Amazon Alexa users can quickly and easily add emergency contacts to their device, enabling them to reach out for help even if they can’t get to a phone. Adding an emergency contact is only one of the ways Alexa devices can make daily life not only easier, but safer as well. Another example is the ability to ask Alexa if certain symptoms someone is experiencing are related to COVID-19. Here’s how emergency contacts work with Amazon Alexa, and how to add friends or family members.
Alexa is a voice-enabled virtual assistant available on a wide range of products, from the Echo Dot to the Facebook Portal. Recently, Amazon unveiled the upcoming Echo Show 15 with the largest screen ever available on an Echo Show device. Users can also look forward to Visual ID, a feature that enables an Echo Show 15 to change the home screen depending on who walks in front of it. Amazon also recently introduced its first smart thermostat, which is also Alexa-enabled, making it easy for users to set up a temperature-related routine for the home.
On an Alexa device, setting up emergency contacts allows for the ability to use multiple voice commands to call and text others when an issue arises. The user will first need to make sure they have Alexa Communication set up before adding an emergency contact. To do this, open the Alexa app and tap on the Communicate button and then grant permissions for calling and texting. To activate an emergency contact, users can simply say, “Call for help” or “Call my emergency contact.” Alternatively, “Call my help contact” and “Call my contact for help” will work as well. When Alexa hears one of these voice commands, the device will send a text and call the appropriate person.
How To Add An Emergency Contact
It’s a very simple process to add an emergency contact to an Alexa device. Once again, tap on Communicate in the Alexa app, but then tap the Contacts icon in the upper-right corner. From here, tap on the three-dot Menu icon and then on Emergency Contact. The user can then scroll through their contact list in the Alexa app and tap on the person they want to set as their emergency contact. After selecting the phone number, hit Next and then Done. At which point, Alexa will send a message to the chosen contact to let them know that they have been set as the user’s emergency contact.
Amazon provides a wide range of tips and tricks to improve the Alexa experience, including setting up voice profiles so the device recognizes an individual's voice. With emergency contacts, however, Amazon is offering a way for Alexa to potentially save a life, which makes the virtual assistant an even more important tool.
Source: Amazon