Change Alexa's wake word or rename your device in under five minutes
You can change what you call Alexa — either the wake word she responds to, or the device name that appears in your app. The wake word is what triggers the device to listen (the default is "Alexa," but you can switch to "Amazon," "Echo," or "Computer"). The device name is what you see in the Alexa app and what you use when you give commands to a specific speaker — for example, "Alexa, play music in the bedroom" only works if that device is named "bedroom."
Both changes happen in the Alexa app on your phone or tablet. You do not need to unplug the device, restart it, or change any settings on the Echo itself. The change takes effect within seconds.
Key Takeaways
- The wake word (what triggers Alexa to listen) and the device name (what appears in your app and commands) are two separate settings you can change independently.
- Both changes are made in the Alexa app under Device Settings, not on the Echo device itself.
- Wake word options are limited to "Alexa," "Amazon," "Echo," and "Computer" — you cannot create a custom wake word.
- Device names can be anything you want and are useful for multi-device homes so you can direct commands to a specific room.
- Changes take effect when ready; no restart or unplugging is required.
How to change the wake word in the Alexa app
Open the Alexa app on your phone or tablet and tap the Devices icon at the bottom right. Select Echo & Alexa, then tap the device you want to change. Scroll down and tap Wake Word.
You will see four options: Alexa, Amazon, Echo, and Computer. Tap the one you want. The app will confirm the change and the device will chime to let you know it has taken effect. From that moment on, the device will only respond to the new wake word — saying the old one will do nothing.
If you have multiple Echo devices in your home, each one can have a different wake word, or they can all use the same one. The change applies only to the device you selected.
How to rename your device in the Alexa app
Open the Alexa app and tap Devices at the bottom right. Select Echo & Alexa and tap the device you want to rename. Tap the device name at the top of the screen (it usually appears next to a pencil icon).
A text field will open with the current name highlighted. Delete it and type the new name. Tap Save or press Enter. The name updates when ready in your app and in any routines or commands that reference that device.
Device names are useful in multi-device homes. If you name your devices by room — "bedroom," "kitchen," "living room" — you can then say "Alexa, play music in the kitchen" and only that device will respond. Without distinct names, you would have to use the full device model name, which is awkward.
What happens to routines and commands when you rename a device
If you have set up routines that target a specific device by name, renaming the device will break those routines until you update them. For example, if you created a routine called "Good Morning" that plays the news on a device named "bedroom," and you rename that device to "master bedroom," the routine will no longer work.
To fix this, open the routine in the Alexa app, tap Edit, and select the device again from the list. The app will update the routine to use the new name. Any voice commands you give that reference the device by name will also need to use the new name going forward.
Wake word limitations and why you cannot create a custom one
Amazon limits wake words to four options: Alexa, Amazon, Echo, and Computer. You cannot create a custom wake word or use a person's name. This is a hardware limitation — the device's microphone and processor are trained to recognize only these four phrases reliably in noisy environments.
If you want a device to respond to a different trigger, your only option is to use one of the four built-in choices. Some users work around this by setting up routines that respond to specific phrases, but those require you to say "Alexa" first, so they are not true custom wake words.
Troubleshooting: device not responding to the new wake word
If you changed the wake word but the device still responds to the old one, or does not respond to the new one, restart the device by unplugging it for 30 seconds and plugging it back in. Wait for the light ring to turn blue and the device to finish booting.
If the problem persists, open the Alexa app, go to Device Settings, and check the Wake Word setting again. Make sure the change was saved. If the app shows a different wake word than what you selected, tap it again and save. Occasionally the change does not register on the first try, especially if your internet connection was weak when you made the change.
Renaming devices across multiple rooms
In a home with several Echo devices, clear naming makes voice control much easier. Use room names or functional names: "kitchen," "bedroom," "living room," "office," "garage." Avoid generic names like "Echo 1" or "Device 2" — they make it hard to remember which speaker is where.
If you move a device to a different room, rename it to match. This keeps your routines and voice commands consistent with your home layout. You can also use descriptive names like "bedroom speaker" or "kitchen display" if you have multiple devices in the same room.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I change the wake word on an Echo Show or Echo Dot?
Yes. The process is identical for all Echo devices — Echo Dot, Echo Show, Echo Studio, and any other model. Open the Alexa app, go to Devices, select your device, and tap Wake Word. The four options are the same across all models.
What if I forget which wake word I set?
Open the Alexa app, go to Devices, select the Echo, and scroll to Wake Word. The current setting is displayed there. You can also try saying each of the four options ("Alexa," "Amazon," "Echo," "Computer") near the device — whichever one makes it light up is the active wake word.
Do I need to tell people in my home about the new wake word?
Yes. If you change the wake word and other people in your home are used to saying "Alexa," they will be confused when the device does not respond. Let them know the new wake word before you make the change, or change it back if it causes too much friction.
Can I have different wake words for different family members?
No. The wake word is a device setting, not a user setting. Everyone in your home will use the same wake word for each device. If you want different people to control different devices, use device names and routines instead — for example, one person could have a routine that controls the bedroom, another could control the kitchen.
Will changing the device name affect voice commands?
Only if your voice commands reference the device by name. For example, if you say "Alexa, play music in the kitchen" and you rename the kitchen device to "main kitchen," the command will stop working until you update it to "Alexa, play music in the main kitchen." straightforward commands like "Alexa, play music" work on any device regardless of its name.