You can even make Alexa snarky.
If you’re an Alexa+ or Amazon Prime member, your interactions with Alexa are no longer relegated to fairly standard voice types or the creepy “Whisper Mode.” Amazon now lets eligible users experiment with eight different voice types (depending on region/country) and several intriguing personalities, like Sassy, Chill and Original. While each brings its own unique vibe to the table, these are simply fun customization options, and none of them make Alexa more or less accurate. At the end of the day, you’re still dealing with AI, albeit with a bit more fun.
For an ordinary, low-effort voice change, you can simply say, “Alexa, change your voice.” Alexa will then offer you the current available options. You can also use the Alexa app. Once the app is open on your device, tap Devices > Your Device > Device Settings > Alexa’s Voice. The voice settings only apply to the specific device you’re using, so you’ll have to repeat the process for other devices, especially if you want a consistent voice or personality throughout your home.
How to make Alexa Brief, Chill, Sweet or Sassy
Alexa’s personality styles let you change the way Alexa answers without changing what it’s able to do. Amazon currently offers five personality options: Brief, Chill, Sweet, Sassy and Original. Brief is exactly what it sounds like, for those who prefer quick, concise answers. Chill is casual and conversational. Sweet is warmer and more encouraging, and Sassy adds a more playful, witty edge. The latter comes with an “adults only” warning that you have to tap to proceed. It’s not exactly NSFW or anti-kid-friendly, but Alexa may make fun of your question and use a few colorful pejoratives.
The quickest method is to say, “Alexa, change your personality style.” Alexa will present your options and guide you through them. If you prefer to use the app, open Devices > Your Device > Device Settings > Alexa’s Personality Style. From there, simply swipe through the available personalities, left to right, and you can return to the original style at any time.
Again, personality styles are device-specific, so if you want a consistent personality throughout every Echo device in your home, you’ll have to change each one individually.
Celebrity voices and other limits
If you’ve had an Echo device or two for a while, you probably remember the celebrity voices, or you may have run into them while skimming online instructions. These older instructions walk you through activating Samuel L. Jackson, Melissa McCarthy and Shaquille O’Neal voice types. Those are no longer available and are not the same as Alexa’s current voice options and personality styles.
If you want something child-friendly, Amazon offers animal voices for compatible kid-mode Alexa devices. However, that requires an active Amazon Kids+ subscription, and the device language has to be set to English.
Last but not least, the new voice and personality options change how the assistant’s response sounds, but it doesn’t change much else, including the wake word. If you want to change the wake word from “Alexa” to something different, use the Echo device’s settings in the Alexa app and look for “Wake Word.” Yeah, changing the wake word is nothing new. But with a brand new personality flowing through your Echo device, it may be appropriate to apply an all-new wake word as well.
