How to connect Alexa to your TV so you can use your words to control it

Summary

A lot of people use Alexa with smart home gadgets like the Echo Pop and Echo Show 8, but it works just as well on most TVs. When Alexa is hooked up to your TV, you can talk to the voice helper without getting up from your couch faster than ever.

connect Alexa to your TV

There are a few different ways to add Alexa to your TV. The best way is to buy a TV that already has Alexa built in. You can also use a Fire TV Stick or Roku Stick. That means you should be able to get Alexa to work on any TV, even one that’s a few years old or starting to look old.

Do you need help with the process? Watch this video to learn how to link Alexa to your TV.

Is your TV smart enough?

To add Alexa to your TV, you must first find out how it can work with the rest of your home’s electronics. Smart TVs from LG, Sony, Vizio, or Samsung are easy to set up. All you have to do is flip a few virtual switches. If not, you can access your media with an Amazon Fire TV Stick or a Roku.

Smart control is built into some TV boxes, like the VMS 1100 and IPC 1100 from Verizon Fios, the Genie and Genie Mini from DirecTV, and many of the Hopper set-top boxes from Dish Network.

There are many ways to use Alexa to handle your TV, so we’ll need to know more about your hardware to help you get set up. We’ll show you how to set up Alexa with both smart TVs and different media streaming boxes below. Choose the method that works best for your current setup.

Connecting a Fire TV or Roku stick

Step 1: On your iPhone or Android, open the Alexa app.

Step 2: Click on the “More” tab near the bottom of the screen.

Step 3: Press the “Settings” button.

Step 4: Pick TV & Video from the list further down.

Step 5: Pick Fire TV or Roku, depending on which one works best with your viewing device.

Step 6: If you have a Fire TV, choose Link Your Alexa Device. If you have a Roku, choose “Enable to Use.”

Step 7: Give Alexa any login information she needs to finish the process.

Connecting Alexa to a generic smart TV

Step 1: On your iPhone or Android, open the Alexa app.

Step 2: At the bottom of the screen, tap the Devices tab.

Step 3: Click the plus sign (+) in the upper right corner and then choose “Add Device.”

Step 4: Find TV by scrolling down.

Step 5: Pick a brand of smart TV.

Step 6: To finish setting up Alexa, follow the app’s special directions.

Connecting Alexa to a Samsung smart TV

Step 1: Start by getting the Samsung SmartThings app. Then, find your TV by clicking on “Add Device.”

Step 2: On your iPhone or Android, open the Alexa app. Go to Skills in the Settings menu. Find the SmartThings skill and make sure it’s turned on.

Step 3: Click on the Devices tab at the bottom of the Alexa home screen.

Step 4: Click the plus sign (+) in the top right spot and then click “Add Device.”

Step 5: Click TV after scrolling down. Scroll down until you see the Samsung smart TV, then click on it.

Step 6: Finish the rest of Alexa’s steps to connect your Samsung TV.

Connecting Alexa to a Sony smart TV

Step 1: Use the remote to make the TV work. If you are not already at the Home screen, press the Home button.

Step 2: Each Sony screen is a little different, but you need to find a choice that says “Apps” or “Your Apps.” Pick it.

Step 3: Find the choice that says “TV Control with Smart Speakers.” You might also find an app that says “TV Control Setup with the Amazon Alexa App,” and that one also works. To see all the choices, you might need to choose “See All” from the app’s menu.

Step 4: Open the Alexa app, select Settings, and then Skills. Look for the Sony TV skill and turn it on.

Step 5: On your Sony TV, choose the right app to move on. Do what it says on the screen. Right now, you might need to sign in with your Google Account. Continue to do what it says on the screen until Alexa finds the TV and connects to it.

Connecting a set-top box

Step 1: On your iPhone or Android, open the Alexa app.

Step 2: At the bottom of the screen, tap the “More” tab.

Step 3: Click on the “Skills & Games” button.

Step 4: Type the name of your cable company into the search bar. Examples: Dish Network, Fios, Frontier, or DirecTV.

Step 5: Pick your service provider from the list if it’s there.

Can you control a smart TV with Alexa?

Yes, Alexa makes it easy to handle your smart TV. As soon as you connect your TV, set-top box, or media streaming device to Alexa, you can use your voice to run your media center. You should check the help page for your TV or set-top box to get the most up-to-date information because not all of them use the same instructions. The following instructions, however, may be useful for you when setting up your media: