How to Use Alexa on iPhone

Does Alex work with an iPhone? It does, and it can be an excellent alternative to Siri depending on your home setup and personal preferences. Let's learn how to use Alexa on an iPhone and upgrade your virtual home assistant game.

Jump To:

• Why Alexa?
• How to Use Alexa App on Your iPhone
• How to Add the Alexa Widget to Your iPhone

Why Alexa?

Siri and Alexa both have their pros and cons, but Alexa's strengths are with those who are in the Amazon ecosystem. If you subscribe to Amazon Music, Amazon Prime, or other Amazon services, you'll be able to control these things through your iPhone once you get Alexa on it. You might also prefer Alexa's search features, or want to control Smart devices in your house that are hooked up through your Amazon account. For more virtual home assistance insight, check out our Tip of the Day.

How to Use Alexa App on Your iPhone

The first thing you'll need to do is download the Alexa app and get it set up, which we'll go over below. Once you have it, you can access it by either opening the app, or asking Siri to open the Alexa app. Here's how to connect Alexa to your iPhone.

Discover your iPhone's hidden features

Get a daily tip (with screenshots and clear instructions) so you can master your iPhone in just one minute a day.

How to Connect Alexa to iPhone

1. Download Amazon Alexa from the App store.
   
   
2. Open the app and decide whether or not to allow Bluetooth access. It's recommend for anyone with Alexa-controlled devices.
   
   
3. Sign in to your Amazon account.
   
   
4. Confirm who is adding the device by either tapping your name or I'm Someone Else.
   
   
5. To confirm your name, tap Agree and Continue.
   
   
6. You'll be given the option to set up Voice ID. Either tap Agree and Continue or Skip.
   
   
7. If you're setting up Voice ID, tap OK for microphone access.
   
   
8. Follow the voice prompts to set up Voice ID.
   
   
9. Once Voice ID is set up, you'll be given the option to customize your features. Tap Set Up My Features or Later.
   
   
10. If you set up your features, you'll be asked about things like access to your contacts, notifications, and other family members. Set them up as desired.
    
    

At step 4, you'll be asked if you want to set up a device. If you select yes, you'll be taken to the device setup process listed below. If you select No, but want to add one later, you can do this by tapping the add symbol on the top right of the Devices tab.

How to Add a Device to the Alexa App

1. In your Alexa app in the Devices tab, tap the Add button on the top right.
   
   
2. Tap Add Device.
   
   
3. Select the kind of device you're adding. For this example, I'm using a Wyze lightbulb.
   
   
4. Follow the Alexa app instructions for how to add that device.
   
   

Related: How to Put a Filter on a Photo or Video on Mac

How to Add the Alexa Widget to Your iPhone

The Alexa app makes it easy to control Alexa from your iPhone, but the Alexa widget keeps it right there on your Home screen for even quicker access. To add the Alexa widget to your Home screen:

1. Long press on a blank part of your Home screen until you enter jiggle mode.
   
   
2. Tap the Add icon at the top left of your screen.
   
   
3. Tap Amazon Alexa in the widgets list that comes up.
   
   
4. Tap Add Widget.
   
   
5. Drag the Alexa widget to reposition it if desired.
   
   
6. Tap Done.