The Alexa commands blind users rely on most are stop, timers and alarms, reminders, the time and weather, calls, announcements and smart home control. A few settings also make Alexa easier to use without a screen: speaking speed, request sounds and voice training. I am blind, and I use Alexa every day, so this list covers what I actually say.
It is organised by task so you can find a command quickly. If you still need to choose a device or set one up, start with Alexa for Blind and Visually Impaired People. For what daily use looks like, read How Can Alexa Help Blind People?
Quick Reference
- “Alexa, stop” ends audio or a response.
- “Alexa, set a timer for 10 minutes.”
- “Alexa, set an alarm for 6:30 AM.”
- “Alexa, volume 5” sets the volume.
- “Alexa, what time is it?” and “Alexa, what’s the weather?”
- “Alexa, remind me to [task] at [time].”
- “Alexa, call [name].”
- “Alexa, announce dinner is ready” speaks to every Echo in the house.
- “Alexa, drop in on [device name]” opens a two-way call to another Echo.
- “Alexa, turn off the living room lights.”
- “Alexa, speak slower” and “Alexa, speak faster.”
- “Alexa, what can you do?”
Everyday Commands
Start with the commands that replace a glance at a screen. Time, weather and timers cover most of a normal day. Say “Alexa, stop” whenever audio runs on, and set volume by number so you know exactly where it is.
For your schedule, ask “Alexa, what’s on my calendar today?” or “Alexa, read my to-do list.” Add to your shopping list by saying “Alexa, add [item] to my shopping list.” Say “Alexa, what are my notifications?” to hear messages and alerts, and “Alexa, play the news” or name a podcast or music you want.
For reminders, say the task and the time in one sentence, such as “Alexa, remind me to take medicine at 8pm,” and Alexa will announce it when it is due. Before I started using reminders, I would often miss my evening medication. Now Alexa reminds me every night without fail.
Calls and Announcements
If you own more than one Echo, announcements and Drop In turn them into an intercom. I use announcements to reach other rooms and Drop In to talk to someone directly without picking up a phone. Say the device’s name exactly as it appears in the Alexa app. For calls to contacts, say “Alexa, call [name].”
Smart Home and Routines
Once a device is linked in the Alexa app, you control it by name. I use voice for lights, the fan, the AC and the TV. A routine runs several actions from one phrase, so “Alexa, good night” can switch off lights and set up tomorrow’s alarm. Build each routine once in the app, then use it by voice, for example “Alexa, start my morning routine.”
Fire TV Commands
Alexa can run your Fire TV by voice, so you never need the on-screen menus or the remote. Your Echo and Fire TV must be registered to the same Amazon account, the Fire TV needs its latest software, and you link them in the Alexa app. Echo Show devices do not support every Fire TV command. If Alexa answers on the Echo instead of the TV, add “on Fire TV” to the end of your request.
- Play and find: “Alexa, play [title],” “Alexa, watch [title],” “Alexa, play [title] on [app],” “Alexa, search for [title].”
- Navigate: “Alexa, go home,” “Alexa, open [app],” “Alexa, scroll down,” “Alexa, select number 3,” “Alexa, go back.”
- Playback: “Alexa, pause,” “Alexa, resume,” “Alexa, rewind 30 seconds,” “Alexa, fast-forward 2 minutes,” “Alexa, next episode,” “Alexa, watch from the beginning.”
- Live TV: “Alexa, go to [channel] on [app],” “Alexa, go to the channel guide.”
Fire TV also has its own screen reader, VoiceView, for menus and app screens. Voice commands get you to the content, and VoiceView reads what is on screen when you need it.
Echo Show-Specific Accessibility Commands
“Alexa, what am I holding?” Uses Show & Tell on Echo Show devices to identify objects through the camera.
I had two unlabelled spice jars once. I held one up and asked. Alexa replied: cinnamon.
A small thing. But it gave me real confidence in the kitchen.
“Alexa, turn on VoiceView.” Activates the built-in screen reader for Echo Show devices.
“Alexa, turn on screen magnifier.” Zooms in on Echo Show screen content for users with low vision rather than total blindness.
Settings That Make Alexa Easier Without a Screen
Speaking speed. Say “Alexa, speak slower,” “Alexa, speak faster,” or “Alexa, speak at your default rate.” Amazon lists seven speeds, from two slower rates to four faster ones. Amazon describes the launch as US-only, so test it on your device.
Request sounds. In the Alexa app, open Devices, then Echo and Alexa, choose your device, then Sounds, and turn on Start of Request and End of Request. You then hear a tone when Alexa starts and stops listening.
Voice profile. Ask Alexa to learn your voice if it often fails to recognise you.
Adaptive Listening. It gives you more time to finish speaking before Alexa responds, instead of cutting you off mid-sentence.
Call Translation and Captioning. Built originally for hearing accessibility, it translates and captions Alexa calls in real time on Echo Show devices. It is useful if you are also hard of hearing.
What Changed With Alexa+ in 2026
The old Alexa needed exact phrases. Say it wrong, and you got “sorry, I don’t know that one.” Alexa+ works differently.
Free for Prime members. $19.99 a month standalone for everyone else. A limited free chat version exists too, through the Alexa app or at Alexa.com.
For blind users, the real change is conversational memory. Alexa+ understands natural phrasing instead of memorized commands. Ask a follow-up question without repeating the wake word.
Alexa+ carries context across the conversation. The old Alexa never did that.
One thing worth knowing: US Prime members were upgraded automatically in early 2026, according to TechSpot. If your Echo suddenly sounds different, that is why. Say “Alexa, exit Alexa+” to return to the original version.
When Alexa Says a Command Is Not Available
Start with the fastest check: say “Alexa, what can you do with [device name]?” before anything else.
If you have asked Alexa to do something and been told the command is not available, you are not alone.
One reader on this exact post described Alexa only reliably turning the TV on and off. Everything else returned “not available.”
Here is what is actually going on, and what to check, without needing to see a screen to fix it.
Check whether the skill or device needs linking. Many smart home commands require the manufacturer’s skill to be enabled in the Alexa app first. A device set up through its own app but never linked to Alexa will fail every time.
Ask a family member or sighted assistant to check the Alexa app once. Settings, then Smart Home, to confirm the device shows up and is online. A five-minute check that usually resolves “not available” issues permanently.
Try rephrasing rather than repeating. Alexa+ understands natural phrasing better than the old Alexa. If one exact phrase fails, a slightly different way of asking often succeeds where repeating the same failed phrase will not.
Confirm your device received the Alexa+ update. Older Echo devices received the update on a rolling basis through 2026. A device still behaving like the old Alexa may not have natural-language understanding yet, which means it still needs closer-to-exact phrasing.
Ask Alexa directly what it can do. “Alexa, what can you do with [device name]” often surfaces the exact supported commands for that device. Faster than guessing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Alexa commands are best for visually impaired users?
Time, weather, reminders, smart home control, and calendar updates form the daily core. Echo Show features like Show & Tell and VoiceView add meaningful extra value if you have that device.
What is Alexa+ and do I need to pay for it?
Alexa+ is Amazon’s AI-powered version of Alexa. Free for Prime members. $19.99 a month standalone otherwise.
Already have Prime? You already have access at no extra cost.
Can Alexa read my email aloud?
No, not anymore. Amazon discontinued this feature in November 2021, and it has not returned. You may see older articles claiming otherwise, but it no longer works.
What does work: Alexa can link to messaging apps like WhatsApp, and read incoming messages from those platforms aloud. For email, your phone’s built-in screen reader, VoiceOver or TalkBack, remains the reliable option.
Can Alexa read my text messages?
Amazon documents reading and sending text messages by voice on Echo Auto, in the car. Say “Alexa, read my text messages” or “Alexa, send a text message to [name].” Echo Auto (1st Gen) works with Android phones only, and Echo Auto (2nd Gen) works with both iPhone and Android. On other Echo speakers, calls, announcements and Alexa messages are the voice-first options, and your phone’s own assistant handles its texts.
Can I control my Fire TV with Alexa?
Yes. Link your Fire TV to your Echo in the Alexa app, then say “Alexa, play [title] on Fire TV” or “Alexa, open [app].” Both devices must use the same Amazon account. See the Fire TV Commands section above for the full set.
Can Alexa read Kindle books aloud?
Yes, on Echo devices with a screen, through Kindle Assistive Reader. It reads titles from the Kindle Store, Kindle Unlimited, Prime Reading and your Family Library, as long as the book supports Enhanced Typesetting and is in a language Alexa supports. Say “Alexa, show my Kindle books” to see which titles qualify. It is not available on Alexa+. For the full reading setup, see what Alexa can read aloud.
Does Alexa work without Wi-Fi?
No. Voice commands are processed in the cloud, so Alexa needs an internet connection. A small number of basic functions may work briefly during a connection drop, but core functionality needs Wi-Fi.
Can Alexa describe what’s on TV or read subtitles?
Not Alexa directly, but the Fire TV ecosystem that Alexa controls handles this well. Audio Description narrates actions, scene changes, and on-screen text while a show or movie plays, available across most Prime Video content.
Say “Alexa, turn on audio description” or enable it once in Fire TV settings. Separately, Alexa Captions can show you what Alexa herself is saying on an Echo Show screen, useful for low-vision or hard-of-hearing household members watching together.
Where to Go Next
Choosing a device or setting one up? Read Alexa for Blind and Visually Impaired People. For daily use, read How Can Alexa Help Blind People? For entertainment and reading, see Best Alexa Games for Blind Players and Can Alexa Read Books and Documents Aloud?
Related reading
Sources
- TechCrunch: Alexa+ is now available to everyone in the US (4 February 2026)
- TechSpot: Prime members auto-upgraded to Alexa+ (13 January 2026)
Last reviewed October 2026. Alexa features, prices and availability change and differ by country. This article is general information, so check Amazon’s current pages before you buy or rely on a feature.
The only thing Alexis does is turn my TV on and off. Everything else it tells me that’s not available. That command does not available, not available.
Hi, thank you for sharing this. When Alexa can only turn a TV on and off, the TV is usually linked with basic power control only. Some TV models support nothing more, while others need the TV maker’s Alexa skill or setup app switched on before volume, channel and input commands work. Smart TVs with full Alexa support from brands such as Sony, LG and Vizio can handle those commands, and a Fire TV Cube or a Logitech Harmony hub can add them to a TV that doesn’t. Check your TV’s support page for its Alexa setup steps and the commands it supports.