How to Connect Samsung TV to Alexa

This article provides instructions for how to connect your Samsung Smart TV to Amazon Alexa and information on how to control your TV with Alexa voice commands.

How Do I Connect My Samsung Smart TV to Alexa?

If you have a newer Samsung Smart TV from 2021, then it will have Alexa built-in as an app. Many of its 2020 sets also ship with Alexa installed. Samsung has provided a list of models that have Alexa onboard.

Meanwhile, Samsung Smart TVs released in 2018 or 2019 can only be controlled with an external Alexa device, such as an Amazon Echo smart speaker or the Alexa smartphone app. Here is how to set up both types of TVs to work with Alexa.

For Newer Sets With Alexa Built-In

1. Choose Alexa as your TV’s voice assistant during initial setup; otherwise, open the installed Alexa app at any point to get started.

2. Sign into your Amazon account by scanning the QR code on the screen, or go to Amazon's site to enter the code displayed on your TV screen. You'll need to log into your Amazon account first, however.

3. Once you are logged in, read the privacy permissions and select Allow if you agree to connect your Amazon account.

4. Choose if you want to have your Samsung TV remote continuously listen for you to say the wake word—"Alexa," "Amazon," "Computer," "Echo," or "Ziggy"—and then voice a command. Otherwise, you must press and hold the microphone button to use Alexa commands.

For Older Sets Without Alexa Built-In

1. Download both the Amazon Alexa and Samsung SmartThings smartphone apps, if you don't already have them. Both are available for iOS or Android devices.

2. Make sure your Alexa device and Samsung Smart TV are both connected to the same Wi-Fi network.

3. The Samsung TV must be enabled within the SmartThings app. If not, then make sure you are signed in with your Samsung account on the TV. Go to Settings > General, then select System Manager > Samsung Account.

4. Log in to the SmartThings app with the same Samsung account. Tap Devices, and if your Smart TV isn’t already shown, tap + to add it to the app.

5. In the Alexa app, enable the SmartThings skill and sign in to your Samsung account. This will automatically connect your Samsung TV to Alexa and let you use voice commands to control your television.

   

Can I Control My Samsung TV With Alexa?

Absolutely, but the extent of the available controls depends on which type of set you have. If your television has the built-in Alexa app, then you’ll have a wider array of options available to you. For example, search for apps (say: “Alexa, open [app name]”) or by actor (say: Alexa, search for [name]”). You can also play music from the Amazon Music service, as well as control the volume, change the channel, turn the TV on or off, and more.

On the other hand, if you need to use an external Alexa device to control the TV, then you won’t have the same depth of options. In that case, the controls are much simpler: you can turn the TV on or off, change the volume or channel, switch to a different source, and use basic play, pause, and related commands.

What Alexa Commands Work With Samsung TV?

Here are basic commands you can use with older Samsung Smart TVs:

• “Alexa, turn [on/off] the TV.”
• “Alexa, volume [up/down] on the TV.”
• “Alexa, channel [up/down] on the TV.”
• “Alexa, change channel to [number] on the TV.”
• “Alexa, change the input to [input name, like HDMI1] on the TV.”
• “Alexa, [play/pause/stop/resume] on the TV.”

Samsung Smart TVs with Alexa built-in can use additional commands, such as:

• “Alexa, open [app name].”
• “Alexa, play [show name] on [app, such as Netflix].”
• “Alexa, search for [actor/genre/show].”
• “Alexa, play the new [artist name] album.”
• “Alexa, switch to [input name].”