How to enable Alexa Brief Mode

Amazon Alexa can be a huge help in playing music, controlling a smart home, or asking general questions. By default though it tends to a little too chatty, when many of us just want things simple and quick. Here’s how to activate Alexa Brief Mode on your Echo speaker and cut out some of the excess.

See also: The best Alexa-compatible devices for your home

What is Alexa Brief Mode?

Let’s kick things off with a realistic example. Say you’re all comfortable in bed, but you haven’t turned the lights off yet. If you say, “Alexa, turn off the bedroom lights,” she’ll shut them off but often add a word or two of confirmation, such as “Okay.” That personal touch can be nice, but of course Alexa isn’t actually human, and many of us don’t need verbal feedback — particularly in a quiet house where people are trying to sleep.

See also: The best Amazon Echo hacks to get the most out of Alexa

Brief Mode is one of a few things you can use to keep Echo speakers in check. It swaps most verbal confirmations for a simple tone, which may not be complete silence, but it at least reduces disruption. That’s especially important if you use Alexa throughout the day and need it to behave more like a remote than a party trick.

How to enable Brief Mode

As with any Alexa setting, you’ll normally have to toggle it using the Alexa app for Android or iOS. Once you’ve launched the app:

• Open the More tab.
• Tap Settings.
• Under Alexa Preferences, select Voice Responses.
• Set Brief Mode to on.

If you interact with Alexa enough, the assistant may ask you directly whether you want to turn on Brief Mode. Just respond with “yes” or “no.”

See also: Our guide to Amazon Alexa commands