In the realm of modern convenience, the integration of Alexa and Netflix commands with your Fire Stick provides an efficient way to manage your entertainment. This article offers a guide on linking your Echo device to your Fire Stick and navigating Netflix using voice commands through Alexa’s Video Skill API.
“While Netflix does not have a dedicated Alexa skill, users can still control playback with voice commands. This is done by linking their Netflix account to the Alexa app. Once linked, users can say things like ‘Alexa, play Stranger Things on Netflix’ or ‘Alexa, pause Netflix.'”
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Setting Up the Connection
Before proceeding, ensure that the Alexa app is downloaded on your smartphone, and your Echo device is linked to the app via Wi-Fi. Follow these steps to establish the connection:
- Open the Alexa App: Launch the app on your smartphone.
- Access Settings: Tap the menu button, represented by three horizontal lines, in the top left corner.
- Navigate to TV & Video: From the menu, select “Settings” and then choose “TV & Video.”
- Select Fire TV: Among the options, click on “Fire TV.”
- Link Echo Device: Choose “Link your Alexa Device” and select your Fire TV Stick.
- Device Selection: Pick the Echo device(s) you intend to control your Fire TV Stick with. Opt for the nearest device to avoid confusion.
- Confirm: Complete the linking process by also selecting the Alexa App.
Operating Fire Stick with Alexa Netflix Commands
With the devices connected, you’re now poised to command your Fire Stick and Netflix using Alexa. Familiarize yourself with the following voice commands:
1. Searching for Movies or Shows
- “Alexa, search for (program title) on Fire TV Stick.”
- “Alexa, show me titles with Tom Cruise on Fire TV Stick.”
2. Navigation
- To open Netflix: “Alexa, open Netflix on Fire TV Stick.” or “Alexa, launch Netflix on Fire TV Stick.”
- To return home: “Alexa, return home.”
3. Playback Commands on Netflix
Manage your Netflix playback effortlessly with these commands:
- Play: “Alexa, play on Fire TV Stick.”
- Pause: “Alexa, pause on Fire TV Stick.”
- Stop: “Alexa, stop on Fire TV Stick.”
- Resume: “Alexa, resume on Fire TV Stick.”
- Rewind: “Alexa, rewind on Fire TV Stick.”
- Fast Forward: “Alexa, fast forward on Fire TV Stick.”
What are Alexa Netflix Commands?
As of my last update in September 2021, Alexa, the virtual assistant by Amazon, had several commands you could use to control Netflix on devices like Amazon Fire TV and some smart TVs. Keep in mind that these commands might change or be expanded with updates, so I’ll provide some common and useful commands that were available at the time:
- “Alexa, open Netflix.”
- “Alexa, launch Netflix on [device name].”
- “Alexa, play [TV show or movie title] on Netflix.”
- “Alexa, pause.”
- “Alexa, resume.”
- “Alexa, stop.”
- “Alexa, rewind [X seconds/minutes].”
- “Alexa, fast forward [X seconds/minutes].”
- “Alexa, go back.”
- “Alexa, next episode.”
- “Alexa, previous episode.”
- “Alexa, play [TV show or movie title] on Netflix on [device name].”
- “Alexa, search for [TV show or movie title] on Netflix.”
- “Alexa, show me popular movies on Netflix.”
- “Alexa, show me my list on Netflix.”
- “Alexa, switch profile to [profile name] on Netflix.”
- “Alexa, rate [TV show or movie title] on Netflix.”
- “Alexa, what’s trending on Netflix?”
- “Alexa, find comedies on Netflix.”
- “Alexa, suggest a movie on Netflix.”
- “Alexa, who stars in [TV show or movie title] on Netflix?”
- “Alexa, show me action movies on Netflix.”
- “Alexa, turn on subtitles on Netflix.”
- “Alexa, turn off subtitles on Netflix.”
- “Alexa, skip intro on Netflix.”
- “Alexa, rewind seconds on Netflix.”
- “Alexa, what’s new on Netflix?”
- “Alexa, who directed [TV show or movie title] on Netflix?”
- “Alexa, how long is [TV show or movie title] on Netflix?”
- “Alexa, show me the details of [TV show or movie title] on Netflix.”
- “Alexa, play [TV show or movie title] from the beginning on Netflix.”
- “Alexa, add [TV show or movie title] to my list on Netflix.”
- “Alexa, when was [TV show or movie title] released on Netflix?”
- “Alexa, show me documentaries on Netflix.”
- “Alexa, enable audio description on Netflix.”
- “Alexa, disable audio description on Netflix.”
- “Alexa, show me the top movies on Netflix.”
- “Alexa, find family-friendly content on Netflix.”
- “Alexa, rewind [X seconds/minutes] on Netflix.”
- “Alexa, show me TV dramas on Netflix.”
- “Alexa, show me horror movies on Netflix.”
- “Alexa, switch to Netflix on [device name].”
- “Alexa, show me the best-rated shows on Netflix.”
- “Alexa, show me sci-fi movies on Netflix.”
- “Alexa, show me movies with [actor/actress name] on Netflix.”
- “Alexa, show me the latest episodes on Netflix.”
- “Alexa, show me romantic movies on Netflix.”
- “Alexa, show me the top-rated shows on Netflix.”
- “Alexa, show me comedies on Netflix.”
- “Alexa, show me
- “Alexa, skip ahead [#] minutes/seconds”
- “Alexa, play from the beginning”
- “Alexa, next / next episode”
- “Alexa, rewind [#] seconds”
- “Alexa, move down”
- “Alexa, move right”
- “Alexa, move up”
- “Alexa, play”
- “Alexa, jump back [#] minutes/seconds”
- “Alexa, start over”
- “Alexa, watch [movie title] on Netflix”
- “Alexa, stop”
- “Alexa, search for [name] movies”
- “Alexa, fast forward [#] minutes”
- “Alexa, scroll left”
- “Alexa, move left”
- “Alexa, scroll right”
- “Alexa, previous episode”
- “Alexa, pause”
- “Open Netflix”
- “Play [movie or TV show title]”
- “Pause”
- “Resume”
- “Skip ahead [number of minutes or seconds]”
- “Go back [number of minutes or seconds]”
- “Fast forward”
- “Rewind”
- “Next episode”
- “Previous episode”
- “Search for [keyword]”
- “Show me comedies on Netflix”
- “Find movies by [actor or director]”
- “Alexa, play the latest episode of The Crown on Netflix” or “Alexa, open Netflix and resume my show.”
- “play Stranger Things on Netflix”
- “skip ahead 10 minutes on Netflix.”
- “Alexa, play the next episode of [show name] on Netflix.”
- “Alexa, rewind 10 seconds on Netflix.”
- “Alexa, fast forward 30 seconds on Netflix.”
- “Alexa, search Netflix for [show name] by actor [actor name].”
- “Alexa, show me recommendations for [genre] movies on Netflix.”
- “Alexa, what are the most popular movies on Netflix right now?”
- “Alexa, what are the most popular TV shows on Netflix right now?”
- “Alexa, play the latest episode of [show name] on Netflix.”
- “Alexa, play [show name] from the beginning on Netflix.”
- “Alexa, show me recommendations for [genre] movies on Netflix.”
- “Alexa, what are the most popular movies on Netflix right now?”
- “Alexa, what are the most popular TV shows on Netflix right now?”
- “Alexa, play the next episode of The Witcher on Netflix.”
The most up-to-date list of Alexa commands for controlling Netflix on Fire Stick and Fire TV can be found on the Netflix website. Here is a link to the page:
https://help.netflix.com/en/node/111997
Alexa Netflix commands vs. Hulu or Disney+ table
Alexa commands for Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+:
| Command | Netflix | Hulu | Disney+ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open | “Alexa, open Netflix” | “Alexa, open Hulu” | “Alexa, open Disney+” |
| Play | “Alexa, play Stranger Things on Netflix” | “Alexa, play The Handmaid’s Tale on Hulu” | “Alexa, play The Mandalorian on Disney+” |
| Pause | “Alexa, pause Netflix” | “Alexa, pause Hulu” | “Alexa, pause Disney+” |
| Resume | “Alexa, resume Netflix” | “Alexa, resume Hulu” | “Alexa, resume Disney+” |
| Stop | “Alexa, stop Netflix” | “Alexa, stop Hulu” | “Alexa, stop Disney+” |
| Next episode | “Alexa, next episode on Netflix” | “Alexa, next episode on Hulu” | “Alexa, next episode on Disney+” |
| Previous episode | “Alexa, previous episode on Netflix” | “Alexa, previous episode on Hulu” | “Alexa, previous episode on Disney+” |
| Volume up | “Alexa, volume up on Netflix” | “Alexa, volume up on Hulu” | “Alexa, volume up on Disney+” |
| Volume down | “Alexa, volume down on Netflix” | “Alexa, volume down on Hulu” | “Alexa, volume down on Disney+” |
| Mute | “Alexa, mute Netflix” | “Alexa, mute Hulu” | “Alexa, mute Disney+” |
| Unmute | “Alexa, unmute Netflix” | “Alexa, unmute Hulu” | “Alexa, unmute Disney+” |
| Search | “Alexa, search Netflix for The Office” | “Alexa, search Hulu for The Handmaid’s Tale” | “Alexa, search Disney+ for The Mandalorian” |
| Get recommendations | “Alexa, give me recommendations on Netflix” | “Alexa, give me recommendations on Hulu” | “Alexa, give me recommendations on Disney+” |
FAQs
What is the Alexa Video Skill API? The Alexa Video Skill API allows you to control apps on your smart TV using voice commands. It’s enabled by default on all Fire TV models.
How do I choose which Echo device to control my Fire TV Stick?
When linking your Echo device to your Fire TV Stick, you can choose the Echo device(s) you want to use for control. It’s recommended to select the closest Echo device if you have multiple to avoid confusion.
Do I need to activate any third-party skills for using Alexa with Netflix on Fire TV Stick?
No, Alexa’s Netflix Skill is built-in, so you don’t need to activate any third-party skills to use it.
Which Fire TV models support the Alexa Video Skill API? All Fire TV models support the Alexa Video Skill API by default.
Does Netflix support the Alexa Video Skill API? Yes, Netflix added support for in-app voice controls with the version 5.3.0 update.
Can Alexa help me find movies with specific actors on Netflix?
Yes, you can ask Alexa to show you titles with a specific actor on Fire TV Stick. Just say, “Alexa, show me titles with (actor’s name) on Fire TV Stick.”
What can I do with Alexa Netflix commands? With Alexa Netflix commands, you can perform actions like searching for shows and movies, playing content, skipping episodes, and controlling video playback.
How do I start watching a show on Netflix using Alexa? From your TV’s home screen, simply say “Alexa, play [show name] on Netflix” to start watching right away.
What happens when I ask Alexa to play a show? When you ask Alexa to play a show, she will either resume where you last stopped watching or play the next unwatched episode.
Can I control Netflix playback using Alexa commands? Yes, while watching Netflix, you can control video playback with commands like “play,” “pause,” “stop,” “skip ahead,” “go back,” “play from the beginning,” “next episode,” and “previous episode.”
Can Alexa control my Netflix playback on a Fire TV Cube even if my TV is turned off? Yes, if you have a Fire TV Cube, Alexa can execute Netflix commands even when your TV is turned off.
Are there limitations to controlling Netflix with Alexa? As of early 2020, you can’t pick a specific episode or season of a series using Alexa voice commands. Also, you can’t change Netflix profiles using Alexa; you must manually switch between them.
How can I navigate the Netflix interface with Alexa? You can use voice commands like “go up,” “move right,” “scroll down,” and “select” to navigate the Netflix interface.
Can I perform advanced searches on Netflix using Alexa? Yes, you can perform advanced searches using voice commands. For instance, you can say “Alexa, search for [actor’s name] movies on Netflix.”
Will there be more voice commands supported in future updates to Netflix? Yes, future updates to the Netflix app are expected to support more voice commands.
Conclusion
With the seamless integration of Alexa’s capabilities and Netflix commands on your Fire Stick, entertainment control has been elevated to a whole new level. By following these steps and using the provided commands, you can efficiently search, navigate, and enjoy your favorite shows and movies on Netflix, all through the power of your voice. Say goodbye to remote hassles and typing out movie titles – let Alexa take the reins and enhance your viewing experience.
Useful Links:
- How to use Netflix on your Amazon Echo Show: https://help.netflix.com/en/node/118186
- How to Connect Alexa to Netflix: https://www.lifewire.com/connect-alexa-to-netflix-4783118