How to set up geofencing for Alexa

Geofencing might sound like a high-tech term, but today’s smart devices make it easy: choose specific things for your smart home based on where you are. With voice assistants like Alexa, you can customize a variety of actions based on your specific location. Coupled with the right devices, this can add some exciting features to your smart home.

Set up a geofencing routine on Alexa

If this functionality sounds like something you’d like to set up, here’s everything you can do and how Alexa enables geofencing. Follow these steps and you’ll have your own location-based activities up and running in no time!

Step 1: Open the Alexa app on your preferred device.

Note: Alexa uses this device to estimate your location when using geofencing routines. This means that this device must have location-based services enabled and be a device that you always have with you when you leave the house. That makes a smartphone the best choice.

Step 2: Choose More Option in the lower-right corner of the Alexa home page. Select from the menu that opens routines.

Step 3: Pick the little one plus Button in the upper right corner to start creating a new routine. This allows Alexa to set up all kinds of actions with connected smart devices.

For geofencing to work, you need Alexa compatible devices set up in the voice assistant app. Luckily, a large number of devices work with Alexa (and even more when Matter support rolls out), so you shouldn’t have much trouble setting up your routine. If necessary you can go to Devices in the Alexa app to ensure the required devices are set up and can be controlled by Alexa.

Step 4: Create a routine name by which you can easily identify them, e.g. B. “leave the house” or “come home”.

Step 5: Choose When happens. Now you have a variety of different triggers to choose from to start your routine. Choose location keep going. If necessary, activate location-based services on your device.

Step 6: Next, select an address. You can enter an address, set a permanent home or work address, or just use your current location when you’re home. Once you have selected an address, select whether the routine is triggered when the device is switched on arrives or leaves.

Step 7: Back in your routine, you choose Add action and choose what you want the geofencing routine to do. This is where options really open up for you, but it’s a good idea to choose smart home to check the devices you can work with. For example, if you have a smart bulb in your porch lights, you can set the location to yours homethe device to arrives, and the action to turn on the smart light. That way, if you and your device are nearby, it will always turn on the light when you get home. You could also set a different routine for turning the lights off when you leave and automate the whole process.

Let’s say you have a compatible smart lock that works with Alexa. You can set your routine leaves and the action to lock your smart lock to ensure your home is always locked when you’re away.

There are many more options depending on what kind of devices you have and what you want to set up. Explore the actions you can take and consider what will be most useful to you.

Step 8: When you’re done, select Save on computer to save the routine. Since your activation is based on location, leave your location-based services enabled on your device and Alexa should do the rest!

Alexa geofencing restrictions

• If your Alexa has multiple users, it’s important to create separate profiles for them. Geofencing like this works based on the device’s location, so multiple users can have their own geofencing routines as long as they have separate profiles and devices.

• Geofencing is not available in all regions. If you can’t access this option, search for available Alexa services in your area.

• Skills targeted towards children generally cannot use location-based data, so these are not suitable actions for geofencing.

• Geofencing via Alexa typically doesn’t work when your phone is asleep or turned off. You may need to adjust these settings if you find that geofencing is not working properly.

• If something goes wrong, make sure your phone is updated and restart the Alexa app. Sometimes Alexa’s geofencing will stop working when a particular update arrives, so keep an eye out for updates for the app and OS you’re using.

Editor’s Recommendations