How to Customize Alexa’s Responses with Code? – Complete Guide

Asking how to customize Alexa’s responses with code? That’s an easy thing to do!

Here you’ll learn how to make your Alexa output customized responses and phrases to elevate your daily routines.

You’ll also find out how to fully configure a routine, add custom phrases to your routines and manage Alexa’s “Say” commands to the fullest.

Here’s how to customize Alexa responses in easy steps!

To customize Alexa’s responses using a code or the Alexa app, head to “Routines” in the Alexa app and create a new routine. After that, navigate to the “Alexa Says” menu and choose a phrase that’ll occur along with your speaker’s established routine.

Let’s learn more about the setup of routines and what phrases could Alexa output!

What are the Alexa Custom Responses?

If you’re wondering what type of Alexa custom responses you could cook up, it’s all up to you!

There is no set limit on how many custom responses you could add to your routine, but remember that only one response can occur along with your routine.

As long as it is not a swear word or something inappropriate, Alexa could say everything along with the routine!

Along with your routine, you could make Alexa say things such as:

• Good morning, let’s do something fun!
• Today is going to be great!
• You should clean your room, man!
• Are you going out? Make sure you don’t forget something!

And many fun things like that. You could even establish multiple routines, only a few minutes apart to have your Alexa dialogue with you throughout your whole morning!

Note: Make sure that multiple routines don’t share the same time of occurrence!

How to Customize Alexa Responses To Routines?

After reviewing how to customize Alexa’s responses, it’s time that we go through all of the steps in proper depth and detail.

We’ll get you familiar with how Alexa routines work and how to assign any phrase to your routine, even custom ones if you’d like.

Let’s jump in with the guide!

Step #1 Gain Access to the Alexa App

Your first step is to access the Amazon Alexa app, through which you could configure the responses and make them into a routine.

However, your mobile device must be connected to the internet in order to be able to access the application.

• Your speaker must also be added to the application in order to adjust responses

In that set of thoughts, get your mobile device (or the one where the Alexa app is installed) and access it.

Make sure that you’re on the home screen of the application and stand by until the next step, where we’ll navigate you to the correct menu.

Note: Make sure that the Amazon Alexa app is running the latest version to avoid interruptions.

Step #2 Select an Existing Routine or Create a New One

In this step, we’ll be creating the new routine with a customized response within the Alexa app.

If you’ve created routines in the past, you should have a general idea of how those work and how exactly is the response assigned to the given routine.

However, we’ll go through the steps of creating a new routine anyway, for users who are brand new in this. If you already have a routine, you could configure its responsive by highlighting it

Here’s how to create a new routine within the Amazon Alexa app:

1. From the home screen of the Amazon Alexa app, tap “More”.
2. Locate the “Routines” button and select it.
3. On the following page, select “Create Routine”.

With this, you’ll have a new, unconfigured routine that still doesn’t have an assigned response.

Note: Brand new routines don’t have any functionality, since they are still not 100% completed.

Step #3 Navigate to the “Alexa Says” Menu

In order to assign a custom response to a routine, you must navigate to the “Alexa Says” menu.

Whether you selected an already-existing routine or decided to create a new one, this menu is accessible either way.

Here’s how to reach the “Alexa Says” menu:

1. Make sure that you’ve selected the new routine or an existing one.
2. In the config of the routine, scroll down and press “Add Action”.
3. In the following tab, choose “Alexa Says”.

In this tab, you’ll be able to assign a response to the routine of your liking. You’ll be able to select a routine that’s already recorded or have a custom response added that we’ll teach you how to assign further in the guide.

Alert: With older versions of Alexa, the “Alexa Says” menu could be in a different place!

Step #4 Choose the Response Phrase

Once you’ve accessed the response menu of the routine, your next step is to assign a response phrase to the select routine.

As we’ve already mentioned, you’ll be able to either select a pre-existing response phrase or add a custom one by typing in the keywords that you want Alexa to say.

Here’s how to select the response phrase for your Alexa routine:

1. In the “Alexa Says” menu, scroll down.
2. Select an “Alexa Says Phrase” from the existing responses.
3. Once highlighted, press the tick icon at the bottom.
4. Exit the menu.

Once you’ve selected a response phrase from the following in the tab, exit the menu and that phrase will be from now on assigned to the routine.

Tip: You must now set a time of occurrence for the routine and Alexa will say the phrase.

Step #5 Save the Changes & Test

Once you’re done with selecting the phrase, save all changes you’ve made to the routine and exit the tab. If you haven’t yet, set a time of occurrence for the routine and the select phrase will play along,

You could set the routine to occur multiple times a day, and even sometimes, the phrase may contain a different sequence, based on the selected activity.

If you’ve told Alexa to “encourage you to clean up” for instance, a different message could be broadcasted at different times.

That was how to customize Alexa’s responses with code so let’s learn more essentials!

How to Create an Alexa Custom Response?

If none of the included phrases within the Alexa app satisfy you, you can create a new custom response for your speaker to output.

You’ll be able to make a response big enough for up to 350 English characters and have them say whatever you want.

• However, you’ll not be able to make Alexa swear or use any uncensored words

Here’s how to create a custom response along with your Alexa routine:

1. Launch the Amazon Alexa app.
2. Navigate to “More”.
3. Select “Routines”.
4. Either select an existing routine or create a new one.
5. Head to the “Alexa Says” menu, once in the options of your routine.
6. In the following tab, select “Customized”, in order to create a custom response phrase.
7. In the next tab, type up the full customized sentence, you wish Alexa to output.
8. Save the changes and exit the tab.
9. Try out your custom response by triggering a routine.

Once you’ve created a custom response to the routine, it’ll appear in the “Alexa Says” menu, where all pre-recorded, include phrases.

This way, you’ll be able to switch up the phrase that’ll occur with your routine at any given time.

Note: Keep in mind that you’re able to assign only one custom phrase to an Alexa routine.

Quick Recap:

Thus, the answer to “how to customize Alexa’s responses with code”, is to access the Amazon Alexa app, head to “Routines” and create a routine. Next, set a time of occurrence for the routine and head to “Alexa Says” as you select a phrase.

If you’re experiencing more difficulties with your smart-home management, check out our blog!

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