Your Amazon Echo or Alexa wake word is what your Amazon device listens out for before it bursts into action. Usually, this is "Alexa" - the name of Amazon's virtual assistant and the default option. However, you can change it to a handful of other names/words that might avoid conflicts in your home, or just make you happier.

Options have expanded too, with "Ziggy" and "Computer", as well as "Amazon" and "Echo". Here's how to change it on your Amazon device.

How to change your Alexa wake word

You can change the wake word for individual Echo devices. This is great if you want to set a different wake word in each room. Or if family members don't want to activate each other's devices. Either way, the method is the same. You just need to repeat the steps for each Echo device.

  1. Open the Alexa app on your phone or tablet.
  2. Hit the Devices tab, and then Echo & Alexa.
  3. Select the Echo you want to change.
  4. Tap on the Settings icon in the top-right corner of the screen.
  5. Scroll down to Wake Word, tap it and select your preference from the list.

You can also change the wake word on an Echo Show's own display. This can be done on the Show's Settings screen (say "Alexa, open Settings").

echo dot 4th gen -1
Amazon Echo Dot (5th Gen)

Why should you change your wake word?

The main reason for changing your wake word it for convenience. If you have multiple Echo devices within earshot, you might find that one responds when you don't want it to. This can cause some confusion where music plays in a room you didn't intend, or if you've setup smart home controls, perhaps the lights will turn on or off in the wrong room. We've found this especially likely when you have Echos in bedrooms, where one person could call across the room to the Echo and find the response comes from another device. Changing the wake word means an individual can get "their" Echo to respond, which is great for kids.

Other reasons are just for fun. Alexa has become such a common term now, everyone who comes to your house can probably control your Echo, but changing it to "Computer" makes it a little different, especially if you're a Star Trek fan. The added advantage is that if you have someone in your house called "Alex" - or even "Alexa" - then it can avoid a lot of confusion.

Check out our ultimate guide to Amazon Echo tips and tricks as well as Alexa Easter Eggs.