What Is Alexa Drop In & How Can You Use It?

 You've probably seen the Drop In feature in the Alexa app before. But what exactly does it do? Here's a quick explainer on the helpful feature.

Anyone who owns an Amazon Echo device has likely come across the 'Drop In' feature while using the Alexa app. But what exactly is this feature, and what does it do? This is a question that's likely come up among many Alexa users — and rightfully so! Alexa is an incredibly powerful voice assistant. It can handle simple tasks like checking the weather, all the way up to performing multi-step automations based on a specific action.

However, one problem with Alexa is that all of its features aren't well-explained. For example — did you know you can change the Alexa wake word so you don't have to keep saying 'Alexa' to get an Echo's attention? It's pretty easy to change if users know where to look in the settings. But if someone doesn't know precisely where to go, the feature is hidden from plain sight. This confusion also applies to changing Alexa's voice, grouping smart lights, fixing audio playback issues, etc.

That brings us back to Alexa Drop In. For folks who have seen the Drop In button in their Alexa app but aren't sure what it means, here's what it essentially boils down to. In Amazon's own words, Drop In is "an optional feature that lets you connect instantly to supported Alexa-enabled devices, like an intercom." Let's say someone is making dinner in the kitchen and wants to get their partner's attention upstairs in the bedroom. If there are Alexa devices in both rooms, the person in the kitchen can say 'Alexa, drop in on the bedroom' and start talking to their partner instantly. Drop In also works from the Alexa mobile app. Driving back from work and want to talk with your family back home? Just use the Alexa app to drop into an Alexa speaker/display at the house.

How To Use Drop In On Your Alexa Devices

Once you understand the basic idea of Drop In, using the feature is fairly simple. To use Drop In from a smartphone, do the following: Open the Alexa app on your phone, tap the 'Communicate' tab at the bottom of the screen, tap 'Drop In' at the top, and select which of your Alexa devices you want to Drop In on. Give the app a couple of seconds to establish a connection, and you'll soon be talking with whoever's near that Alexa speaker or display. Dropping in from another Alexa device is even easier. Just say 'Alexa, drop in on the living room' (or whatever room you have another Alexa device in).

There are a couple of other tips to note if you want to get the most out of Drop In. Let's say you want to use Drop In but aren't sure which room in the house your kid or partner is in. Say 'Alexa, drop in everywhere' to begin talking through every Alexa device in your home. Using Drop In with multiple Alexa devices near each other may cause annoying radio interference, but it's still a handy feature to keep in your pocket.

Lastly, Drop In also works with contacts who have granted you permission to Drop In on their Alexa devices. Open the Alexa mobile app, tap the 'Communicate' tab, tap the 'Contacts' icon in the upper-right corner, tap on a contact with a blue checkmark next to them (contacts who have Alexa devices), and tap the toggle next to 'Allow Drop In.' That contact now has permission to Drop In on your Alexa devices — and vice versa if they enable the same toggle for you.