While we’ve talked about How to create routines with voice assistants like Alexa in the past, there’s One type of routine that’s particularly popular, as well as a great way to learn more about your smart home: a Halloween routine that can quickly and easily scare friends or family in just the right ways.
Fortunately, with customization options, you can literally say “boo” or other phrases to your smart speakers and get the whole-house result you want. Because of its personalization, Alexa is our preferred method. But Google Assistant offers similar options. Let’s take a look at what you could do.
How to make Alexa a frightening smart routine
As with a lot of smart home setups, it’s a good idea to make Make sure Alexa and all your smart devices are connected Are always up-to date. When you’re ready, here’s what to think about.
Step 1 If you haven’t already connected compatible smart devices with your Alexa app, do so now. All devices must be connected to Alexa and searchable for these steps.
Step 2Open the Alexa app. Select the option at the bottom of your home screen. Learn More button.
Step 3Select RoutinesSelect from the menu.
Step 4Select the Plus signTo create a new routine, click in the upper-right corner.
Step 5Enter the name of your routine. Name your spooky routine something obvious, like “Halloween” or “Scary” so you’ll be able to identify it easily later on.
Step 6Select the When it happens section. We recommend that you choose the right section for best results. VoiceTo control your spooky routine. Now you can program the voice command to be something meaningful, like, “Alexa, boo!” or “Alexa, spooky time!” or even, “Alexa, scare me!”
Step 7Now, select NextSelect the one you like. Take action section. This section is where things get more complicated as there are many options for all your connected devices. Let’s start with something simple: Go down to SoundsSelect the appropriate option. Festive season. Here, you’ll see an option to play a creepy Halloween door sound. It’s a good place to start.
Step 8Add another action. You also have the option to choose Alexa saysAlexa could say something appropriately spooky. You can also visit Podcasts and musicEstablish the routine and play Monster Mash or another song – or, for ambiance, an audio trackWith thunderous sounds.
Step 9Alexa’s audio options are only the beginning. Select Smart homeNext, you can view all available devices. If you have a compatible smartbulb, you can set it to turn on, off, dim or flash. This will complete the effect (or a different one for each bulb). Sometimes the most frightening part is simply turning off all the bulbs at once.
Step 10Although Alexa does not have much control over smart TVs (though you can add a TV action that turns the TV on or off to your effects). Alexa can be used with Fire TVs to allow you to choose the content. For example, you could set it to play a scary movie or a Halloween playlist. Select the Fire TVSection for more information
Step 11 If you have an idea of what you want Alexa to do but can’t find a category, select CustomType in your command and Alexa will show you related commands. Browse your account to get even more ideas Smart homesection to see the list of available devices and what they are capable of doing. Some of the most bizarre effects, such as telling a smart lock or smart plug to turn off an appliance, can produce some fun results.
Google Home?
Google Home and Google Assistant also allow you to set up routines, and it’s very similar to Alexa. Although the app is slightly different than Alexa, you can still use it. RoutinesSelect the PlusPress the button to choose your starters, as well your actions. It doesn’t have quite as many options as Alexa for actions, but you can still find plenty of ways to create a scary routine.
However, if you don’t feel like setting up your own routine step by step, Google Home has its own Halloween option that can save you a lot of time. Simply say, “OK Google, let’s get spooky.” Google Home will then use any connected smart devices to play a Halloween playlist, flash your smart lights, and so on. Google Home is a great time saver if you have more connected smart devices.
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