit a slide show.

But She Doesn't Accept a Jail cell Phone. It Says She Needs I.

Bob: Hmm, they as well mention using "her cell telephone" to complete the setup. She does not have or want a jail cell telephone and I don't want to purchase a "burner" just for this setup.

Frank: Non to worry. There is a way to do this using her Amazon account and a complimentary Google Voice account, which creates a free mobile number that Amazon needs to complete the Alexa Calling setup. You can log into her Amazon account with YOUR prison cell phone to complete the setup, including Contacts. I'll give you lot details afterwards on how to perform this step by step.

I Don't Desire All MY Contacts in HER Alexa

Bob: Ok, I get it, only I read that if I use MY cell phone, that all my contacts be in there!

Frank: No, yous tin can add the contacts your Mom needs ane past one.

The Retirement Abode Might Not Let Me Connect to Their WiFi

Bob: Oh, I forgot to mention that she is at present in a nursing home. I know an Repeat Evidence device needs Wi-Fi to work. What if they won't allow it on their network?

Frank: Aha, there is a way effectually that using a paid cell service with what the carriers call a mobile hotspot.

Her TV is So Loud. She Will Not Hear the Telephone call.

Bob: Oh, one more thing. She plays her TV very loud and I'thousand agape she won't exist able to hear me calling her.

Frank: I have a fix for that! Yous also install a Fire TV Cube for her TV. If she is watching TV when your call comes in, it will actually intermission the Goggle box! (Reference 2). She will also have other benefits using the Fire TV Cube such as voice control of her TV shows and family pictures.

Practice My Siblings Too Need an Echo Bear witness to Video Chat with Mom?

Bob: Oh, one last matter. My brothers and sisters volition too want to do video chats with Mom. Volition they all demand an Echo Prove?

Frank: They can just use an Alexa app on their cell phone. They will be able to call Mom and she can even call them! If they have the Alexa app running when she calls, they will exist asked to reply the phone call. If the Alexa app is not running at that fourth dimension, they will get a regular prison cell phone call and tin and so call her right back in the Alexa app. One of the benefits of using an Echo Show is that it will show yous when Mom is nearby her Echo Bear witness and that might exist a skillful time to phone call her.

OK. Y'all Convinced Me. :)

Bob: Ok, OK… I'yard convinced. Please requite me all the stride by step info you mentioned.

Frank: Of course. Here are some detailed setup instructions.

Listing of Equipment, Software, and Applications Required

Equipment needed:

Amazon Echo Show device for your home and your Mom'southward home.

Be sure to society hers equally a "souvenir" so that Amazon does not pre-configure it for your settings.
You could reset it to "Mill Default", if you ordered information technology configured (encounter below).

Wi-Fi at both locations.

Add a portable Wi-Fi hotspot, if Wi-Fi is not bachelor if at your Mom'south location.

You need a mobile phone other than your own.

If your Mom does non take one, see the Google Voice workaround below.

Software needed:

Separate Amazon accounts for you and your parent.
Alexa app on your mobile telephone.
Setup a Google business relationship and a complimentary Google Voice for your Mom — if she has no mobile phone.

Setup Instructions: Stride by Footstep

1. Ready upward YOUR Repeat Device

Plug it in and wait for the prompts. (If you lot take previously ordered Amazon Echo devices, information technology may already have the steps beneath performed.)
Select a language by borer the screen.
Select your Wi-Fi network proper name.
Enter your Wi-Fi countersign.
Enter your Amazon business relationship email and password.
Sign in.
Confirm the time zone.

two. Set up Upward your MOM's Echo Device

Plug it in and look for the prompts.
If it was delivered with your settings, yous can perform a Factory Default Reset (run across below).
Select a language by tapping the screen.
Select YOUR Wi-Fi network name (this will be changed subsequently).
Enter YOUR Wi-Fi password and Tap CONNECT.
Enter your MOM's Amazon account email and password and Tap DONE.
Sign in with your MOM'due south account, tap CONTINUE.
Fix the correct time zone & address, tap CONTINUE.
Choose a room location or skip.
Rename the device to your preference, eastward.chiliad. Mom'south Echo Show.
Cull some wallpaper, e.chiliad. Nature.
Watch the video tutorial that pops up during setup for some usage hints.
Select which "Amazon offers" you want (if any). Note: Your MOM does NOT need a Prime account, nor a payment method for this to work. And in general nosotros recommend keeping things simple to start.
When you bring this Echo Evidence to your Mom'due south house, you lot volition demand to change the Wi-Fi settings.
This would be a adept fourth dimension to review all the messages that volition be popping up on her screen… some people are annoyed by too many messages. See next section.

Review Her "Settings"

Swipe down from the top of the screen.
Tap the "Settings" gear in the upper right.
Scroll to "Dwelling house Content".
Choose which messages you remember she will detect appropriate. (Note: you tin only set these messages up while at her Echo Evidence… they are not remotely changeable.).

Notes on "Settings"

Drop-in is useful, if your Mom has problem speaking to Alexa or tapping the answer button on a call.
Conditions is always useful.
Shared with You tin requite you lot a ways to ship her pictures to automatically brandish.

Suit Her Accessibility Settings

Scroll to "Accessibility".
Choose the settings you retrieve might be helpful.

Notes on Accessibility Settings:

Closed caption may be helpful.
Alexa Captioning helps by displaying the text of Alexa'southward speech communication on the screen.
Advice Without Speech is useful. It transcribes vocalization letters into text.
Tap to Alexa adds an icon on the screen that your Mom could bear on to remember Alexa deportment you determine. For case:
1. Music
2. News
3. Call your Alexa devices

Factory Default Reset (needed only if the Echo Prove comes with your settings and you want to reset them)

Swipe downward from top of the screen.
Tap "Settings" gear.
Scroll to "Device Options" and tap it.
Coil to "Reset to Factory Defaults" and tap it.

3. Configure Alexa Communications for Your MOM's Account

At that place are ii different ways to create and configure your mother's Alexa Business relationship, depending on whether or not she has a mobile phone capable of running the Alexa App.

The basic event here is that the Alexa App needs some type of phone number to utilize every bit a reference to your mother'south Alexa.

If she has a cellphone modernistic plenty to run the Alexa App, then Alexa can use her cellphone number to remember her. However, if she does not have such a jail cell phone (or if you can't get your easily on it because she is locked way), so you can create a divide Google voice number in your mother's name, and give that to Alexa to use as a reference. In that case, she does not need a cellphone at all.

If she does take a mobile phone capable of running the Alexa Appp, and you can access that phone, then spring to "Scenario B".
If she does NOT have a mobile phone, or if y'all cannot access it, then at that place is an extra step first, as explained in Scenario A below.

Step 3a: Create Your Mother'south Alexa Account

Scenario A: She does NOT have a mobile phone, or you cannot access her mobile phone.

You will need to perform these actress steps using YOUR prison cell phone by adding a Google Vocalization number. Google Vox will demand to utilize your cell phone number to setup the new number.

Annotation: Alexa Communications actually doesn't "call" this number… it merely uses information technology as a reference to find your Mom'south Alexa Echo Evidence.

UPDATE: Since this was get-go published, reader Allynn made a great suggestion about usingTextNow to receive the SMS text setup message. I tested it on a few systems and information technology works great as an alternative to Google Voice. Notwithstanding as of September 2021, TextNow requires you to utilize a paid version in club for the number to stay allocated to you for a period longer than a few months. You need this, so you demand the paid version if you want to use this arroyo.

Sign up for a Gmail account in her name (hither is the link to signup for a Gmail account).
Sign up for a Google Vocalisation number in her name (here is the link to signup for Google Voice).
Sign into the Alexa app on your telephone, using your MOM's Alexa business relationship. (You lot volition demand to delete and re-install the Alexa app to practise this). [Don't worry. Your settings are stored in the cloud, so when you take reinstalled the App and logged in once more as you, your old settings should still be at that place!]
Proceed to Step 3b.

Notes about setting up Google Voice:

Search a new number… do Non apply your telephone number. Select whatsoever location & number.
Google volition demand to use YOUR mobile phone number to complete the setup with a text message.
Exist sure to use your Mom'due south Gmail account.
When y'all see the "Enter your phone number" prompt, enter YOUR cell phone number. (This will exist used to receive a text code for confirmation of setup).
Enter the code you received.
Note: Your cell telephone number tin take only One Google Voice Number assigned.

Scenario B. If your Mom has a mobile telephone capable of running the Alexa app:

Install the Alexa app on her phone.
Log into the Alexa app (as your mother).
Proceed to Footstep 3b.

Footstep 3b: Enter the Telephone Number Alexa will Use to Identify your Mother's Alexa

Once logged in (as your mother) you should encounter a screen that looks similar this:

Alexa screen 1

Effigy 2: Screenshot showing "Communicate" Icon.

Tap the "Communicate" icon on the bottom left (fig 2). Then:

Scenario A:

Enter the Google Vocalism number, so grant permissions for calling and messaging.
Your phone's Google Vocalization app will receive a verification lawmaking.

Scenario B:

Enter your Mom's mobile telephone information, so grant permissions for calling and messaging
Your Mom's mobile phone volition receive a verification code via text.

Stride 3c: Add together Your Contact Info So She Can Call Y'all.

In figure 3 below you run across the "Person Silhouette" in the upper right.

Person button on Alexa

Figure 3: Screenshot showing "Person Sillhouette"

Tap the "Person outline" in upper right (fig 3) A different screen volition appear showing a "Contact List" as in figure 4 below.

Dots

Figure 4: Screenshot showing Contact List

Tap the three vertical dots in the upper right (Fig iv).
Add YOUR contact info so that Alexa Communications can reach you

Step 3d: Avoid "Importing your contacts"

Alexa will suggest you "import your contacts" but nosotros don't recommend that.

Importing contacts

Figure 5: Decide whether to "Import Contacts"

Practise Not import all contacts (fig v)

Step 3e: Prepare "Drop-in Feature"

If your Mom approves, you lot could also enable Drop-in for your contact. (This can be enabled later, by signing into her Alexa account if conditions alter).
Relieve and close the Alexa app.

iv. Configure Alexa Communications for YOUR account

Log back into your Alexa app. (If yous had to use your telephone to complete your Mom's setup, you will need to delete & re-install the Alexa app).
Tap the "Communicate" icon on the bottom left (Fig ii).
Tap the "Person silhouette" in upper right (Fig three).
Tap the 3 vertical dots in the upper correct (Fig 4). Then Add together your Mom'southward contact info and then that Alexa Communications can reach her from YOUR Alexa App.
Don't import all contacts (Fig 5).
Salvage.

5. Test the Installation

You can exam this even earlier delivering to your Mom's house.

Move your Mom's Echo Show to another room to reduce audio feedback. This also enables you to talk to one of the Alexas without the other one responding to your voice.
On your Echo Show say "Alexa, telephone call Mom" (or whatever name or nickname you lot put in your Alexa Contacts). (Note: the first time Alexa may ask if you want her mobile telephone or Alexa devices… choose Alexa devices.)
Your Mom's Echo Prove should offer her the pick to answer.
Later hanging up, attempt calling your Echo Show from her Echo show.

Last steps

If everything worked, bring the Echo Bear witness to your Mom'due south dwelling house and change the Wi-Fi settings when it boots up.

Q&A

Please go out any questions in the comments below, and I will try and reply.

In add-on, we are collecting common questions and answers people have sent united states of america on the folio: "Alexa Questions & Answers" (too here on Tech-enhanced Life).

References

(one) Amazon communication mail service on setting up Alexa "for your loved 1".

(ii) See my DIY Solution: FireTV Cube to intermission TV when Alexa calls.

Disclaimer: This article represents the opinions of the writer. This article was Non sponsored past Amazon or any other corporation.

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Source: https://www.techenhancedlife.com/citizen-research/how-set-alexa-calling-loved-one