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    Alexa Skills Explained: Adding Capabilities to Your Echo

    What Alexa Skills are, how to add them to your Echo device, and the best ones for meditation, trivia, news, and more.

    4 min read 5 stepsApril 20, 2026Verified April 2026
    1

    Open the Alexa app on your phone

    ~17s
    Find the Alexa app on your phone (it has an orange and blue icon). If you do not have it, download it free from the App Store (iPhone) or Google Play (Android). Sign in with the same Amazon account you used to set up your Echo device.
    2

    Go to the Skills & Games section

    ~21s
    In the Alexa app, tap the three lines in the top left corner to open the menu, then tap Skills & Games. This opens the Skills store where you can browse and search for Skills.

    Quick Tip

    Use the search bar at the top to search by name or topic — for example, type "meditation" or "trivia" to see relevant options.

    3

    Find a Skill and enable it

    ~29s
    Tap on any Skill to read its description and reviews. When you find one you want, tap the Enable Skill button. The Skill will be added to your Echo device within a few seconds. Some Skills ask you to link an account (like a Spotify or news account) — you only need to do this if you want personalized features.

    Warning

    If a Skill asks for payment during setup, read the details carefully before agreeing. Most Skills are free — paid ones are required to disclose the cost upfront.

    4

    Ask Alexa to open the Skill

    ~21s
    After enabling a Skill, say "Alexa, open [Skill name]" to use it. For example: "Alexa, open Sleep Sounds" or "Alexa, open Jeopardy!" Alexa will start the Skill and guide you from there with voice prompts.

    Quick Tip

    Quick Tip: Say "Alexa, what are your top Skills?" to get recommendations based on what is popular. Alexa will suggest a few for you to try.

    5

    Remove a Skill if you no longer want it

    ~18s
    In the Alexa app, go to Skills & Games, then tap the menu and select Your Skills to see everything you have enabled. Tap any Skill and then tap Disable Skill to remove it. This does not delete anything from your account — you can re-enable it any time.

    You Did It!

    You've completed: Alexa Skills Explained: Adding Capabilities to Your Echo

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    If you have an Amazon Echo device — the small speaker you talk to using the name "Alexa" — you may know it can set timers, play music, and answer basic questions. But Alexa can do much more through something called Skills.

    Alexa Skills are like apps for your Echo device. They add new capabilities that are not built in. There are tens of thousands of Skills available, most of them free. You can add Skills to your Echo using the Alexa app on your phone or by asking Alexa directly.

    Some popular and useful Skills include: daily meditation guides (try "Calm" or "Headspace" for short guided sessions), trivia games you can play by voice (try "Jeopardy!" or "20 Questions"), daily news briefings from sources you trust (try "NPR News Now" or "AP News"), sleep sounds and white noise to help you rest (try "Sleep Sounds"), and daily health tips.

    There are also practical Skills like "My Medisafe" for medication reminders, "AARP Minute" for daily lifestyle tips for older adults, and "Big Sky" for detailed weather reports.

    Adding a Skill is free and takes about a minute. You can remove a Skill any time if you decide you do not want it anymore. Skills do not cost anything unless they specifically advertise a paid subscription, which they are required to tell you about before you agree to anything.

    Once you add a Skill, you interact with it by speaking to Alexa. For example, after enabling the Jeopardy! Skill, you would say "Alexa, open Jeopardy!" to start playing.

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    Official Resources

    Amazon Alexa HelpGoogle Nest HelpHow-To Geek — Smart Home

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    Alexa Skills Explained: Adding Capabilities to Your Echo — Step-by-Step Guide | TekSure