10 Amazon Echo Show features every owner should use

Amazon’s Echo Show devices offer the same smarts as an Alexa speaker and have a touchscreen display. They come in various sizes to suit each room in your house. The tiny Echo Show 5 is great for your bedroom, the Echo Show 8 would be well-placed in an office, the Echo Show 10 is ideal for your living room, and the Echo Show 15 and the Echo Show 21 are big enough for a communal space like the kitchen. The numbers at the end of the model name refer to the screen size.

The Echo Show has widgets for the home screen, and visual answers pop up alongside your voice commands. Plus, these clever devices pack in many other features. Here’s a list of the 10 most useful Echo Show features you need to use.

10

Transform it into a digital photo frame

Display your favorite family photos

All Echo Show smart displays can be used as a digital photo frame when you aren’t using them. The feature is well-suited to every device, whether you have the smallest 5-inch device or the huge 21-inch model. Just say “Alexa, show my photos” and you’ll see a slideshow of images.

Through the Alexa app’s smart display settings, you can select which pictures to include or display a selection of the latest shots from your camera roll. You can even show This Day memories, which display throwback photos taken at this time in previous years. You can also use stock images across categories like nature, art, or architecture. Those can be found in the on-device settings.

9

Use it as an alarm clock

It’ll wake you up in the morning

If you have a smart display in your bedroom, it’ll make a great alarm clock. You’ll see the time and can ask Alexa to wake you up in the morning. You can even ask the speaker to wake you with a song or radio station.

If you have other smart home tech, you can create routines for waking up, like gradually turning on the lights after the alarm goes off or switching on the coffee machine. Set these up in the Routines section of the Alexa app, and you’ll find that getting up in the morning has never been easier.

8

Have a karaoke night

You can see the lyrics on the screen

Did you know you can use the Echo Show as a karaoke machine? Just say “Alexa, let’s karaoke” and then pick a song. The lyrics appear rolling on the screen. As with other music, you can control the playback with simple voice commands like “Alexa, stop” or “Alexa, play the song.”

7

Watch Fire TV

Catch up on TV shows

One of the coolest Echo Show features is the integration with the Fire TV software because you can access most popular streaming apps like Netflix, Prime Video, and Apple TV+. Stream TV shows and movies in any room of the house with a quick voice command like “open Disney+” and use the touchscreen display to find content. This feature works best with a bigger screen, but it is available on the latest devices, even the Echo Show 5.

For apps that aren’t available on the system, the Echo Show comes preloaded with the Amazon Silk internet browser, so you can access them through that.

6

Make video calls

Keep in touch with friends and family

Echo Shows have a camera built into the bezel around the screen, which means you can use them to make video calls with other Echo Show owners or anyone who has the Alexa app on their phone. Say “Alexa, video call [contact name]” and you’re connected with that person. You can also manually set it up using the Communicate section on the touchscreen display, where you’ll find a list of contacts.

You can also make group video calls, but you’ll need to create a contact group within the Alexa app. You’re prompted to give the group a name, making it easy to call everyone at once by saying, “Alexa, call [group name].”

5

See a live view from your security camera or video doorbell

Use the screen to see who’s at the front door

One handy way of using an Alexa smart display is to look at a live view from your compatible security cameras or video doorbell. When the doorbell rings, you’ll see who is calling or use it to check on your children in the other room. To stream the feed, say “Alexa show me [camera name].” You can also access this feature through the smart home dashboard on the display.

4

Check up on your home when you’re away

Keep an eye on your pets

Another great way to use the camera on the Echo Show is to check in on your home and your pets when you’re away. At any time, you can look at a live view of the room it’s in as long as you haven’t closed the privacy shutter. Find the device on your Alexa app and press Camera.

You will see what’s happening and hear what’s going on. You can also speak through it. It’s useful in many ways, like telling your dog to stop barking or telling your kids to do their homework instead of watching TV.

3

Find new recipes

Get inspiration and instructions

Not sure what to have for dinner? Ask Alexa. The Echo Show can give ideas based on what you are in the mood for and show you full recipes on the display. If the device is in your kitchen, you can have the instructions in front of you instead of regularly unlocking your phone or tablet.

If you want suggestions every day, a home screen widget offers different dishes, and you can ask Alexa to add the ingredients you need to a shopping list.

2

Organize your family’s schedule

There’s a calendar for the home screen

Another convenient home screen widget is the calendar. Placed at the center of your home, it makes the Echo Show a useful tool for planning your household’s schedules, so you know which kid is at which sports club on which day, and who will pick them up. Plus, there are widgets to leave notes or reminders for family members.

Chore Chart is a skill dedicated to getting everyone to do their chores. You can assign chores, tick them off when they are completed, hear a list of outstanding tasks, and get a rundown of each person’s completed chores that week.

1

Visual ID recognizes you

The Echo Show will personalize the display

Visual ID is a clever feature that uses the camera to recognize who is using the Echo Show. It uses that information to tailor the home screen with personalized content based on your interests, calendar, and most used skills.

Visual ID isn’t turned on by default. To opt in to this feature, go to the device settings and press Your Profile & Family. Then select your profile, and tap Visual ID to register your face to the system.

Amazon’s Echo Show is well suited to a busy smart home

Wherever you keep your Amazon Echo Show, there are plenty of features you should be using. If you have it in a bedroom, it can help you fall asleep or wake up in the morning. If it’s in your office, it can help you plan your day and entertain you with background noise while you work. Placed in the living room, it is a great family organizer, and in the kitchen, it is a fantastic cooking companion. You can use it like any smart speaker. It makes controlling your other smart home devices a breeze. There are tons of clever ways to make use of the Echo Show day-to-day.