To use Drop In on Alexa, enable Drop In for your Echo device in the Alexa app, then open More > Communicate > Drop In and select the receiving device. You can also say Alexa, Drop In on [device name], replacing the bracketed words with your device’s actual name. To connect with someone outside your household, both of you must grant each other Drop In permission first.
Household access, individual device settings and outside contact permissions are separate controls. Enable the access you need before connecting from your phone or a compatible Alexa device.
The short version
- Set up communication: Open More > Communicate in the Alexa app and complete registration.
- Enable each device: Open the device’s Communications settings and turn on Drop In.
- Connect from your phone: Open More > Communicate > Drop In, then select the device.
- Use your voice: Say
Alexa, Drop In on [device name]using the receiving device’s name. - Pause incoming access: Turn on Do Not Disturb on the receiving device.
| Connection | How to start | What you need |
|---|---|---|
| Phone to home device | More > Communicate > Drop In | Compatible receiving device with permission enabled |
| Alexa device to named device | Say Alexa, Drop In on [device name] | Enabled device in your account or household |
| Alexa device to home | Say Alexa, Drop In on Home | Household permission enabled |
| Alexa device to outside contact | Say Alexa, Drop In on [contact name] | Both contacts grant permission |
| Alexa device to household group | Say Alexa, Drop In on [device group name] | Supported household device group |
| Conversation across household devices | Say Alexa, Drop In everywhere | Enhanced Features enabled |
| Echo Show touchscreen with Alexa+ | Menu > Communicate > Drop In | Compatible Echo screen device |
| Echo Show touchscreen with original Alexa | Swipe down, then select Communicate > Drop In | Compatible Echo screen device |
| Fire TV Cube to named device | Say Alexa, Drop In on [device name] | Drop In permissions enabled; audio only |
Set up Alexa Communication on your phone
Install Amazon Alexa from your phone’s app store and sign in with your Amazon account. The current App Store version requires iOS 17.0 or later, and Amazon lists Android 10.0 or later and Fire OS 7.0 or later. Amazon warns that features are limited on Android 11 or older.
Open the Alexa app, select More, then select Communicate. Verify your mobile phone information and grant the permissions requested for calling and messaging. You can also import your phone’s contacts when prompted to help you find people outside your household.
Enable Drop In for your home devices
In the Alexa app, open Devices > Device Type Filter > Echo & Alexa, then select your device. Open Settings > Communications > Drop In and select On. Repeat this for each device you want to receive Drop Ins.
Check for Drop In in the device’s settings when you need to confirm compatibility. Amazon says incompatible devices do not display that option.
Next, open More > Settings > Communication > Drop In Preference > Household Drop In and enable household access. This controls household permission separately from each device’s setting. It does not grant permission to outside contacts.
For an Echo Show 5 Kids, open Devices > Echo & Alexa, select the device, then open Settings > Communications. Turn on Communications, select Drop In, and choose which devices may connect. Amazon says menus for Echo Show 5 generations and Echo Hub can vary during its interface update.
Start a Drop In from the Alexa app
On your phone, open More > Communicate > Drop In, then select the receiving device’s name. You can use this route to connect remotely to a compatible home device. When you finish, touch the screen and select Hang Up.
You can start a Drop In from the phone app, but other devices cannot Drop In on the Alexa app itself. If you are looking for the Conversation icon or standalone Communicate tab shown in older instructions, open More > Communicate instead.
Connect by voice or from an Echo Show screen
From a compatible Alexa device, say Alexa, Drop In on [device name], replacing the placeholder with the actual name. For household access, you can also say Alexa, Drop In on Home. Check the receiving device’s Drop In setting and household permission if you cannot connect.
On a compatible Echo Show with Alexa+, select Menu > Communicate > Drop In, then select the receiving device. With original Alexa, swipe down from the top edge, select Communicate > Drop In, then choose the device. Amazon gives these touchscreen steps for connecting to an Echo Show 5 Kids on the same account.
To end the conversation by voice, say Alexa, hang up. On a supported screen, tap End. To continue a video session with audio only, say Alexa, video off or tap Video Off.
Allow Drop In with an outside contact
To grant someone access, open More > Communicate > Contacts in the Alexa app and select that person. Select Allow Drop In and enable the permission. The other person must also grant you permission for Contact Drop In.
Grant access only to contacts whose household members you also want to allow, because the permission lets them connect to your Echo devices too. To revoke that contact’s access, return to the same contact and disable Allow Drop In.
Once both sides have granted permission, say Alexa, Drop In on [contact name], using the person’s name. You cannot specify which of that contact’s Alexa devices receives the Drop In. Naming one of their rooms does not let you choose the receiving device.
Talk across several household devices
For a supported household device group, say Alexa, Drop In on [device group name]. Replace the placeholder with the group’s actual name. To start a conversation across supported household devices, say Alexa, Drop In everywhere after enabling Enhanced Features.
Open More > Settings, then select Communication > Enhanced Features and turn it on. Amazon’s instructions differ on whether Communication sits under Preferences or directly under Settings, so check both places. This setting enables features including Group Drop In.
When you use Alexa, Drop In everywhere, the conversation includes supported devices under your Amazon household account that are not set to Do Not Disturb. Those devices can be in different physical locations, so the conversation may reach beyond the home you are in.
Control privacy and incoming access
For a temporary pause, say Alexa, turn on Do Not Disturb on the receiving device. Say Alexa, turn off Do Not Disturb when you want to allow incoming communications again. Drop In does not override this setting.
You can also open Devices in the app, select the device, then open Device Settings > Do Not Disturb and turn it on or off. To disable Drop In alone, return to that device’s Settings > Communications > Drop In and select Off. To disable all communication options on that device, open its Settings > Communication and turn off Communication.
For video Drop Ins from yourself or household members, open More > Settings > Communication > Drop In Preference and adjust Privacy Blur. On an Echo device with a physical camera shutter, close it to block camera-dependent features and open it to restore camera availability. Use the Drop In permission settings when you want to prevent connections.
Fix Drop In connection and audio problems
Start with the receiving device’s Drop In setting, then check household permission or the outside contact’s Allow Drop In permission, depending on whom you are contacting. For outside contacts, both people must grant access. Also turn off Do Not Disturb on the receiving device and confirm that communication has not been disabled entirely.
If a connection starts but your phone cannot send audio, check Alexa’s microphone permission. On iPhone, open Settings > Privacy & Security > Microphone and turn on access for Alexa. Repeat under Camera when you want to send video. Alexa appears in these lists after requesting the relevant permission.
On Android, open Settings > Apps, select Alexa, then open Permissions > Microphone and select Allow only while using the app. Use See all apps to locate Alexa when needed, and repeat the permission step for Camera to send video. Manufacturer menus can vary.
On Android phones with system privacy switches, open Settings > Security & privacy > Privacy > Privacy controls. Turn on Microphone access, plus Camera access for video. On an Echo Show, check that its camera is enabled and, if it has a physical shutter, that the shutter is open when you want video.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you use Drop In from a Windows PC?
Amazon no longer offers Alexa for PC as a general download; it is available only on select PCs with Alexa preinstalled. Use the Alexa mobile app or a compatible Alexa device to start Drop In.
How do you use Drop In on a Fire TV Cube?
First enable Drop In and the necessary permissions in the Alexa app. Use the wake word or press and hold the remote’s Voice button, then say Drop In on [device name], replacing the placeholder with the receiving device’s name. Audio plays through your connected TV or sound bar. Fire TV Cube cannot receive incoming Drop Ins from devices registered to another account.
Can Alexa show captions during Drop In?
You can use Call Captioning during Drop In on Echo screen devices and Alexa mobile apps in supported regions. Say Alexa, turn on Call Captioning or open More > Settings > Accessibility > Captioning > Call Captioning in the Alexa app and turn it on. Captioning is available in the US, Canada, Mexico, UK, Germany, France, Spain, Italy and Brazil. Calls between supported and unsupported regions are excluded.
Can you remove Drop In history?
Open More > Communicate > Recents in the Alexa app, swipe an entry left, and select Remove. To clear everything, select the More icon on Recents, then select Remove all Calling and Drop In history. Removing history does not disable Drop In or revoke permissions.
Does uninstalling the Alexa app remove Drop In access?
To remove access, disable Drop In on the device, revoke contact permission, or change household access before uninstalling the app. Do not rely on uninstalling it to revoke Echo permissions. To deregister from Alexa Communication entirely, contact Amazon Customer Service.