How to Easily Pair Your Smart Home with Your Smart Device

Whether you're a die-hard iOS or Android user, several smart devices with virtual assistants can help you control your smart home hands-free through convenient voice commands. Some of these devices include Alexa with Amazon Echo, Google Assistant™ with Google Home™ and Siri® with HomePod®. Below, we explain how to connect smart home devices with these helpful virtual assistants.

Alexa with Amazon Echo

According to Apple Support, to connect your smart home with Alexa and Amazon Echo, first, make sure the latest version of the Alexa app is on your iOS or Android smartphone.

Then, simply follow these steps:

1. Plug your Amazon Echo into a wall outlet.

2. Connect the Echo to Wi-Fi. To do so, open the Alexa app and select "Settings" and then "Add New Device" from the menu. Select your Echo and then press "Continue." Next, follow the prompts.

3. Connect your Echo with your smart home devices using Alexa skills—Alexa's version of apps. Select "Skills" from the Alexa app menu and search for and select "Enable" for the skills associated with your home's devices.

4. Complete the linking process the app guides you through and then say to Alexa, "Alexa, discover my devices!"

Google Assistant with Google Home

Google makes it easy to talk to Google Assistant™ and control your smart home through a Google Home™ device. To start, Google Support suggests you download the Google Home™ app or make sure it's already on your mobile device. Then follow these quick steps:

1. Plug in your Google Home™ and connect it to Wi-Fi. To do this, open the app. If it doesn't automatically guide you through the process, select "Add" to start setting it up.

2. Connect your compatible smart home products to your Google Home™ app. Select "Add" in the app again to set up each one by following the prompts.

3. Once your devices are set up in the app, you can say "OK, Google," or "Hey, Google," followed by a command. You can even customize the way you talk to Google Assistant by assigning nicknames and rooms for your smart devices in the app.

Siri with HomePod

Through Apple's HomePod®, its virtual assistant Siri® can control your smart home devices and even double as your home's personal DJ. Unlike with Alexa and Google Assistant, Apple Support states you'll need an Apple device with an updated iOS to talk to Siri®. To do that using a HomePod®, download or verify you have Apple's Home and Music apps. Then:

1. Make sure your smart home devices, or "accessories" as Apple calls them, are connected to the Home app and included in your HomeKit.

2. Plug in your HomePod® in the room with the most smart home devices you'd like Siri to control.

3. On your Apple device, log into iCloud. Make sure your Apple ID requires two-factor authentication, and turn on iCloud Keychain.

4. Physically hold your unlocked Apple device next to your HomePod®. The words "Set Up" should appear. Then, simply follow the prompts to connect to Wi-Fi and your HomeKit accessories.

After You Connect Smart Home Devices

After you connect your smart home with one of these devices, you may decide your voice is the easiest and best way to control smart home products. We hope this hands-free system helps you stay more in the moment with the people that matter most.

This blog post is provided by AAA Smart Home. It is not sponsored by Amazon, Google, or Apple. Each of the trademarks AAA Smart Home identifies in connection with each such company are the registered trademarks of that company.