How to Send Android Text Messages Using Amazon Echo or Google Home
A while ago it was possible to make phone calls using a smart speaker (whether you prefer Amazon Alexa AI or a Google Home device), but sending text messages is a different story altogether.
Amazon just added SMS support this week , but it’s limited to US Android devices for now. Google Home still doesn’t officially work with text messages, but there are a few workarounds worth trying. Here’s what you need to know to get started texting with your smart column.
How to send text messages using Alexa
Of all the options, this is the easiest. So if you have both Echo and Google Home at home, just use the Amazon speaker for texting.
According to Amazon , as a new feature becomes available in the Alexa app on Android, a pop-up should appear. In the application, you need to select the conversation icon (it looks like a bubble with words), then “Contacts”, then “My profile” and then turn on “Send SMS”.
Once that’s done, you can say, “Alexa, send an SMS / text message to [contact name].” Then dictate the message and it should work.
How to send a text message using Google Home using IFTTT
As we said, Google doesn’t have an official solution for sending text messages through home speakers, but you still have options. The easiest way is through If This Then That.
IFTTT already has a recipe for sending text messages using Google Home and Google Assistant. However, like Alexa, it seems to be limited to Android devices. The other catch is that you need to enter each contact individually. So it really pays to only use this trick for the people you write to most of the time.
Setting up an IFTTT recipe is pretty straightforward, but if you need help, TechAdvisor has a detailed step-by-step guide. Once you’ve got everything set up, you can say “Ok Google, message [contact name]” to send a text message using Google Home.
How to send a text message using Google Home using AutoVoice
If you are not a fan of IFTTT, you can also try using AutoVoice to send text messages through your Google smart speaker. AutoVoice lets you create custom voice commands for Google Home, allowing you to check notifications, dictate responses, and more.
The setup process here is a little tricky, but once you get started, the possibilities are almost endless. The first thing you need to do is sync AutoVoice with your Google account using the Google Home app. Then you can start creating specific commands using any natural language of a specific phrase.
XDA-Developers has a comprehensive guide to using AutoVoice to help you get started. One XDA forum member also wrote a step-by-step guide on how to set up text messaging support when you’re ready to dive in.
Hopefully Google will release an official update that makes it easier to send text messages through home speakers. Until then, these workarounds are at least worth trying.