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# Using Alexa on Your Fire Tablet

You can use Alexa on your Fire tablet to ask questions, shop, search, play music, and more. Help for 4th Generation and newer Fire Tablets.

Note: Alexa is available on 4th generation and later Fire tablets. The Alexa app from the Amazon Appstore is a companion app for Alexa-enabled devices. If your Fire tablet is not an Alexa-enabled device, it doesn't support Alexa interactions, even if the Alexa app is downloaded to the device. Some Alexa features and services may also vary by country.

#### Video: Alexa on Fire Tablets

To activate Alexa on your Fire tablet, hold the device Home button until you see a blue line. When you see the blue line, Alexa is ready and you can give a command or ask a question. To learn more about Alexa, see the Alexa and Alexa Device FAQs.

Alexa sometimes displays a visual on your Fire tablet’s screen. To dismiss the visual, tap the back button.

If you want to turn the Alexa feature on or off, swipe down from the top of the screen, tap the Settings (gear) icon, tap Alexa, then tap the switch for Alexa.

Important: Alexa is disabled by default on Kid's Edition tablets or if you have any Parental Controls enabled on your Fire tablet. Alexa does not work within child profiles or secondary adult profiles.

## Alexa Hands-Free Mode

Note: At this time, only 7th Generation Fire tablets, 8th Generation Fire HD 8 tablets, and Fire 7 (9th Generation) tablets support Alexa hands-free. Your 8th Generation Fire HD 8 tablet must have software version 6.3.0.1 or later for Alexa hands-free to work.

To enable or disable Alexa hands-free, swipe down from the top of your tablet’s Home screen and select the Alexa Hands-Free icon in the quick actions menu. Alternatively, you can select the Settings (gear) icon, then select Alexa, and then toggle Hands-Free Mode on or off.

Note: Fire 7 (7th Generation) and Fire HD 8 (7th Generation) devices support Alexa hands-free only when the device is being used, or when the device is connected to a strong power source.

If you have a PIN or password set on your device, certain Alexa features require you to enter the password or PIN. If you would like to disable Alexa hands-free access when the device is locked:

1. Swipe down from the top of your tablet’s Home screen, select the Settings (gear) icon.
2. Select Alexa.
3. Select Hands-Free Lock Screen Access.

If you have more than one Alexa-enabled device registered to your Amazon account or Household using the same wake word, Alexa responds intelligently from the closest device. If you would like your Fire tablet to respond less frequently when it senses another Echo device nearby:

1. Swipe down from the top of your tablet’s Home screen, and select the Settings (gear) icon
2. Select Alexa
3. Select Tablet ESP Behavior

Additionally, if you have an Amazon branded cover or case, you can close the cover to prevent Alexa responses.

## Show Mode

Note: At this time, the following devices support Show Mode:

- 7th Generation Fire HD 8 and Fire HD 10 devices with software version 5.6.2.0 or later
- 8th Generation Fire HD 8 devices with software version 6.3.0.1 or later

7th Generation Fire HD 8 or Fire HD 10 tablets, and 8th Generation Fire HD 8 tablets support full screen visual responses to many Alexa hands free requests with a feature called Show Mode. To enable Show Mode, swipe down from the top of your tablet’s home screen and tap the Show Mode switch. Alternatively, you can say “Alexa, switch to Show Mode.” To disable Show Mode, swipe down from the top of the screen and toggle the switch for Show Mode to “off.” Alternatively, you can say “Alexa, exit Show Mode.”

If you have a Show Mode Charging dock, place your Fire tablet in the dock to switch to Show Mode automatically. To exit Show Mode, remove your device from the dock. Make sure that Automatic Mode Switching is enabled by opening the Settings menu, then selecting Show Mode and toggle the Automatic Mode Switching setting to "on".

## Using the Alexa App

You can manage settings for some Alexa features using our free Alexa app for Fire OS, Android, iOS, and supported desktop web browsers (available at https://alexa.amazon.com/).

Your Alexa-enabled Fire tablet should already have the Alexa app installed. You can find it with your other apps on the Home screen by swiping up.

## Alexa Calling and Messaging with the Alexa App

Alexa Calling and Messaging is a service that provides calling and messaging between supported Echo devices or Fire tablets with the Alexa app. Alexa Calling and Messaging also permits supported Fire tablet users to call almost any local number.

Announcements - You can ask Alexa to make announcements on all compatible Alexa enabled devices, or Fire tablets using Show Mode, on your account; like a one-way intercom.

Drop In - Drop In is an optional feature that helps you to instantly connect, hands free, to all compatible Alexa enabled devices, or Fire tablets using Show Mode, in your home. When you enable Drop In and grant permission to your devices, it applies to your household members. If you have more than two devices, you can specify the device you want to connect with by name.

To manage your Alexa Calling and Messaging settings, visit Settings, select Alexa, and then select Communication. From here, you can turn Drop In on or off, or you can turn Calling and Messaging on or off.

To activate Drop In, say “Drop in on Home,” and Alexa lists the devices that are in your home.

Important: Announcements and Drop In are supported on compatible Fire Tablets. Incoming Announcements and incoming Drop In requests on Fire tablets are only available when the tablet is in Show Mode.

## Shopping with Alexa

Amazon Prime members with a U.S. billing address and their 1-Click payment method set up can use Alexa to shop on Amazon.

You can say things like “Order [item name],” “Reorder [item name],” or “Add [item name] to my cart.”

When you place an order using Voice Purchasing, Alexa completes the transaction using the default 1-Click payment method in Your Account. Orders you place for physical products using Alexa Voice Purchasing are also eligible for free returns.

You can disable Voice Purchasing or require a four-digit speakable confirmation code in the Alexa app or from a web browser on your computer. If you want to configure Voice Purchasing settings, follow these steps:

1. Open the Alexa app or go to https://alexa.amazon.com/ on your computer, and then open the left navigation menu.
2. Select Settings, then Voice Purchasing.
3. Use the Purchase by voice switch to turn Voice Purchasing on or off.

If you'd like to require a four-digit confirmation code for your purchases, enter the code into the field, and then select Save Changes. When you enable a confirmation code, Alexa asks you to say it before completing a purchase.

## Listen to Music and Media with Alexa

You can use Alexa to stream music, podcasts, and more from popular streaming services.

You can say things like "Play some music” or "Play the song, [song name]" or “Play some [genre name] music.”

You can also say things like "Read [title]" or "Play the book, [title]."

Alexa will not show the text of a book on-screen or activate immersion reading when reading a book.

If you ask Alexa to play music or read a book, player controls appear on the screen. The audio will continue to play after you’ve dismissed the visual. If you want to stop the music or pause the book, you can see the player controls again by swiping down from the top of the screen. You can also tell Alexa "Pause" or "Resume."

You can also adjust the device volume. Say "Volume up" or "Volume down."

## Discover and Play Videos with Alexa

Asking Alexa on your Fire tablet to play videos from third-party apps is not currently available.

You can say things like "Show me movies with [actor]," "Find [genre] movies," "Play the movie [title]" or "Start playing the TV show [title]."

For other video controls, please use your tablet’s screen.

## Photos and Camera with Alexa

You can say things like "Show my photos,” “Show my [album name] album,” and “Take a photo.” While viewing your photos, you can say things like “Play a slideshow” and “Set this photo as my wallpaper.”

## Ask Alexa a Question

Alexa can answer a variety of questions about people, geography, dates, music, sports, and more. Alexa can also spell, define words, complete conversions, and make simple calculations.

You can ask Alexa questions like “Who is [name]?” "When is [holiday]?" or "What is the definition of [word]?" and much more.

## News, Weather & Traffic

Alexa can give you updates on the news, weather, and traffic. To check your weather, you need to add your address to the Alexa app. To check traffic, first set your starting point and destination in the Alexa app.

You can say things like “What’s new?” “What’s the weather?” or “How is traffic?”

## Update Calendar, Create Lists, and Set Alarms and Timers

Currently, Alexa supports Google Calendar accounts. After you link your calendar in the Alexa app, you can ask Alexa to add new events or review upcoming events on your calendar.

To set an alarm or timer, you can say things like “Set an alarm for 7:30 a.m.” or “Set a timer for 10 minutes.” Using the Alexa app, you can manage the alarms and timers you have already set, but to create a new alarm or timer, you must use a voice command.

You can manage lists with Alexa to note important tasks and items to purchase.

## Change your Wake Word

On your Fire tablet, you can set your Wake Word to “Alexa” or “Amazon”.

To change your Wake Word, make sure that Alexa Hands-Free is enabled, then:

1. Swipe down from the top of your tablet’s Home screen, select the Settings (gear) icon.
2. Select Alexa.
3. Select Wake Word and choose the wake word you'd like to use.

## Smart Home

You can discover and control supported smart home devices with your Fire tablet.

To explore compatible devices, you can check out https://www.amazon.com/alexasmarthome.

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