Choose based on your expected Alexa activity. Unless you are planning on using Alexa and Show Mode all the time, there’s not much need to pin Alexa to your taskbar, and even less need to launch it whenever you start up Windows.

The app will also ask you if you want Alexa to automatically launch when you log in, and if you want to pin the app to your taskbar for easy reference. Note that you don’t have to open up the app every time to use the Show Mode command Alexa can hear the Wake Word passively in the background. You don’t have to enable the Wake Word if you don’t want to, but it’s a good idea if you want to turn Show Mode on with a quick command. First, the app will ask if you want to enable the Wake Word for Alexa (which is, indeed, “Alexa”). Now you’ll have a walkthrough to set up Alexa basics. When your Amazon login has processed, you’ll see a new request to accept terms and conditions. If you don’t have an Amazon account, you will have to create one for Show Mode - and anything else Alexa-related - to work. Input your user name and password to complete this step. The app will first ask you to sign in with your Amazon account to activate Alexa.

Step 3: Launch Alexa and sign upĪfter Alexa has downloaded, a new option will appear to Launch. If you have downloaded the Alexa app before, it’s important to open it up and make sure the app is fully updated. Open up the Windows Store (if you don’t know where this is, you can simply search for “Windows store” in the search bar), and use the Store search to look for “Alexa.” Select the app when you find it, and choose Get to begin. If you don’t already have Alexa downloaded, let’s start here. We’ll be sure to let you know what models are compatible as the rollout continues. If you don’t have a Lenovo PC, don’t worry: Amazon has reported that it will be rolling out show mode to all Windows 10 PCs throughout the year, although it hasn’t happened quite yet.

The only major exception, for now, is Amazon’s own Fire Tablets, which also support Show Mode thanks to their native Alexa features. If you have a newer version of one of these laptops, there is a good chance it will be supported. It was first previewed on the Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i and confined to select models of the Lenovo Yoga, Lenovo IdeaPad, and Lenovo ThinkPad laptops. Sound interesting? Here’s how to enable it! Step 1: Make sure you have the right modelĬurrently, the Windows Show Mode option for Alexa has only appeared on some devices. This mode, available for Windows PCs, allows users to turn their screen into a version of the Echo Show screen, with all commands, visual info, and video options available. That’s where Alexa’s new Show Mode comes in.

Step 1: Make sure you have the right model.

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