How to set up an Amazon Echo (Alexa) in your home

This guide is for anyone who has just been given an Amazon Echo, or who has one sitting in a box and hasn't yet worked up the enthusiasm to tackle it. By the end, you'll have the device plugged in, connected to your Wi-Fi, and doing something genuinely useful: setting reminders, playing the radio, or making a hands-free call. No technical experience needed.

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Step 1: Unbox and place your Echo

Take everything out of the box. You'll find the Echo device itself (a short cylinder, roughly the size of a tin of beans, depending on which model you have), a power cable, and an adapter plug. That's all you need.

Placement matters more than people realise. Put the Echo somewhere central: a kitchen counter, a bedside table, or a living room shelf. It needs to hear you clearly from a few metres away, so avoid tucking it behind a television or inside a cabinet. It also needs a mains socket nearby.

Plug in the cable and wait about 30 seconds. The ring of light around the top will glow orange, which means it's ready to set up.

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Step 2: Download the Alexa app to your phone or tablet

The Echo is set up through the Amazon Alexa app, which is free. On an iPhone or iPad, open the App Store and search for "Amazon Alexa". On an Android phone or tablet (Samsung, for example), open Google Play and do the same. Download and install it.

If you don't own a smartphone or tablet, ask a family member to install the app on theirs and help you through steps 3 and 4. Once the Echo is connected to your Wi-Fi, you won't need the app for day-to-day use.

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Step 3: Sign in with your Amazon account

Open the Alexa app. It will ask you to sign in with your Amazon account, which is the same username and password you use on Amazon.co.uk when shopping.

If you don't have an Amazon account, tap "Create a new Amazon account" and follow the instructions. You'll need an email address and a password. It takes about five minutes.

A word of reassurance here: you do not need Amazon Prime to use an Echo. The core features, including voice reminders, timers, radio streaming, and calls, work without a subscription. Some music services such as Amazon Music Unlimited cost extra, but you'll be able to decide on those later.

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Step 4: Connect your Echo to your home Wi-Fi

This is the step that puts people off, but it's actually straightforward.

Once you're signed in to the app, tap the "Devices" icon at the bottom of the screen, then tap the "+" symbol at the top right, then "Add Device", then "Amazon Echo". The app will guide you through selecting your Wi-Fi network and entering your broadband password.

Your Wi-Fi password is often printed on a sticker on the back or underside of your broadband router (the box your internet provider gave you, usually from BT, Sky, Virgin Media, or Plusnet). It may be labelled "wireless key", "network key", or "WPA2 password". Type it in carefully: passwords are case-sensitive, so a capital letter in the wrong place will cause the connection to fail.

The app will confirm when the Echo is connected. The light ring will turn blue briefly, then go off. That means it's ready.

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Step 5: Test it

Before doing anything else, make sure it's actually working.

Say clearly, from a normal conversational distance: "Alexa, what time is it?"

The ring will light up blue when Alexa hears you, and she'll tell you the time. If nothing happens, try again a little louder, or move the Echo slightly further from any walls. If Alexa responds but gets it wrong, that's fine: the clock syncs automatically and will correct itself.

That's it. The Echo is set up. Everything from here is about using it.

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Step 6: Set your first reminder

Reminders are, in my experience, the single most useful thing an Echo does for most people. You don't need to touch anything: just speak.

Try this: "Alexa, remind me to take my tablets at 8 o'clock every morning."

Alexa will confirm the reminder back to you. At 8am, the device will make a chime sound and announce your reminder out loud. You can set as many reminders as you like, for anything: a GP appointment, a favourite TV programme, watering the plants.

To cancel a reminder you no longer want, say "Alexa, cancel my 8am reminder" or open the Reminders section in the app.

Timers work similarly and are useful in the kitchen. Say "Alexa, set a timer for 20 minutes" and she'll count down and alert you. No need to touch a thing while your hands are busy.

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Step 7: Make a hands-free phone call

The Echo can make and receive calls, which is particularly handy if you have limited hand mobility or simply want to chat without hunting for your phone.

To call someone, they need to have the Alexa app installed on their phone, or they need to be in your phone's contacts (which you can link to Alexa through the app's "Communicate" section). Once that's done, say "Alexa, call [name]" and it will connect.

You can also call any UK landline or mobile number using a feature called Alexa Calling. As of 2025, calls to UK numbers from an Echo are free. Check Amazon's current terms if you're reading this later, as policies do change.

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Step 8: Listen to the radio and audiobooks

For radio, Alexa works with several services. The simplest option: say "Alexa, play BBC Radio 4" or "Alexa, play Classic FM". It will find the live stream and start playing. Say "Alexa, stop" to pause, or "Alexa, turn it up" to adjust the volume.

For audiobooks, if you have an Audible account (Amazon's audiobook service, starting at around £7.99 per month), say "Alexa, read my book" and it will pick up where you left off. If you have a Kindle book with audio narration, those work too. Not every reader will want this, but for people who find small print difficult, listening to a book rather than reading one can make a real difference.

Spotify, Apple Music and other music services can also be linked through the Alexa app under Settings > Music & Podcasts, if you already subscribe to one.

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