How to enable whisper mode on Amazon Alexa devices

The Amazon Alexa voice assistant can whisper on your Amazon Echo. And you can also limit how much it says when you talk to it.

I find it helpful at home with a baby in the house, if I do not need Alexa to say ‘OK’ every time I turn off the lights, or if I need to have Alexa quieter when I ask for the weather at night.

There are two modes you need to turn on: Shortcut Mode and Whisper Mode, which are very easy to do.

To turn on short mode, which makes Alexa talk less and remove things like confirmations when you ask to do something, just say “Alexa, turn on short mode.”

Or you can do it if you are not near your Echo:

• Open the Alexa app on your iPhone or Android phone.
• Tap ‘More’ at the bottom right of the page.
• Select ‘Settings’.
• Select ‘Voice Response’.
• Turn on ‘Short Mode’.

While you’re at it, you may want to eliminate Alexa’s suggestions that you are buying well. It just did so while I was writing this guide and asked if I would like suggestions for funny gifts. No thank you.

To turn it off, do it:

• Open the Alexa app on your iPhone or Android phone.
• Select Settings.
• Tap notifications.
• Choose Amazon Shopping.
• Disable the option to receive “personalized recommendations and offers based on your shopping activity.”
• Also disable ‘requests to review products you have purchased’ if you do not want the messages.
• Disable the option to receive notifications for “Order updates (Inc. Subscribe and save.)” If you do not want to receive money-saving messages by subscribing to monthly deliveries.

Finally there is Whisper Mode. The easiest way to turn it on is to simply whisper to Alexa. Say something, like ‘What’s the weather’, but whisper it instead of talking. Alexa will respond in a whisper.

That’s it!