Homes are only getting smarter, and our lives inside are only getting easier with the help of voice-activated smart speakers.

As of the January 2025, around 100 million people in the U.S. aged 12 and above own a smart speaker. And according to Statista, six out of 10 people who own a smart speaker use Amazon Alexa.

If you're one of those people with an Alexa, chances are you're not using it to its full capacity. Some of the most common Alexa commands including setting a timer, playing music, checking the weather, and controlling other smart devices.

While all of these commands are helpful, you could be asking your voice assistant for a lot more to make your day to day life even easier.

7 Time-Saving Alexa Commands

If you're not already using these seven commands, you need to be.

1. Alexa, Start My Day

We all have some sort of routine throughout the day, and I personally thrive off structure. So this command helps me get everyday started the right way, without having to work too hard.

You can simply say something like, "Alexa, start my morning", and as long as your routine is set, she'll do the work for you. In the morning, Alexa will turn on my lights and start my coffee maker before I even get out of bed. You can personalize your own routine in the Alexa app under "Routines".

2. Alexa, Check the Traffic

How many times have you left the house on time and still arrived at your destination late because of traffic?

Well, Alexa can help by giving you a traffic report as you're getting ready. I live in a high-traffic city and live and breathe by this command. You can ask Alexa about traffic to certain destinations like the grocery store, or put your work address into the Alexa app, and she'll give you a traffic update. This command is bound to save you time and side-eyes from your boss.

3. Alexa, Find My Phone

If you're known for misplacing your phone like me, you'll love this command. Instead of frantically searching for my phone under cushions or digging my your bag, I just ask Alexa to find my phone.

All you have to do is setup your phone number in the Alexa app, so she knows which number to call. Also, this is a premium feature that you need to pay for if you find yourself using it everyday. But you get three free calls to make each month.

4. Alexa, Convert This Metric

I'm one of those people that weighs my food and measures what I eat in order to count my macros. And yes, it can be annoying and time-consuming, especially when I'm starving. Alexa is extremely helpful when I have to convert grams to ounces, ounces to lbs, etc.

I just say something like, "Alexa, how many ounces is 100 g?" Whereas before, I would have to Google it. This saves me time when cooking and preparing food, especially when I've misplaced my phone again.

5. Alexa, Wake Me Up At...

Many people use their phone as their alarm in the morning, but if your phone tends to disrupt your sleep, this Alexa command is huge.

For me, I don't mind using my phone as an alarm, but I love setting alarms or timers when I'm cooking. Sometimes I'll throw my food in the oven and walk away, forgetting to set the timer. And of course I remember right when I get comfortable. So, I ask Alexa to set a timer for me without having to lift a finger.

6. Alexa, Remind Me...

If you haven't caught on by now, I'm a bit of a forgetful person. So, asking Alexa to remind me about appointments, parties, or taking my vitamins is a huge help.

You can ask Alexa to remind you of something one time or remind you of something reoccuring, like daily vitamins. And you don't even have to be home for reminders to kick in. You can ask Alexa to remind you to pick up milk, and she'll remind you when you're at the store, as long as you have your location enabled.

7. Alexa, Open Meal Idea

Sometimes I haven't gone grocery shopping yet, and my pantry is looking a little bare. Maybe I only have a few ingredients that I'm not sure what to do with.

With this command, I can tell Alexa the ingredients I have, and she'll give me meal ideas. Even if you have plenty of groceries, this can be especially helpful if you're tired of making the same thing over and over again. You can also ask for a specific recipe, and she'll give you ingredients and step-by-step instructions.