What Is Alexa Drop In? All Your Questions Answered

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As technology advances, amazon has established an echo device with a voice assistant called Alexa Drop In. The primary purpose of these echo devices is to instantly record your chosen audio wake word like in the intercom. You may have noticed the Drop-In feature in the Alexa app and misunderstood it.

Alexa Drop In is a collaborative communicative system feature that allows direct linking on Alexa-enabled devices regardless of location. Alexa Drop-In is an easy way to make announcements to different people or places within a household. If you have an Amazon Alexa account in your home, use the Drop In feature to have a  two-way or group conversation with other members.

Related: How to Connect Alexa to SmartThings and Set It Up (Updated)

How Does Drop In in Alexa Work?

Alexa Drop-In works like an intercom device to instantly link information and videos in different household rooms. Using a smart display, you can look at various rooms through video on your PC or smartphone. 

Unlike the audio Drop in, when using a smart display Drop In, you should be cautious to avoid privacy bleach. Assigning names to different echo devices in your household helps quickly identify the recipient room.

Once you call on your Echo device and ask Alexa to Drop In, you will instantly receive an audio response from the recipient device. You will receive a video link between the different recipient devices using an Echo smart display.

Related: 28 Tips & Tricks You Can Use On Alexa Today

You can use Drop in to connect Echo devices to different Wi-Fi networks. Both parties should know how the features work. They should learn to switch the device on and off. 

You can only drop in on a recipient if they permit you to Drop In on them.

If the recipient’s Alexa echo device is on, once you Drop In, it does not allow the recipient to reject the call since it is automatically connected. You can also set a voice recording to relay your message at a given time automatically. This is how you sign up for your Alexa Drop-In.

how you sign up for your Alexa Drop-In

  1. Input the Alexa app on your mobile device.
  2. Tap the Communicate icon at the bottom of your screen.
  3. Enter your number and information
  4. Then feed in your verification code and grant access.

Related: 22 Things You Could Use Amazon Echo For In The Kitchen

Alexa Drop In From Phone

You can only drop in on a recipient if they permit you to Drop In on them. To enable the Drop In services on your Echo devices, you have to open it using your Echo Smartphone app as follows:

  1. Unlock the Alexa app on your mobile phone device
  2. Next, tap on settings in the top-right corner and tap on communications
  3. Then, tap on the on/off switch on one side
  4. Finally, choose the Drop-In feature you want to use, e.g., you can select On to communicate with all contacts connected to your account echo devices. If you select your household, this limits the Drop-In feature only to echo devices connected within your home amazon account.
  5. After use, tap off the switch to stop Drop In on Alexa.

You can also connect with an echo speaker using your Alexa smartphone despite the location by asking Alexa to Drop Into a particular Echo device within your household.

Related: Why is My Alexa Yellow? All The Explanations

What Is Alexa Drop In From The Computer?

What Is Alexa Drop In From The Computer?

The Alexa app has become easy to make quick announcements and deliver information. It is accessible using your phone, Echo devices, and Windows 10 PC. Alexa was updated on Windows 10 in 2018, with an upgraded UI that accommodates new features like Drop In for video calling. You can set Alexa Drop In on your laptop using the following steps;

  • Open the Microsoft Store on your PC.
  • Then search for the Alexa app.
  • Click on Get and then install.
  • Open it on the Windows Search Bar.
  • Search for Alexa and sign in with your Amazon account

Note: if your PC is Acer, HP, Lenovo, and Asus, they already have Alexa built-in.

Related: Why Is My Alexa Going Red and Not Working?

What Does Alexa Drop in Sound Like?

The echo device produces a sharp ringing while the enabling device turns green to alert a person when dropping in. The sound can be reduced using the volume button, but you cannot turn it off entirely.

The ringing sound lasts for 2-3 seconds; in the echo dot device, the green light continues to spin and flash as the Drop-In commences, while in the Echo Show, the light vibrates in a straight line once the Drop-In stops the device chimes from showing the end.

What Is Alexa Drop in Time Limit?

If you initiate a connection on Echo Show devices, it will Drop In after 10 seconds of stop-motion before the image appears on the screen. Within those 10 seconds, a recipient can choose to reject the video Drop-In.

How Do You Review the History of Alexa Drop In?

After you use Alexa Drop In App, all the directives are stored on your Alexa account. To listen, delete and review your history on your Alexa account, follow these steps;

  • Open your Alexa app
  • Tap on the more option and select settings
  • Select Alexa privacy
  • Select an entry or scrutinize a particular date range

How Do You Review the History of Alexa Drop In?

What Is the Difference Between Drop-in and Announce on Alexa?

Alexa Drop In allows you to instantly connect with other people within your household or contact your friends with Alexa-connected devices. At the same time, Alexa announces broadcast messages to your echo devices around your home.

You can use Alexa announce to relay a routine message to members only within your household. On the other hand, Alexa Drop In can easily connect with others despite their location as long as their device is Alexa-enabled and has permitted you to Drop In on them.

Similarly, both devices can transmit information on Alexa-enabled devices, but Alexa announce cannot reply as compared to Drop In, which is a two-way device. 

Related: How to Make Alexa Mad? 20 Commands That Work

How Do You Drop In on Alexa Without Notification?

Due to the audible ringing tone, you cannot Drop In on Alexa-enabled echo devices unannounced. But you can temporarily disable the Drop In feature by activating the “do not disturb” mode or by entirely disabling the feature by turning it off.

Is Alexa Drop in Free?

Alexa Drop In is a free feature on an Alexa-enabled device for messaging and calling and video Drop Ins on devices with a camera and screen. The Drop In feature instantly connects users whose devices are Alexa-enabled, including phones and computers.

Can People Hear When You Drop In on Alexa?

The message or call is first recorded before Alexa Drops Into the recipient; you can also listen to the message as it is being relayed. The recipient will also reply to you through the Alexa-enabled device you dropped in the message.

How Do You Know If Someone Is Dropping in on Alexa?

The echo device will have a distinct ringing sound when the light indicator turns green then the device will be automatically connected.

Bottom Line

Alexa Drop-in lets you connect automatically with family and friends through voice and video broadcasts. You can drop in as an intercom device to announce and remind your household members of specific tasks and schedules.

With Alexa Drop In Device, you can make voice or video calls to anyone with an Alexa-enabled device or the Alexa app. Use Alexa-enabled devices to access skype, zoom, and chime on your computer. Link Alexa Drop In app on your mobile phone to make a group chat with friends. 

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