Setting up your Amazon Alexa voice profile is an essential step after purchasing an Alexa-enabled device, as it'll help your assistant hear you clearly and carry out the proper commands. Whether you just took it out of the box or need to recalibrate your settings, here is how to set up an Amazon Alexa voice profile for yourself and your family.
This guide covers setup, tips, and tricks — everything from changing Alexa’s voice to making sure it recognizes everyone in your home by voice.
Open the Alexa App
Open up the Alexa app on your smartphone or tablet. At the home screen, select the three-line “hamburger” menu button on the bottom right. From the new menu, select Settings.
Step 1: In the Settings section, select Your Profile & Family > Your Profile. This will show all your settings for Alexa, including your Voice Profile.
Step 2: Select Add Your Voice.
Follow the prompts
The app will proceed to give you a series of prompts that you’ll need to say out loud in order for Alexa to learn your voice. If you fail one of the phrases (Alexa doesn’t get enough voice data to work with), then you can simply repeat the phrase until it’s checked off, then move on to the next one.
To ensure the successful creation of your new voice profile, there are some tips you can follow. When speaking the prompted phrases, try to sit or stand in a place where you would normally speak to your Echo device — for example, the dining table or living room sofa. Try to ensure there isn’t a lot of background noise, and keep the Alexa device you’re interacting with at least 8 inches away from the walls. Then, simply speak to Alexa as you normally would.
Add other voices if necessary
If there are multiple people in your home who may be using Alexa for their own music or tools, it’s advantageous to set up multiple voice profiles.
Step 1: Select your family member's profile from the above menu, or create a new profile using the I'm someone else option.
Step 2: You'll then be walked through the same steps as before. After reading a few prompts, the secondary voice account should now be active.
Set up Amazon Music
If you’re subscribed to the Amazon Music Unlimited Family Plan, you’ll see a screen pop up at the very end of the profile creation process. It will ask you whether you want to link your voice profile to the Amazon Music Unlimited account. All you have to do is sign in on the screen and enter the information associated with the account. That way, whenever you request Alexa to play music, the device can play music that’s curated to the speaker’s tastes.
Testing — Ask Alexa who you are
Once the process is complete, you can verify that Alexa has learned your voice by asking Alexa, “Who am I?”
Step 1: If Alexa is able to tell who you are, it will respond by saying, “I’m talking to (your name).” Note that Alexa takes about 15 to 20 minutes to learn your voice after you’ve completed the setup process, so if the device doesn’t recognize your voice right away, try again a little later.
Step 2: If Alexa isn't pronouncing your name correctly, you can send feedback within the Alexa app. On the menu page, tap on Help & Feedback > Send Feedback.
Step 3: Scroll through the drop-down menus to select the device and issue, then use the text box to write out your problem.
Add more users
If you or the people you live with prefer a more customized experience, you can quickly build individual voice profiles for each of you. Just download the Alexa app and log into the Amazon account that you registered your home’s Echo devices under.
Start asking Alexa questions
Once everyone has made their own unique voice profiles, you’ll each be able to access your profiles by using only your voices. You can do countless things with Alexa, including calling or texting anyone in your contacts, asking for a curated music playlist, learning what your commute time will be each day before heading to work, and even listening to the news from chosen sources. Individualized profiles let everyone create a personal Amazon Alexa experience.
It’s possible for Alexa to mistake your voice for someone else’s. In this case, just say “Stop” or “Cancel,” and Alexa will prevent you from hearing your family member’s private content.
