How-To

How to turn on follow-up mode on Alexa

Follow-up mode is great when you don’t feel like repeating Alexa’s name over and over.

by
Matt Moore
May 30, 2022

Image: KnowTechie

If you’re tired of repeating Alexa’s name to get her attention, you can enable follow-up mode so she keeps her digital ears open after you ask a question. The feature allows you to interrogate Amazon’s AI assistant uninterrupted and keep the information flowing.

With follow-up mode enabled, the blue listening light remains active for a few seconds after Alexa answers your initial question. A skilled interrogator will be able keep her talking until she says something incriminating.

Are you ready to ask the tough questions? Let’s discuss how to activate Alexa’s follow-up mode.

How to turn on follow-up mode via the Amazon Alexa app

If you want to streamline your time with Amazon’s AI assistant, here’s how to enable Alexa’s follow-up mode:

Launch the Amazon Alexa app and tap Devices in the bottom menu bar
Tap Echo & Alexa
Select your device
Tap Follow-Up Mode
Toggle Follow-Up Mode on

With follow-up mode enabled, you could use Alexa to babysit an inquisitive child—or adult—who won’t stop asking annoying questions. Additionally, she may even provide accurate answers.

One downside to her extended listening is that she may continue to answer questions that aren’t directed at her. However, a few seconds of the silent treatment should help her understand that she can stop talking now.

Alexa is becoming a real conversationalist

If you want to feel like you’re having a somewhat one-sided conversation with an AI assistant, follow-up mode is the ideal feature.

While Alexa is great at providing answers, she lacks the skills necessary to keep the conversation flowing—but so do some people.

Amazon’s next step should be to give her the ability to start conversations, ask relevant questions, and totally replace human interaction. Soon it will be just us and our brilliant AI assistants who ask the right questions, know all the answers, and laugh at our bad jokes. The future looks nice.

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