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Alexa, Amazon’s virtual assistant, can be helpful in an infinite number of ways. And Alexa can be even more helpful when you customize its responses to your questions. Alexa can make you seem totally awesome when you tell it what to say. Customized responses can also be a fun party trick to impress your family and friends.
The good news is that you don’t need to open an Alexa skill or ask Alexa for a “customized response”. Just ask Alexa a question of your choice and you’ll hear the answer you want.
About Alexa Customized Responses
Customized responses are a way to have Alexa say a specific response to a question. You can have Alexa respond to questions with helpful and/or fun answers.
For example, customized responses can be a way to help with parenting.
Q. “Alexa, what time should Timmy go to bed?”
A. “Timmy should go to bed right now.”
Q. “Alexa, when should Julia start her homework?”
A. “Julia should start her homework in 15 minutes.”
Or customized responses can be just plain fun. For example, you can delight grandparents who come to visit.
Q. “Alexa, who’s the best grandfather in the world?
A. “Without a doubt, Granddad is the best grandfather in the world.”
Customized responses can also make you seem totally awesome.
Q. “Who is the best mother in the world?”
A. “I just compared all moms in history, and my conclusion is that yours is the best.”
Q. “Alexa, who is totally awesome?”
A. “Carolyn is totally awesome!”
Of course, you can insert your own name, instead of “Carolyn”, or just leave it at “Carolyn”. Your choice…
How to Create an Alexa Customized Response
Creating an Alexa customized response is simple and can be done using either the Alexa website or app.
Customized responses are one of the Alexa Blueprints, which is a feature that lets you create your own Alexa skill. Similar to IFTTT (If This Then That), Alexa Blueprints are a series of commands that help you control what Alexa will say when you ask it a specific question.
Check out => How to Use IFTTT Applets to Simplify Your Life
You’ll be guided through a few simple steps to create customized responses for Alexa. In a few minutes, Alexa will be giving you the answers you want.
Creating a Customized Response Using the Alexa Blueprints Website
To create a customized response, go to the Alexa Blueprints website and choose “Custom Q&A”.
On the Custom Q&A page, you can read and hear samples of Alexa’s customized responses to get inspiration to create your own. The page also walks you through how to create your own Alexa customized response.
To begin, click on the MAKE YOUR OWN button on the Custom Q&A page.
The website will guide you through the steps to creating your custom response.
- Write a question in the exact wording you will ask it to get Alexa to say your customized response. You can add multiple ways to ask a question. For example, you can add, “When should Timmy go to bed?” and “When is Timmy’s bedtime?” as alternative ways to ask the question to prompt the customized response.
- Under the “Alexa will say” section, write the response you’d like Alexa to say to answer your question.
- Add as many questions and responses as you’d like.
- Click the CREATE SKILL button at the top of the page.
- If you’ve never used Alexa Blueprints before, you may need to update your Amazon account because you’re now a developer!
Your custom responses will be ready to use as soon as you save your questions and answers. Test your customized responses by asking Alexa one of your questions.
Creating a Customized Response Using the Alexa App
You can also create customized responses using the Alexa app. To create a custom response, open the Alexa app and tap START NOW under the Customize Alexa’s Answers section on the home page of the app.
Note => Be sure to update your Alexa app to the latest version to create a customized response using the app.
The Skill Blueprints screen will appear. Tap the TRY CUSTOM Q&A button.
You’ll see and hear sample customized responses to inspire you to create your own. Tap MAKE YOUR OWN.
Follow the steps outlined above in the Alexa Blueprints Website section of this article to create your own customized responses for Alexa.
Your Thoughts
Do you like the idea of creating customized responses to Alexa? Have you ever used Alexa Blueprints before? What customized responses have you created for Alexa?
Share your thoughts in the Comments section below!
Technology is getting advanced as days passes. Alexa is example of that.
Hi Nayeemz, Yes, technology is getting more advanced and updates make advanced technology even more advanced. By creating customized responses for Alexa you can make advanced technology work better for you!
Wow this was fun Never thought it would that smart or even programmable gonna have fun with this amazing read and little knowledgy
Hi Majhi, Yes, you can program Alexa to give the responses you want. I hope you have fun with this helpful feature of Alexa.
Funny.. that reminds me of segmenting your market into interest groups, when you can customize your messages and your Alexa responses to specific questions. Thanks for a great blog. GD.
Hi Geoff, Good point, you can customize Alexa’s responses according to which questions are asked, but not according to the voice of the user. That would be a fantastic update, so that Alexa could give a custom answer based on the voice of the questioner.
I am learning so much more about Alexa, Carolyn. We spent a few days with Alexa-focused relatives recently. Seems she’s in about every room downstairs, waiting to help. Fun, neat, and entertaining. Technology is inspired.
Hi Ryan, Yes, being able to customize Alexa’s answers takes its abilities to a whole new level. People who like Alexa enough to have it in every room would probably appreciate the ability to have it give customized responses.
Wow this was fun Never thought it would that smart or even programmable gonna have fun with this amazing read.
Hi Nasrullah, Yes, it’s very cool to see how easily you can program Alexa to say whatever you want it to. I hope you have fun with it.