If you want to use your SwitchBot through Alexa, you need nothing more than the Alexa app, an Echo device and a SwitchBot hub with any SwitchBot devices you wish to integrate.
Keep reading to learn how to set everything up correctly and incorporate Alexa routines with your devices to do multiple tasks all at once.
How to Connect SwitchBot to Alexa
The first thing you will need to connect your SwitchBot devices to Alexa is the SwitchBot Hub since there is no direct integration between individual devices of the Alexa digital assistant.
Step 1 - Choosing your devices
Download and open the Switchbot app and select the devices you want to share with Cloud services. Find the device you want in the list and click the cog icon to the right of the device's name.
A new window will open, and you will see an option called "Cloud Services," which you can select. Toggle the Hub ID option to "On." Repeat for all the devices you want to connect to Alexa.
Step 2 - Setting up the SwitchBot skill
Download and open the Alexa app so you can enable the SwitchBot Alexa skill. Skills allow Alexa to interact with other devices and for you to use voice commands.
Click on the "More" option in the bottom right of the Home screen. A new window will open with a list of options, one of which is "Skills & Games." Select this option, then select the Search Bar on the top right and search "SwitchBot."
Click on "SwitchBot" once the search is complete to open its skills page. You will be able to see a list of commands that you can use to control your devices. Click on the blue "Enable to Use" button, and a prompt will open for you to enter your SwitchBot account login.
A message will pop up when your login is successful, and you can click "Close."
Step 3 - Linking your devices
A new screen should appear called "Discover Devices" to allow you to find and link the SwitchBot devices you enabled. Click on the "Discover devices" button at the bottom of the screen, and Alexa will start setting up your devices. This process can take about a minute.
The Alexa app may have automatically added devices already, so you might get a message saying that it didn't find any devices. However, if you go to "Device" at the bottom of the Home Screen, you will see new devices listed.
If any SwitchBot devices you want to include are not on the list, double-check in the SwitchBot app that you have Cloud services enabled.
How to Add SwitchBot Devices to Alexa Routines
Routines are a great way of having a series of tasks happen in sequence with one command. To set up routines:
- Click the "More" option in the bottom right and click the "Routines" option from the list.
- Click on the "+" icon in the top right to start creating your new routine.
- Give your routine a name and set the trigger. You can either set the trigger to be a spoken phrase or to detect motion. Click the "+" icon next to the "When this happens" option, select the trigger type you want to set, and follow the prompts.
- Add an action. Click the "+" icon next to the "Add action" option, and you will get a list of action options. You will find your Switchbot devices under "Smart Home" and follow the prompts.
Click "Save" in the top right of the screen, and the app will take you back to the main Routine page, where you can set up another routine if you wish.
SwitchBot Commands for Alexa
Here is a list of Alexa commands for SwitchBot:
For SwitchBot:
- "Alexa, turn on/off (SwitchBot name)."
- “Alexa, ask SwitchBot to press (SwitchBot name)”.
For SwitchBot Curtain:
- “Alexa, turn on/off the curtain.”
- “Alexa, turn on.off the (SwitchBot name)” - if you have multiple curtains.
For SwitchBot Meter:
- "Alexa, what is the temperature of (SwitchBot name)."
For SwitchBot Smart Humidifier:
- "Alexa, turn on/off (SwitchBot name)"
- "Alexa, set (SwitchBot name) mode to low/medium/high/auto."
For Indoor Cameras:
- "Alexa, show the (SwitchBot name)."
- "Alexa, hide/stop (SwitchBot name)."
For more commands, see this full list of Alexa commands that cover different devices and daily use.
Ideas for Using Switchbot With Alexa
Some of the ways you can use SwitchBot devices through Alexa are:
- Pressing a button: With the SwitchBot Bot, you can automate flipping switches and pressing buttons anywhere and any time in your home. An example would be to open and close your garage door or schedule to turn on your coffee maker with Alexa routines.
- Open curtains when you enter a room: With the SwitchBot Curtain, you can easily open your curtain with the app or link the motion sensor and have your curtains open when you enter the room with an Alexa routine.
- Keep an eye on children and pets; With the SwitchBot Indoor Camera, you can easily monitor children and pets from any room you set it up in, whether you are home or not, or set motion alerts if there is any activity in the room.
- Security system: With the SwitchBot Indoor Camera and Motion Sensor, you can get alters any time someone is in your home when they shouldn't be, no matter where you are.
- Track and monitor house conditions: With the SwitchBot Thermometer, you can know the temperature of a room with a simple voice command through Alexa, and you can track the temperature of your home and get alerts when temperatures drop or rise.
- For skipping work: With the growth in work from home over the past few years, many employees are being tracked through Microsoft Teams and other similar software. If you need to nip out, you can attached the SwitchBot Bot to your mouse and make it move every few minutes to keep your status as online.
Related Questions
Does Switchbot Need a Hub?
Yes, SwitchBot integration with Alexa and other smart home devices is only possible with the Hub, but if you want to control your devices through the SwitchBot app or physical remote, you don't need the Hub.
How do you set up a SwitchBot Hub?
Using the adaptor that comes with the Hub, plug the Hub into a power outlet, then turn the switch on the back to "Auto." The Hub will fluctuate to different shades of blue when it's ready.
Download and open the SwitchBot app and make sure your Bluetooth is on. Open the drop menu and select "Add Device." An option should show up called "SwitchBot Hub/Hub Plus," which you can click on, and it will give you prompts to go through the setup process.