Connecting your Amazon Echo device to your iPhone contacts and calendars can be very useful to access and manage your schedule, make calls, and schedule meetings hands-free using Alexa voice commands. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to connect your iPhone’s contacts and calendars to your Amazon Echo.
Table of Contents
Prerequisites
- An iPhone running iOS 12 or later
- The Amazon Alexa app installed on your iPhone
- An Amazon Echo device (Echo, Echo Dot, Echo Show etc.)
- An iCloud account with Contacts and Calendars enabled
- Two-factor authentication enabled on your iCloud account
- An app-specific password generated for the Alexa app (if two-factor authentication is enabled on iCloud)
Step 1: Enable Two-Factor Authentication on iCloud
Two-factor authentication provides an extra layer of security for your iCloud account.
To enable two-factor authentication:
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone
- Tap on your name
- Select “Password & Security”
- Tap “Turn on Two-Factor Authentication” and follow the on-screen prompts
Step 2: Generate an App-Specific Password
Since you have enabled two-factor authentication, you now need to generate an app-specific password that the Alexa app can use to access your iCloud account.
To generate an app-specific password:
- Go to appleid.apple.com
- Click on “Generate Password” under App-Specific Passwords
- Enter a description for the password (e.g. “Alexa App”)
- Click “Generate” and make sure to copy the app-specific password
Step 3: Connect iCloud Contacts and Calendars in the Alexa App
Now it’s time to connect your iCloud contacts and calendars to the Alexa app.
- Open the Alexa app on your iPhone
- Go to Settings (☰ icon) > Contacts
- Turn on contacts uploading by tapping on “Import Contacts”
- Go back and tap on “Calendar & Email”
- Select “Apple” and tap “Continue”
- Enter your Apple ID and the app-specific password you generated earlier
- Select the calendars you want to sync with Alexa
- Tap “Link”
And that’s it! Your iCloud contacts and calendars are now connected to your Amazon Echo device through the Alexa app.
Step 4: Discover Alexa Calendar Commands
Here are some useful voice commands to try with your newly connected calendar:
- Alexa, what’s on my calendar today?
- Alexa, what are my plans this weekend?
- Alexa, when is my next meeting?
- Alexa, create a calendar event for dinner with Jane at 7 PM tomorrow
You can also ask Alexa to add or delete calendar events.
Step 5: Enable Alexa Calling and Messaging
Since your contacts are synced, you can also enable Alexa Calling and Messaging to make hands-free calls with your Amazon Echo.
To enable this:
- Open the Alexa app
- Go to Settings > Communication
- Turn on Calling & Messaging by tapping “Manage Calling & Messaging”
Now you can say commands like “Alexa, call Mom” or “Alexa, send a message to John”.
Connecting Other Calendars
While this guide focused on connecting an iPhone’s iCloud Calendar, you can also connect other calendar services like Google Calendar, Microsoft Outlook, and Microsoft Office 365 to your Amazon Echo device by following similar steps in the Alexa app.
The key things to check are:
- The calendar service supports connecting to Alexa
- You may need to enable additional security options or generate app passwords
- Select the right calendars to sync
So in just a few steps, you can connect your iPhone contacts and calendars to Alexa and have a smarter, hands-free experience with your Echo device!
Troubleshooting Tips
Here are some troubleshooting tips if you face any issues connecting your iPhone to Amazon Echo:
- Make sure Two-Factor Authentication is enabled on your iCloud account
- Double check the app-specific password entered in the Alexa app
- Try restarting the Alexa app and your iPhone
- Check if Contacts and Calendars syncing is enabled in iCloud settings
- Make sure your Amazon Echo and iPhone are connected to the same WiFi Network
- Your Amazon Echo device must be compatible with Alexa Calling and Messaging
Let me know if you have any other questions!
