How do I make Alexa my default Assistant on Android?

ByJael Lawler

Virtual assistants like Google Assistant, Siri, and Alexa have become extremely common on smartphones, providing helpful features like voice commands, reminders, and access to information. Alexa in particular is Amazon’s popular virtual assistant, known for skills like playing music, controlling smart home devices, telling jokes, and more. While Alexa comes preloaded on Amazon devices, it is also available as a free app for Android phones.

This guide will focus on setting up the Alexa app and making Alexa the default voice assistant on Android. By following the steps here, you can enable Alexa to handle voice commands, queries, and requests instead of Google Assistant or other assistants on an Android device. The end result will be having full Alexa capabilities accessible hands-free on an Android smartphone.

Check Android Version

Before setting up Alexa as your default voice assistant on Android, it’s important to check which version of Android your device is running. Alexa is compatible with Android 5.0 (Lollipop) and higher.

Here are the Android versions that support Alexa:

  • Android 5.0 Lollipop
  • Android 6.0 Marshmallow
  • Android 7.0 Nougat
  • Android 8.0 Oreo
  • Android 9.0 Pie
  • Android 10
  • Android 11
  • Android 12

To check your Android version, go to Settings > About Phone. Look for “Android Version” or “Software Version” to see the version number. If your phone is running Android 5.0 or later, you can set up Alexa as the default assistant.

Download Alexa App

The first step to setting up Alexa on your Android device is to download the official Alexa app from the Google Play Store. You can find the Alexa app here: Amazon Alexa on Google Play. The Alexa app allows you to connect your Android device to Alexa and access many of Alexa’s features like playing music, controlling smart home devices, setting timers and alarms, getting news briefings, and more.

The Alexa app is free to download and use. Once you’ve downloaded it from the Play Store, you can open the app and begin the process of linking it to your Amazon account and granting permissions to make Alexa your default voice assistant.

Grant Permissions

To work properly, Alexa needs permission to access certain features on your Android device like the microphone, contacts, calendar, etc. Here are some key permissions to grant in the Alexa app:

Microphone Access – This allows Alexa to hear and understand your voice commands. Go to Settings > App Permissions > Microphone and enable for Alexa.

Contacts – Granting contact access lets you call or message contacts through Alexa. Go to Settings > App Permissions > Contacts and enable for Alexa.

Calendar – With calendar access, Alexa can add events to your calendar. Go to Settings > App Permissions > Calendar and enable for Alexa.

SMS – This permission allows Alexa to send text messages on your behalf. Go to Settings > App Permissions > SMS and enable for Alexa.

To grant these permissions, open the Alexa app and go to Settings > App Permissions. Toggle on each permission you want Alexa to have. Follow any additional prompts to fully enable each permission.

Granting these key permissions will allow Alexa to provide the full range of capabilities like voice commands, calling, messaging, calendar, and more on your Android device.

Set Alexa as Your Default Assistant

Once you’ve downloaded the Alexa app, you’ll need to set it as the default voice assistant on your Android device. Here’s how to do that:

  1. Open the Settings app on your Android phone or tablet.
  2. Tap on “Apps & notifications.”
  3. Select “Default apps.”
  4. Tap on “Assist & voice input.”
  5. You will see a list of installed assistant apps. Select “Amazon Alexa” from this list.

Alexa should now be set as the default voice assistant app on your device. You’ll be able to activate Alexa by saying “Alexa” or tapping the Alexa app icon instead of needing to say “OK Google” or “Hey Google.”

Setting default apps is easy in Android. Just dive into the Settings menu, find the “Default apps” section, and select the app you want to use. Alexa can fully replace the built-in Google Assistant once selected as the default voice assistant app.

Allowing Alexa access to your phone’s contacts can significantly improve Alexa’s functionality and convenience. With access to your contacts, Alexa can look up and call people by name when you ask without needing to know their full phone number. Linking contacts also enables features like Drop In, where you can instantly connect with friends and family linked in your Alexa contacts.

Linking your contacts is easy to do through the Alexa app:

  1. Open the Alexa app on your Android device.
  2. Tap on “More” at the bottom right.
  3. Select “Communicate” from the menu.
  4. Tap the contacts icon in the upper right corner.
  5. Tap the menu icon in the upper right and select “Add Contact”.
  6. Choose a contact to add and tap “Add Contact” to confirm.

Alexa will now sync the contact information from your Android device so you can access them just by voice. You can repeat steps 5-6 to link additional contacts. With access to your phone contacts, Alexa can deliver a much more personalized experience.

Customize Alexa

There are several ways to customize your Alexa experience on Android to suit your preferences and needs. You can enable new skills, set up routines, and control smart home devices to create a tailored and personalized experience.

Skills allow you to add new capabilities to Alexa, such as playing games, getting news updates, controlling your smart home, and more. You can enable skills in the Alexa app by going to Skills & Games. Some popular skills include Jeopardy, Fitbit, Uber, and Spotify.[1]

Routines allow you to automate multiple tasks with a single command. For example, you can create a “Good morning” routine to turn on the lights, play the news, and brew coffee. Routines are customized under Settings in the Alexa app.[2]

If you have smart home devices like lights, switches, thermostats, and more, you can control them all through Alexa. Just link your smart home accounts in the Alexa app to start using voice commands. You can even create groups for easier control.

There are many more options for customizing Alexa outlined in Amazon’s guides. With some personalization, you can make Alexa work for your unique needs and preferences.

Use Alexa

With Alexa set up as your default assistant, you now have access to thousands of Alexa skills and voice commands to optimize your Android experience. Here are some key examples to get started:

Play music: “Alexa, play relaxing music” or “Alexa, play my jazzy playlist on Spotify.”

Get weather updates: “Alexa, what’s the weather this weekend?”

Set alarms: “Alexa set an alarm for 7am tomorrow.”

Control smart home devices: “Alexa, turn on the living room lights.”

Make calls: “Alexa, call Mom’s cell phone.”

For the best Alexa experience on Android, speak clearly and precisely, frame requests as full sentences or commands, and make sure you’re in a quiet environment without too much background noise.

You can discover more Alexa skills and voice commands by asking “Alexa, what are your most popular skills?” or checking the Alexa app, which provides examples of key voice commands.

Troubleshooting Alexa on Android

Here are some common troubleshooting tips for using Alexa on Android devices:

Alexa Not Responding

If Alexa is not responding to your voice commands, here are some things to try:

  • Make sure you have an active internet connection on your device.
  • Check that the Alexa app has permission to access your microphone. You can verify this in your Android settings.
  • Force close and restart the Alexa app.
  • Ensure your Alexa app is updated to the latest version.

Issues Linking Contacts

You may encounter errors trying to sync your contacts with Alexa. Some troubleshooting tips include:

  • Check that you granted contact permissions in the Alexa app.
  • Log out and log back into the Alexa app.
  • Make sure your contacts list on your Android device is up-to-date.

For more help, refer to the Alexa app support site: https://github.com/austin98x/alexa-android/issues/1

Conclusion

In summary, setting Alexa as the default voice assistant on Android devices requires just a few simple steps. First, check your Android version and download the latest Alexa app. Make sure to grant the necessary permissions so Alexa can access features like the microphone, contacts, and SMS.

Once the app is downloaded, head to your device’s settings to set Alexa as the default assistant app. You may need to dig into the apps or voice input sections to find the default app settings. Linking your contacts allows Alexa to recognize voices and provides a more personalized experience.

With Alexa set as the default, you can now use all of Alexa’s skills by voice activating with the wake word. Customize Alexa to your preferences in the app settings. Use Alexa to play music, get news, control smart home devices, set timers and alarms, and much more.

If you run into any issues getting Alexa working properly, be sure to check the troubleshooting section for help. For more tips on customizing and getting the most out of Alexa, check out Amazon’s Alexa app page and this Alexa tips overview from CNET.

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