Like it or not, we are in the era of IoT, where everything seems to connect to the internet. Many mega technology companies and consumer product manufacturers race to provide their customers with products and services that adopt new technology and innovation.
Samsung and Amazon, as the world’s leading technology and eCommerce companies, constantly develop devices and AI-powered apps or platforms, such as virtual assistants. One of the most well-known is Amazon’s Alexa. A lot of relevant devices now come with Alexa built-in. Samsung TVs are no exception.
This guide will teach you how to connect Samsung TV to Alexa. It’s a simple process and has become more straightforward for some recent Samsung TV models that have Alexa built-in. Before we dive into it, let’s find out what Alexa really is.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
To set up Alexa on your Samsung TV, you need a TV with built-in Alexa
You can connect your Samsung TV to Alexa during or after the initial setup
If you want to activate Alexa after the initial setup, go to Nav Bar on your Samsung TV, open the Alexa app, and click on Get Started. After that, you just have to follow the on-screen instructions. To set up Alexa, you will need an Amazon account. If you don’t have one, you will have to create it.
On select TV models, you can enable the Alexa Hands-free feature, which allows you to control the TV without pressing the mic button on the remote.
WHAT IS AMAZON ALEXA
Amazon Alexa, simply known as Alexa, is an AI-powered virtual personal assistant. It can assist you in some simple tasks using your voice commands, such as playing music/audiobooks, streaming videos/podcasts, reading news, and providing weather forecasts.
Launched in 2014, it was based on Ivona software, a Polish-based voice recognition platform that Amazon bought in an attempt to compete with the already-established Apple’s Siri (developed in 2011).
Introducing Amazon Alexa
Now, many devices are equipped with Alexa, which has become one of the big three AI voice assistants, together with Siri and Google Assistant. If a device doesn’t have a built-in Alexa, you can still use it via the Eco speaker series or any other Amazon device.
Image Credit – Samsung
CONNECTING SAMSUNG TV TO ALEXA
If you own a newer Samsung TV model, chances are it already has Alexa built-in. Enhance your Samsung TV and follow these steps to connect so that you can control your TV without lifting a finger, i.e., using your voice:
- Once you have set up your Samsung TV, you will come to a stage where your TV prompts you to select a voice assistant.
- Obviously, you will need to choose Amazon Alexa.
Image Credit – Amazon Alexa YouTube Channel
- Open the Alexa app by selecting its icon at the navigation bar at the lower part of your Samsung TV screen.
- Next, you’re going to connect Alexa to your Amazon account.
- There are two options. The first option is to scan the QR code appearing on the left. Otherwise, go to the link provided and enter the code that pops up on the screen.
- Then, follow the on-screen instructions to register your device to the Amazon account.
- Some Samsung TV models have an additional option to turn on Alexa hands-free. Click this option if you want to talk to Alexa without touching or tapping anything. Otherwise, you will need to press the mic button before starting to give voice instructions.
- On the next screen, you can try giving a few commands displayed on the screen to see if it works.
- Visit the Alexa app on the TV to get started and explore what Alexa can do. You can also start commanding Alexa with your voice now, like “Alexa, tell me how to get started.”
Watch the video below to learn how to connect your Samsung TV to Alexa in a few simple steps.
Learn how to command Alexa and how to control your Samsung TV content and volume, or switch it off when you are finished in this video.
You can also learn how to use Alexa to listen to music on Spotify, Pandora, or Amazon Music on your Samsung TV in this video.
In the following video, you can learn how Alexa can assist you in finding your favorite movie.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Question: Can I use Alexa on Samsung TV?
Answer: Samsung TVs now have built-in Alexa. If you have connected the two, you can ask Alexa to control your TV with voice commands, such as changing channels, playing music, podcasts, and videos, or even maneuvering other smart home devices.
Question: How to connect my smart TV to Alexa?
Answer: Follow these simple steps:
- On your Apple or Android device, download and install the Alexa app.
- Select “Devices” located at the bottom of the screen.
- Add a device by pressing the + tap > Add Device.
- Find your TV name and tap it to connect. You might need to scroll down the list if there are many devices nearby.
Question: I tried to connect Alexa to my Samsung TV, but why is it not working?
Answer: Your Samsung TV might be on the Eco-Mode. Alexa won’t work if your Samsung TV is in this mode. To deactivate the Eco-Mode, go to Settings > General > Eco solution. Then, select the Off option to switch to the normal mode.
How to Enable/Disable Eco Mode on a Samsung TV
Question: What is the difference between Alexa and Echo?
Answer: Yes, the fact that both belong to Amazon and work hand-in-hand with each other makes it a little bit confusing about what they really are. It’s like Alexa is the mind and Echo is the body. Alexa is a voice command software, one of the best available and embedded in the Amazon servers. On the other hand, Echo is the hardware that lets you use Alexa. Echo devices are the official Amazon tools to access Alexa. However, you can also find thousands of other devices having the capability to connect and use Alexa.
Question: Can you reset Echo on Alexa?
Answer: Yes, you can always reset the Echo devices on Alexa if you find something is not working right, or if you cannot connect them. You need to do it via the Alexa app on your phone, and here are the steps involved:
- Open the Alexa app.
- Select Devices.
- Then, choose the Echo & Alexa icon.
- Find the intended speaker and tap it.
- Please scroll down to find the Factory Reset button and tap it.
- Tap Confirm to rest to factory settings.
CONCLUSION
Amazon Alexa is an excellent futuristic communication tool that exists right here today. It may not be the first, but it has indeed become one of the most popular.
This guide showed you how to connect your Samsung TV to Alexa if your Samsung TV has Alexa built-in. Hopefully, our step-by-step guide was easy to follow and helped you start using Alexa. In addition, we have also included some videos demonstrating detailed methods to set up the connection and use Alexa afterward.
