How to Set Up Reminders, Alarms, Timers, and Lists With Alexa

Do you need help juggling the many events, appointments, meetings, and tasks in your life? With an Echo device, Alexa is at your service.

You can set up reminders so Alexa will notify you when a task or appointment is due. Create an alarm and use Alexa to wake up in the morning or alert you when a message arrives. Set up a timer for everything—from a boiling egg to an intense race. You can even add items to a to-do list or shopping list. Alexa will aid you via any Echo device, many third-party Alexa gadgets, and the Alexa app. Here's how to set everything up.

Set Up Alexa Reminders

Reminders serve as short-term alarms to help you remember certain activities or events. When a reminder comes due, Alexa chimes out "Here’s your reminder," and then it tells you twice.

The one downside is that the reminder only sounds off on the Echo device on which you set it. So if you have more than one Echo device, be sure to set the reminder on the device you use the most frequently. As a backup, the reminder also appears on your mobile device via the Alexa app.

To set one up, say "Alexa, create a new reminder." Alexa will ask you what the reminder is for. Tell Alexa what it is, such as "go to the dentist," "start the laundry," or "begin cooking dinner." Alexa then asks you for the date and time. You can say something like "Today at 3pm," "Tomorrow at 4pm," or "July 10 at 10am." To cut to the chase, provide all the details of the reminder in one shot, such as: "Alexa, remind me to start the laundry today at 2:30pm."

Alternatively, set up a reminder through the Alexa app. Open the app, tap the More icon in the lower right, and then select Reminders. At the Reminders screen, tap the Add Reminder button.

Fill in the appropriate fields with the reminder name, date, time, and the Echo device on which you want to hear the reminder. Tap Save to save the reminder. To hear your reminders, say "Alexa, what are my reminders?" and it will read them to you.

You can also go to the Reminders section in the Alexa app to see them. Remove a reminder by saying, "Alexa, delete [name of reminder]" or all reminders by saying: "Alexa, delete all reminders." From the app, open the reminder you want to remove and tap Delete.

Set Up Alexa Alarms 

You can use Alexa as a replacement for the traditional alarm clock by saying "Alexa, set an alarm." Alexa asks you for the day and time and sets the alarm after you provide the details. You can also include the information in one shot. Say "Alexa, set an alarm for 10:45 am today" or "Alexa, set an alarm for 8am tomorrow." Or ask for a recurring alarm to sound off every day, specific weekdays, or every weekend. ("Alexa, set a recurring alarm for 7am every Monday.")

To set an alarm from the Alexa app, tap the More icon and select Alarms & Timers. Tap Add Alarm and set the time, the device on which you want to hear the alarm, and the interval. You can even set an alarm to trigger a certain tone or piece of music instead of the typical alarm sound. When the alarm goes off, your Echo device will play the sound you set up. You can say "Alexa, stop" to turn it off or "Alexa, snooze" to postpone the alarm for nine minutes.

Keep track of your alarms by asking "Alexa, what are my alarms?" Check the Alarms section in the Alexa app to review your existing alarms, or create new ones. Tap a specific alarm to alter its time, change its sound, modify its interval, or delete it. Delete an alarm by swiping left and tapping Delete. Or say “Alexa, delete [time of alarm]" or "Alexa, delete all alarms."

Set Up Alexa Timers

Don't use the microwave as an egg timer anymore—use Alexa's named timer functionality to juggle multiple timers at one time. ("Alexa, set an egg timer for 3 minutes" if you're boiling an egg or "Alexa, set a laundry timer for 30 minutes," for example.)

Your timers appear in the Timers section of the Alexa app, where you can pause or cancel each one and change its volume. You can also ask "Alexa, what are my timers?" It will give you the names and countdowns of your current timers. Want to delete a timer? Tell Alexa to cancel or pause a specific timer or cancel them all in one command.

When you set up a timer on your Echo device, Alexa will chime in and tell you the countdown has hit zero. Say "Alexa, turn off timer" or just say "Alexa, stop" to shut it off.

Set Up Alexa To-Do Lists 

You can use your Echo device to create shopping lists or general to-do lists that can help you juggle all the tasks in your life. Concoct these lists via voice by saying something like “Alexa, add milk to my shopping list" or "Alexa, add 'take car to the mechanic' to my to-do list."

To set up a list from the Alexa app, tap the More icon and select Lists & Notes. At the next screen, tap the list for Shopping or To-Do to add items to either list. Alternatively, tap the Create list button to devise an entirely new list. Once a list is created, ask "Alexa, what's on my shopping list" or "Alexa, what's on my to-do list," and Alexa rattles off the items on either list.

Or check your lists in the Alexa app. Go back to the Lists & Notes screen in the app and open the list you wish to view or edit. Check an item to mark it as completed. Swipe it to the left to delete it.

Want more options for maintaining a to-do list? Tap into third-party to-do services, such as Any.do or Todoist, which are more robust than Alexa's built-in to-do skill. From the Alexa app, tap the More icon and then select Skills & Games.

Conduct a search by tapping the search icon in the upper-right corner. Type the word lists in the field for keyword or skill name. From the search results, tap lists skills or just lists. You can now browse the array of skills related to lists and making lists.

With such items as AnyList, Cozi Lists, or Picniic, you must enable the skill in the Alexa app. You then have to create or sign in with an account for that service to use the skill. With skills such as Any.do and Todoist, you're asked to leave the Alexa app and set up access to the third-party app.

After you’ve set up an account with any of the third-party list services, you can tell Alexa to add an item to your shopping list or to-do list, and Alexa will use that service.