How to Control Your TV with Alexa

If you’re the type of person who always loses your remote, controlling your TV with Alexa can be the perfect way to keep in control of your device. In this regard, not only can you turn the TV on or off, but you can do any search or change the HDMI source.

Let’s get to the point and find out how to control your TV with Alexa through voice commands.

How to control TV with built-in Alexa

If you have a TV with Alexa built in, controlling your TV with Alexa will be a breeze. These particular televisions, unlike those that bear the words “Works with Alexa”, can be controlled with Alexa even without Amazon Echo.

TVs with integrated Alexa allow you to control the TV via App, Amazon Echo, and the appropriate remote control. Configure the voice assistant from your TV app and press the voice search button on the remote control to control your Smart TV with Alexa.

How to control Alexa-compatible TV

The procedure appears different with “Work with Alexa” Smart TVs, i.e, those compatible with Alexa but without the integrated assistant. One of the simplest procedures is to control the TV with Alexa via the smartphone App. A procedure necessary to configure other devices such as the Amazon Echo.

Grab your smartphone and download the Amazon Alexa App available on the App Store  (for iOS) or  Play Store  (for Android). Then open the App and select the Other menu box at the bottom right, then Skills and Games, where you will have to search and download the specific Skill of the TV manufacturer. Once this is done, all you have to do is select the  Enable for use button and activate it. Once this is done, you will be able to connect Alexa to the TV and later execute any command you want.

Finally, open the Alexa App from your smartphone (or use an Amazon Echo) and say Alexa’s name followed by the command to control the TV with Alexa.

How to control TV not compatible with Alexa

Unfortunately, it is not possible to control a TV that is not compatible with Alexa with the same voice assistant, or at least it is not possible to do it directly. To do this, you will need a device like the Broadlink RM4 Mini that acts as a bridge between Alexa and the incompatible TV.

Once you have one of these Smart infrared remotes, download the BroadLink App from the App Store  (for iOS) or  Play Store  (for Android).

Steps to Follow

• Create an account,
• Once registration is confirmed, log in on the home screen
• Press the  (+) button at the top right,
• Select  Add device,
• Click Start adding,
• Connect the App to the Wi-Fi network and enter the password, then press  Connect to Wi-Fi,
• Select the device which in this case is  RM4 Mini,
• Click on  Next, add a room, and enter the name of the room where you will configure the Broadlink and the TV.
• Finally, click on  Next, name your device, assign the name of the Broadlink device and click on  Save.

After configuring the Broadlink, all you have to do is associate it with the TV. To do this:

• Click on  Add appliances, then  TV, and choose the brand of your TV.
• Pairing should happen automatically, but if not, you can pair it manually.
• Then enter a name for your TV which will be used to issue voice commands with Alexa  (eg “Alexa, turn on [bedroom TV]!”).
• Finally, press the I know it box and in the next window on the back home page.

Open the Alexa App and select the Other menu box at the bottom right, then  Skills and Games, where you will have to search and download the  Broadlink Skill. Select the  Enable for use button and activate it. Log in with the same credentials created above. Click  Finish and Discover devices to automatically detect the TV.

If you follow the procedure correctly, you will be able to give any voice command to Alexa who will delegate the Broadink to execute it on the TV.

Alexa command list for TV

After connecting the TV to Alexa devices, you can use voice commands for any function that has the TV involved. All you have to do is say “Alexa”, followed by the command and the name of your TV or Fire TV Stick.

Here is the list of the best Alexa commands for TV:

• “Alexa, turn on [TV or Fire TV name]” or “Alexa, turn off [TV or Fire TV name]”;
• “Alexa, go to the home of [TV or Fire TV name]”;
• “Alexa, turn down the volume on [TV or Fire TV name]”;
• “Alexa, turn volume on / off on [TV or Fire TV name]”;
• “Alexa, play / pause / resume / stop [TV or Fire TV name]”;
• “Alexa, open Prime Video / Netflix / Disney +”;
• “Alexa, rewind to [TV or Fire TV name]”;
• “Alexa, search for comedy / drama / horror movies on [TV or Fire TV name]”;
• “Alexa, play ‘How I Met Your Mother’ on [TV or Fire TV name]”;
• “Alexa, change the input to HDMI1 / PlayStation”.

These are just some of the commands your Alexa can perform. If you don’t want Alexa to interrupt your movie, you can even make Alexa whisper with the command “Alexa, turn on whisper mode!”.