• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
TechPointCloud

Amazon Just Added This Highly Requested Feature to Alexa

By
Leena Rao
Leena Rao
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Leena Rao
Leena Rao
Down Arrow Button Icon
June 1, 2017, 11:08 AM ET

Amazon has been steadily adding new skills to its voice assistant Alexa to make it more useful for its users to call an Uber or check the balance of a bank account.

With a new update on Thursday, the e-commerce giant said that Alexa can now set timers and reminders, the latter of which is a feature Amazon (AMZN) said was one of the most requested for the voice assistant.

Of course, users can set timers or reminders through their mobile phones. But increasingly, consumers are flocking towards using their voices to get information about their calendar, what the weather is, or how long a commute will be.

Alexa, which powers Amazon’s popular home automation device Echo, has gained a growing following over the past two years for its ability to answer questions, turn on lights, and order goods from Amazon.com. Users simply utter a command instructing Alexa, such as “Alexa, re-order Huggies diapers.”

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter.

With reminders, users can ask Alexa to alert them of a saved event or task. Users can tell Alexa, “Alexa, remind me to pay rent on June 1 at 9 a.m..”, and at that exact time, a blue light ring will appear on the Echo device and Alexa will remind the user to follow through with that check.

Users can also set up timers with Alexa, which can be particularly useful in the kitchen. Users can specify a name to a timer. For example, users can ask Alexa to set a timer for pasta and a timer for tomato sauce, and Alexa will tell them which timer is going off. Users can also tell Alexa to cancel a timer or check how much time is left on a timer.

Customers can see all reminders and timers, or create new ones, within the alerts and alarms section of the Alexa mobile app.

Google’s (GOOGL) rival voice assistant, Google Assistant, also offers the ability to set timers.

About the Author
By Leena Rao
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Tech

AI wins have Alphabet poised to become world’s biggest company
AIAlphabet
AI wins have Alphabet poised to become world’s biggest company
By Ryan Vlastelica and BloombergMay 10, 2026
48 minutes ago
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman says Gen Z and millennials are using ChatGPT like a ‘life advisor’—but college students might be one step ahead
TechOpenAI
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman says Gen Z and millennials are using ChatGPT like a ‘life advisor’—but college students might be one step ahead
By Sydney LakeMay 10, 2026
3 hours ago
Torsten Slok, wearing a suit, speaks on a stage with a gold and black background.
AILabor
‘The gains will be substantial’: The AI shock is looking a lot like the China shock, and a top economist says that’s actually good news
By Sasha RogelbergMay 10, 2026
5 hours ago
Young man working on laptop with headphones in modern coffeeshop
Future of Workskills gap
AI generated identical résumés for a man and a woman: Hers was more likely to be labeled ‘weak,’ while his got a 97% approval rating
By Eleanor PringleMay 10, 2026
8 hours ago
UFO files show Buzz Aldrin saw a ‘sizeable’ object close to the moon and a ‘fairly bright light source’ that the Apollo 11 crew felt could be a laser
Innovationspace
UFO files show Buzz Aldrin saw a ‘sizeable’ object close to the moon and a ‘fairly bright light source’ that the Apollo 11 crew felt could be a laser
By Seung Min Kim, Collin Binkley and The Associated PressMay 9, 2026
1 day ago
joaquin
Commentary250 Years of Innovation
Johnson & Johnson CEO: America’s innovation advantage starts with health 
By Joaquin DuatoMay 9, 2026
1 day ago

Most Popular

'Employers are increasingly turning to degree and GPA' in hiring: Recruiters retreat from ‘talent is everywhere,’ double down on top colleges
Future of Work
'Employers are increasingly turning to degree and GPA' in hiring: Recruiters retreat from ‘talent is everywhere,’ double down on top colleges
By Jake AngeloMay 9, 2026
1 day ago
Ted Cruz says the quiet part out loud: Trump accounts are Social Security personal accounts as GOP senator reveals 'dirty little secret'
Politics
Ted Cruz says the quiet part out loud: Trump accounts are Social Security personal accounts as GOP senator reveals 'dirty little secret'
By Jason MaMay 9, 2026
22 hours ago
Red flag test: former CEO explains why he rejects job candidates who say they can start right away
Success
Red flag test: former CEO explains why he rejects job candidates who say they can start right away
By Orianna Rosa RoyleMay 9, 2026
1 day ago
Companies are abandoning 'peanut butter' raises as pay-for-performance takes over the workplace in the AI era
Future of Work
Companies are abandoning 'peanut butter' raises as pay-for-performance takes over the workplace in the AI era
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezMay 9, 2026
1 day ago
You're probably safe from the Hantavirus outbreak, but here's what you absolutely must not do, experts say
Politics
You're probably safe from the Hantavirus outbreak, but here's what you absolutely must not do, experts say
By Catherina GioinoMay 8, 2026
2 days ago
The federal government must issue more debt than it expected as cash flow weakens, and 'the bond market is shouting'
Investing
The federal government must issue more debt than it expected as cash flow weakens, and 'the bond market is shouting'
By Jason MaMay 9, 2026
17 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.