How to Create and Use Alexa Routines

Use the Alexa app to quickly create Alexa Routines that adjust settings in your whole-house audio system. Routines can be executed with an Alexa voice command, a schedule, or a triggered event.

Some examples:

Simplify a Voice Command: Change "Alexa, ask home audio to switch source to Sonos in kitchen" to something easier to remember, like "Alexa, set Kitchen to Sonos."

Add to an Existing Voice Command: “Alexa, good morning.” This voice command might already include instructions for your thermostat, lighting, and security system; now it can also include commands for your audio zones.

Create a Schedule: Create a schedule that automatically impacts your audio settings, e.g. turns off all audio zones at a set time of day.

Set up a Triggered Event: Have other smart devices initiate commands to your home audio system, e.g. have all zones (or specific zones) mute whenever someone presses your Ring doorbell, and unmute after an amount of time you specify.

When this . . . Do this

Setting up Routines in Alexa follows a logical process of "when this happens" then "Alexa will do this." In the "do this" portion, use the "Custom" event feature to add one or more of our voice commands following our Alexa Syntax.

Here are some examples to get you started:

Follow these steps to simplify a voice command:

1. From the Alexa app home page, click the "+" button in the upper right and select "Routine".
2. Name the routine.
3. Under "WHEN", click "Add an event" and select "Voice".
4. Enter what you want to say, such as "set Kitchen to Sonos" and click "Next".
5. Under "ALEXA WILL", click "Add an action" and select "Custom".
6. Enter the phrase exactly as written in our Alexa Syntax. Example: "ask home audio to switch source to Sonos in kitchen". Click "Next"
7. Press "Save"

Follow these steps to mute all zones when a Ring doorbell is pressed

1. From the Alexa app home page, click the "+" button in the upper right and select "Routine".
2. Name the routine.
3. Under "WHEN", click "Add an event" and select "Smart Home".
4. Select the Ring doorbell.
5. Under "SELECT CAPABILITY", press "Doorbell" and then "Save".
6. Under "ALEXA WILL", click "Add an action" and select "Custom".
7. Enter the phrase exactly as written in our Alexa Syntax: "ask home audio to mute all zones in my house". (replace "my house" with the name of your system, "my house" is the default). Click "Next"
8. Under "ALEXA WILL", click "Add another action" and select "Wait"
9. Enter the amount of time before you'd like to unmute your zones, e.g. 30 seconds, and press "Next"
10. Under "ALEXA WILL", click "Add another action" and select "Custom".
11. Enter the phrase exactly as written in our Alexa Syntax: "ask home audio to unmute all zones in my house". (replace "my house" with the name of your system, "my house" is the default). Click "Next"
12. Under "Hear from Alexa", click "Choose Device" and select which device will play any Alexa response.
13. Press "Save" or "Finish".

Worth noting: "Mute all zones" and "unmute all zones" will only impact zones that are currently powered on and not in Do Not Disturb mode (Lync only). You can easily adjust this routine to only mute one zone or any group of zones.